Area restauranteur Lou Moshakos is finally offering some details about his Carolina Ale House on Glenwood South in Raleigh.

Moshakos, founder and owner of Raleigh's LM Restaurants, bought The Creamery building at 500 Glewnood South in 2009 but has not done much with it since then. He said he was focusing on opening the four Ale House locations he had in the works in Fayetteville, Wilmington, Greenville, S.C., and Augusta, Ga., before turning to this new project.

Today Moshakos said he has hired Frank Smith of Smith 2 Architecture & Design to be lead designer on the new building. Plans so far include a rooftop Carolina Ale House with a retractable roof, and a Mediterranean restaurant on the ground level serving tapas-style food and an extensive wine list. Moshakos is also considering adding a banquet facility to the building.

However, fans are going to have a long wait in front of them. Moshakos said he expects demolition of the current building to begin this summer and construction of the new building to start late this year.

Plans for a new six-story hotel above shops and restaurants in downtown Raleigh's Glenwood South district are advancing through the city's planning department. Officials say the issue could go to the Planning Commission for approval as early as February.

Investors submitted plans for the 126-room Hampton Inn & Suites to the city on Nov. 19. Planners scrutinized the plan and asked for revisions, the most significant of which involved changes to a sidewalk in front of the hotel, which would be above the 510 Glenwood building at the corner of Glenwood Avenue and Johnson Street.

Glenwood Hospitality Associates bought the L-shaped property a year ago for $1.8 million.

Eric Hodge, the city planner working on the project, said the developers wanted to remove an existing sidewalk and make a curved drive-through area for people to unload their bags and check in before parking. City officials balked at that idea, but said they would consider marking off a no-parking area for hotel customers.

No new parking is planned for the project. Those staying at the hotel would use the deck for the 510 building, which houses several bars, restaurants and offices.

Another batch of Raleigh condominiums are headed to the auction block.

At the end of this month 36 condos at West, a 17-story project in downtown Raleigh's Glenwood South entertainment district, will be auctioned off.

The auction is an attempt by developer Gregg Sandreuter to reduce inventory in the 170-unit building.

Sandreuter said today the project is not being foreclosed upon and that West is in full compliance on its loan.

Starting bids for the units, which are all one- and two-bedrooms, will range from $95,000 to $260,000.

On West's website, one-bedrooms are listed as starting at $224,000 and two-bedrooms at $300,000.

View SEHSR alternatives in a larger map

Public hearings start this week (Tuesday in Norlina, July 26 in Raleigh) for a proposed new rail shortcut between Raleigh and Richmond that would take trains as fast as 110 mph and arrive there almost two hours sooner than they do now.

The first big question is how to get the trains out of Raleigh (see Sunday's story, "Fast train route could detour Raleigh's scene" with readers' comments).  Read the Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor environmental impact statement and offer your ideas online at sehsr.org. 

The Rockford Cafe in Raleigh's Glenwood South district has apparently closed for good, according to a sign posted on the restaurant's door.

The sign reads: "Sorry. The Rockford has closed today. Thanks for 15 great years."

The cafe, at 320 1/2 Glenwood Avenue, overlooked the street from the second floor.

It was famous for, among other things, its sandwich of Granny Smith apples, bacon, sharp cheddar cheese and toasted sesame honey dressing on French toasted whole wheat.

Late-night craving? Soon you'll have a new option.

Niall Hanley, the entrepreneur behind Glenwood South's Hibernian Irish pub and Solas restaurant and lounge, plans to open a diner in the Raleigh entertainment district.

Called simply The Diner, it will take the space formerly occupied by Hard Times Cafe. Hanley, in an interview, said he expects the restaurant to open in about four months and said it will feature traditional American cuisine, including burgers, fries and shakes.

"I've been planning to do this for a few years," Hanley said. "There's a big market for something that's a little bit more casual."