City of Raleigh new owner of flood-prone Milner Inn

The purchase is part of the city's long-term plan to transform that portion of Capital Boulevard into a park to mitigate flooding problems and create a green gateway to downtown.

"This is an area that's in the floodplain, and it frequently floods," Deputy Planning Director Ken Bowers said last month. "We need the floodplain to do its natural work of cleaning the storm water and providing a place for floodwater to go so it doesn't damage private property."

Once the flood-prone area is transformed into a park, city leaders say they anticipate plenty of commercial interest in the stretch, just inside the Beltline, which is now dotted with old and empty buildings.

The city used a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to pay for the property.

The inn, at 1817 Capital Blvd., sits along the Pigeon House branch of Crabtree Creek. The city’s plan would eventually connect the Crabtree Creek Greenway to the north with downtown Raleigh.