Affordable housing or apartments: What's in store for Raleigh's old DMV Headquarters?

With the old DMV headquarters no longer inside the massive building on New Bern Avenue, many residents been wondering what's next for the old property and building.

Posted 10:53 p.m. Mar 3, 2023 — Updated 5:56 p.m. Mar 20, 2023

Mark Boyle

, WRAL anchor/reporter

RALEIGH, N.C. — Several years ago, employees moved out of the old DMV Headquarters building on New Bern Avenue, leaving the large structure mostly vacant.

Since then, many residents been wondering what’s next for the old property and building.

Well, the city of Raleigh has an idea at the tune of several million dollars.

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Raleigh leaders are pitching an idea to the state of North Carolina to buy the old DMV Headquarters and possibly turn it into a mixed-used development with housing options.

Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin confirmed to WRAL News that the city has issued a draft concept, or interest letter, to buy this land from the state.

Currently state-owned property, the land that currently takes up the corner of New Bern Avenue at Tarboro Road is valued at about $13 million in southeast Raleigh.

Affordable housing or apartments: What's in store for Raleigh's vacant DMV Headquarters?

According to the letter of interest, the city is looking at affordable housing, mixed-income housing and potentially services like a day care center.

The Department of Administration sent WRAL News the letter that outlined the "vision and opportunities for the former DMV site" that the city drafted, saying it “creates a rare opportunity for a generational investment that would provide affordable housing, as well as access to such amenities as reliable transit, day care, workforce development and culture.”

Gov. Roy Cooper's spokesperson told WRAL in a statement late Friday, "The state should carefully consider proposals regarding the property on New Bern Avenue to ensure its best use in the future and the City of Raleigh has promising ideas for the site.”

A historic marker near the old DMV Headquarters tells the history of the surrounding area as being the original site of the NC State Fairgrounds. It reads:

"First NC State Fair sponsored by the State Agricultural Society. The fair was held here, October 18-21, 1853. New Bern Avenue and corner of Tarboro Road on site of Dept. of Motor Vehicles.

"The state fair, with its large racetrack, was two blocks south, between Hargett, Tarboro and Davie streets. It operated from 1853 to 1872, with the exception of Civil War years, when it served as a military training camp. The Fairgrounds Hospital, the first military hospital in North Carolina, was established here in 1861."

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With the past and present of the site known to locals, the only question now is: What will this important site hold next?

The process will take a while, but the city is hoping by getting in early, the state will work with them to help open up opportunity for neighbors and the city alike.

"We’re hoping that the state will take our offer seriously and we can negotiate," Baldwin said.

Baldwin did not indicate how long this process will take or outline the timeline of what’s next. However, you can see the Vision Memo and DMV Site Vision Document.

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