Residents in Boylan Heights discuss planned towers in historic neighborhood

At the Pullen Community Center, residents went to a public hearing Tuesday to discuss the rezoning request.

Attorneys for the developers laid out the plan for a 20-story residential towers.

The towers would be right next to the Joel Lane Museum House, the oldest house in the city.

Some moved to the Boylan Heights neighborhood because of the scenery.

"I really do enjoy it," said Alex Wolf, a Boylan resident. "It has a lot of character. I feel safe here, you are right next to the city.

Residents are not happy with what they perceive as downtown creeping into the historic Boylan Heights neighborhood.

"It's too big for the area," said Jay Spain, a Boylan resident. "Basically it's the destruction of a historical district."

Spain is concerned about the traffic, congestion and parking.

When he asked neighbors at the meeting if they are against the proposal, nearly every resident in the community center raised their hand.

The area is currently zoned as a transition area, which limits buildings to seven stories.

Spain believes rezoning the land from seven stories to 20 stories is not the answer.

“We need density. We need responsible density," Spain said. "Density that effects the lives of other people is not a good thing,"

The attorneys representing the owners declined to talk to WRAL News.

The plan will be presented to the planning commission on February 28, with many of the residents from Tuesday's meeting planning to attend.