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The owners of Amedeo's Italian Restaurant have filed a rezoning request with the city of Raleigh to potentially make way for more height on its Western Boulevard property. 

Why it matters: Amedeo's has been a fixture of the Raleigh dining scene, especially among the Wolfpack faithful, for six decades. 

But Western Boulevard is on the cusp of a major transformation as the city eventually hopes to extend its bus-rapid transit system down the road, and it could potentially mean the relocation of the historic restaurant. 

Driving the news: Wolfgang Investment Properties, which is run by the owners of Amedeo's, filed a request with the city in February to allow up to seven stories to be built on the property at 3911 Western Blvd. 

The application references the future bus-rapid transit line and notes that any redevelopment would follow the city's urban frontage rules and include the existing surface parking lot.

The big picture: Amedeo's is known for its classic Italian comfort food, especially its signature lasagna, but longtime customers also cherish the campus-adjacent restaurant because it's an N.C. State institution — founded by a former Wolfpack football player and brimming with red-and-white memorabilia and game-day tradition.

What they're saying: The ownership of the restaurant confirmed on Facebook that it has filed the request, after the Triangle Business Journal reported on the application. 

"As many know, the building now requires significant updates to operate long-term, and upcoming road expansion plans will impact the property, including the loss of critical parking," the ownership group said in a statement. "... If we ultimately move forward with redevelopment, we will begin exploring opportunities for a new location." 

Zoom in: The Amedeo's ownership group said they're also exploring a potential sale of the property as part of the rezoning request. 

It noted this process should take several years — if it happens — and will not affect the restaurant's operations in the near term. 

Amedeo's Italian Restaurant could relocate amid possible redevelopment

The restaurant could relocate if redevelopment of the site occurs

Single-story strip mall with arched windows and a stone base. Signs read Amedeo's and Raleigh Clouds Tobacco & Vape. Cracked parking lot with handicap spaces, a couple cars, a tall cell tower, blue sky, trees behind.

Amedeo's has been a staple on Western Boulevard for decades. Photo: Zachery Eanes/Axios

The owners of Amedeo&#x27;s Italian Restaurant have filed a rezoning request with the city of Raleigh to potentially make way for more height on its Western Boulevard property. Why it matters: Amedeo&#x27;s has been a fixture of the Raleigh dining scene, especially among the Wolfpack faithful, for six decades. <ul><li>But Western Boulevard is on the cusp of a major transformation as the city eventually hopes to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="extend its bus-rapid transit system" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/raleigh/2025/12/03/owners-of-former-raleigh-kmart-want-20-story-flexibility" data-vars-content-id="11544304-8c32-4b0d-a1d8-e6476a42ff5d" data-vars-headline="Amedeo&#x27;s Italian Restaurant could relocate amid possible redevelopment" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/raleigh/2025/12/03/owners-of-former-raleigh-kmart-want-20-story-flexibility" target="_self">extend its bus-rapid transit system</a> down the road, and it could potentially mean the relocation of the historic restaurant. </li></ul>

Development

Food and Drink

Raleigh and most metro areas in the Sun Belt saw rents decline again last year, as a building boom has flooded the market with new apartments. 

Why it matters: Housing remains unaffordable for many, but a surge in supply is limiting landlords' ability to raise rents, Axios' Sami Sparber writes.

Between the lines: Although median U.S. rent for new leases is down 1.5% from a year ago, it's still roughly 20% above pre-pandemic levels, at $1,400 a month, per Apartment List.

Zoom in: The Triangle has been one of the hottest spots for new construction over the past five years. Look anywhere from the downtown cores to the fast-growing suburbs, and you will find swaths of new apartment complexes. 

Median rents in the Raleigh metro were down 2.2% between February 2026 and February 2025. They now stand at $1,361 on average — a far cry from their peak of $1,566 in August 2022, per Apartment List data. 

In the Durham metro area, they were down 1.4%. The average rent is now $1,275 per month, compared with a peak of $,1426 in July 2022.

What's next: A building boom that led many of the Triangle's apartment complexes to offer rent concessions or keep renewals flat could be cooling down. 

High building costs and a glut of supply in places like the Sun Belt have made developers cautious about starting new projects.

And permits for new apartments in Raleigh have fallen below their peaks. 

Rents keep falling throughout the Triangle

With a glut of new apartments opening, rents have declined somewhat in the Triangle

A symbol map of 54 U.S. metro areas showing estimated change in median rent from February 2025 to February 2026. Rents decreased in 34 metros, mostly in the South, and increased in 20 metros, mostly in the Northeast and Midwest. Virginia Beach increased the most, by 5.3%, and Austin decreased the mo

Raleigh and most metro areas in the Sun Belt saw rents <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="decline" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/raleigh/2025/12/08/older-raleigh-apartments-see-falling-rent-prices-amid-new-apartment-surge" data-vars-content-id="1fdfc86c-8a65-4d88-a166-ee2137c1a77f" data-vars-headline="Rents keep falling throughout the Triangle" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/raleigh/2025/12/08/older-raleigh-apartments-see-falling-rent-prices-amid-new-apartment-surge" target="_self">decline</a> again last year, as a building boom has flooded the market with new apartments. Why it matters: Housing remains <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="unaffordable for many" data-vars-click-url="https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/americas-rental-housing-2026" data-vars-content-id="1fdfc86c-8a65-4d88-a166-ee2137c1a77f" data-vars-headline="Rents keep falling throughout the Triangle" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/americas-rental-housing-2026" target="_blank">unaffordable for many</a>, but a surge in supply is limiting landlords&#x27; ability to raise rents, Axios&#x27; Sami Sparber writes.

Brigid Washington, a Raleigh-based author of two cookbooks on Caribbean food, thought her next project would be another cookbook. 

But instead, her agent convinced her she should write a memoir about her experience in culinary school and an exploration of her Trinidadian roots. 

It's already drawing interest from critics this spring.

Why it matters: Washington's new book, "Salt, Sweat and Steam," comes out on April 28. 

The book explores the harsh reality of moving from Raleigh to New York to study at the Culinary Institute of America, where she met and interviewed famous chefs like Jerome Bocuse and Thomas Keller. 

You can see her talk about the new book at Quail Ridge Books next month. 

We talked with Washington for our latest Local Limelight conversation. The Q&A has been edited for Smart Brevity.

🧑‍🍳 What is it about chefs that we find so fascinating? I think it's because chefs are engaged in a process that is a thrice-daily necessity for literally every human being on the planet. And how that process creatively plays out — be it fast casual or fine dining — will always be compelling and exciting.

🎓 How did you end up in the Triangle? I came for undergrad at N.C. State. At the time, I had an aunt and uncle living in Charlotte, so North Carolina was my top pick.

🍽️ What is your favorite place to eat in the Triangle? Bombolo, Ajja, Peregrine, Longleaf Swine and any of the Crawford restaurants.

🇹🇭 What do you think the Triangle is missing? Not missing per se, but perhaps something that needs attention is regional Thai.

📖 What is your first read in the morning? The Bible; a classic that's always current.

📚 What is the last great book you read? "Stay True" by Hua Hsu.

🎧 What is a song you've had on repeat recently? Not a song, but a score: "Ode to Joyful" by Jon Batiste.

📱 Do you have a go-to podcast? Marketplace and The Moth.

🗞️ Where do you go for inspiration? Timothy Keller and the NYT Book Review.

😴 What is something you're looking forward to? Every day when my two kids finish homework, we relax into bedtime.

🏝️ Where should someone in the Triangle go for Caribbean food? Chef Lemar Farrington is a talented chef who works wonders in his smart and thoughtful interpretation of Caribbean cuisine. Literally anything he makes.


drawing interest from critics this spring

Local Limelight: Food writer and author Brigid Washington

Photo illustration of Brigid Washington in a polaroid-style frame surrounded by a lime green background. 

Photo illustration: Axios Visuals; Getty Images. Photo: Courtesy of Brigid Washington

Brigid Washington, a Raleigh-based author of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="two cookbooks" data-vars-click-url="https://www.withbrigid.com/books-brigidw" data-vars-content-id="92546a04-d5f7-4061-80ff-c15744f7c489" data-vars-headline="Local Limelight: Food writer and author Brigid Washington" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.withbrigid.com/books-brigidw" target="_blank">two cookbooks</a> on Caribbean food, thought her next project would be another cookbook. <ul><li>But instead, her agent convinced her she should write a memoir about her experience in culinary school and an exploration of her Trinidadian roots. </li><li>It&#x27;s already <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="drawing interest from critics this spring" data-vars-click-url="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/06/books/review/26-nonfiction-books-were-excited-about-this-spring.html" data-vars-content-id="92546a04-d5f7-4061-80ff-c15744f7c489" data-vars-headline="Local Limelight: Food writer and author Brigid Washington" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/06/books/review/26-nonfiction-books-were-excited-about-this-spring.html" target="_blank">drawing interest from critics this spring</a>.</li></ul>

High Point University pulled off a major upset Thursday, knocking off No. 5 Wisconsin 83-82 for the school's first NCAA tournament win.

Why it matters: March Madness is changing now that colleges can pay players. High Point hasn't publicly detailed its NIL strategy, but it is notoriously wealthy and unveiled a flashy new basketball arena five years ago.

The big picture: Money has flooded into college sports since NCAA players won the ability to get paid for their name, image and likeness in 2021.

Last year, schools began paying athletes directly, with some spending millions and hiring general managers to professionalize operations.

Between the lines: Mid-majors with big bucks can now attract players who will allow them to compete with the Power Five in new ways.

That may be especially true for schools like High Point that don't field football teams, which have far larger rosters.

State of play: Two years in a row, the Panthers have secured automatic NCAA tournament bids by winning the Big South championship.

Last year was HPU's tournament debut, but they lost in the first round.

In the offseason, they recruited eight players from the transfer portal. Pickups from Arizona and Southeast Missouri State now lead the team in points, rebounds, assists and steals.

What they're saying: The offseason also saw Flynn Clayman promoted to head coach. He delivered a viral soundbite on the court after Thursday's upset, saying with a clear shoulder-chip that power conference schools should schedule regular-season games against mid-majors like High Point.

"I know how good of a team we had. But nobody would play us," Clayman said as his team swarmed him.

The court at High Point University's Qubein Center during the Big South Men's Basketball Championship in 2024.

High Point University's Qubein Center hosted the Big South Men's Basketball Championship in 2024. Photo: Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images

Zoom in: Also helping with recruiting is High Point's snazzy arena, the Qubein Center, which opened on campus in 2021 with an estimated $170 million price tag.

It seats 5,000, but contains what the school says is the state's second-largest scoreboard. (Charlotte Motor Speedway's is the largest. It seats 95,000.)

High Point's jumbotron is capable of projecting images onto the court, which the blog Stadium Journey notes is "a feature typically found only in professional sports arenas."

Stadium Journey notes there is "not a bad seat in the house" and awarded it a 4.43 rating out of 5 — tied for second place with far larger schools like Villanova, Texas and Notre Dame in its comprehensive ranking of college arenas.

What's next: The No. 12-seeded High Point men's team plays No. 4 Arkansas on Saturday. Time TBD. 

"They're good. I mean, they're good!" Razorbacks coach John Calipari said about High Point in his postgame interview Thursday.

High Point's women's team, seeded No. 15, plays No. 2 Vanderbilt in the first round at 7pm Saturday. 

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High Point shocks Wisconsin as new money hits March Madness

A flashy arena, transfer portal pickups and deep pockets are fueling High Point's tournament rise.

Guard Chase Johnston #99 of the High Point Panthers waves to the crowd after the High Point Panthers upset the Wisconsin Badgers in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament.

Chase Johnston scored the shot that gave High Point University its first-ever NCAA tourney win. Photo: C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images

High Point University pulled off a major upset Thursday, knocking off No. 5 Wisconsin <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="83-82" data-vars-click-url="https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap/_/gameId/401856480" data-vars-content-id="be3d5725-4c4b-4f8f-8122-02eb2def17c6" data-vars-headline="High Point shocks Wisconsin as new money hits March Madness" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap/_/gameId/401856480" target="_blank">83-82</a> for the school&#x27;s first NCAA tournament win.Why it matters: March Madness is changing now that colleges can pay players. High Point hasn&#x27;t publicly detailed its NIL strategy, but it is <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="notoriously wealthy" data-vars-click-url="https://www.wsj.com/us-news/education/north-carolina-college-high-point-amenities-30b0fc14?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=AWEtsqdJvUWnfoBmwhbuHU8pft1IvIuPqaHTLGoQnATEowPHzFW_VgmhJVADZ4zIWtk%3D&amp;gaa_ts=69bc7d41&amp;gaa_sig=4HL8bSSzYDlScTf6v7pXaKmvQO5NWlnKb3noIrLqstULA-8tk-r3E_8JKE2aZaCznxx5JBuPIohSwYZk9kaMew%3D%3D" data-vars-content-id="be3d5725-4c4b-4f8f-8122-02eb2def17c6" data-vars-headline="High Point shocks Wisconsin as new money hits March Madness" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.wsj.com/us-news/education/north-carolina-college-high-point-amenities-30b0fc14?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=AWEtsqdJvUWnfoBmwhbuHU8pft1IvIuPqaHTLGoQnATEowPHzFW_VgmhJVADZ4zIWtk%3D&amp;gaa_ts=69bc7d41&amp;gaa_sig=4HL8bSSzYDlScTf6v7pXaKmvQO5NWlnKb3noIrLqstULA-8tk-r3E_8JKE2aZaCznxx5JBuPIohSwYZk9kaMew%3D%3D" target="_blank">notoriously wealthy</a> and unveiled a flashy new basketball arena five years ago.

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The future redevelopment of the now-closed Northgate Mall in Durham will be anchored by a Target, the retailer and its future landlord Regency Centers told Axios.

Why it matters: The redevelopment of the shuttered mall — located on Club Boulevard between Interstate 85 and downtown Durham — has been contentious in the city, with nearby neighborhoods objecting to previous plans for the property that didn't include affordable housing. 

But the mall, which had a major influence on the area for six decades, has sat empty and languished for more than five years. 

Driving the news: Target will ensure that retail, however, continues to play a prominent role at the property once it opens, according to Regency Centers. 

Regency Centers, whose portfolio includes open-air shopping centers such as Village District in Raleigh and Blakeney Town Center in Charlotte, is buying one-third of the Northgate Mall property and is renaming the site Ellerbe Square.

Zoom in: Regency's plans call for demolishing most of the mall, the former movie theater and a parking deck along Gregson Street, and replacing it with new retail space, including 140,000 square feet for Target, and a parking lot. 

Target will anchor major redevelopment of the now-closed Northgate Mall

The future redevelopment of the now-closed Northgate Mall in Durham will be anchored by a Target, the retailer and its future landlord Regency Centers told Axios.Why it matters: The redevelopment of the shuttered mall — located on Club Boulevard between Interstate 85 and downtown Durham — has been <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="contentious in the city" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/raleigh/2025/08/12/triangle-projects-facing-contentious-rezoning-debates-north-hills-northgate-durham-raleigh" data-vars-content-id="f7d4836d-c9ad-428c-b358-957723b5f39f" data-vars-headline="Target will anchor major redevelopment of the now-closed Northgate Mall" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/raleigh/2025/08/12/triangle-projects-facing-contentious-rezoning-debates-north-hills-northgate-durham-raleigh" target="_self">contentious in the city</a>, with nearby neighborhoods objecting to previous plans for the property that didn&#x27;t include affordable housing. <ul><li>But the mall, which had a major influence on the area for six decades, has sat empty and languished for more than five years. </li></ul>

Zachery Eanes

Featured stories

High Point shocks Wisconsin as new money hits March Madness

Amedeo's Italian Restaurant could relocate amid possible redevelopment

Target will anchor major redevelopment of the now-closed Northgate Mall

Rents keep falling throughout the Triangle

Local Limelight: Food writer and author Brigid Washington