City leaders eye improvements to Raleigh’s Dix Park as DHHS moves out of park buildings

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — As the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services prepares to vacate several buildings at Dorothea Dix Park, the City of Raleigh is taking full control of the 308-acre property. City leaders say the future of the park is just beginning

Dix Park welcomed over 600,000 visitors between June and August, with guests from 42 states. It was the second most visited destination in North Carolina this summer, trailing only Wrightsville Beach.

City officials and the Dix Park Conservancy are now focused on the next phase of park improvements.

“During COVID, we learned that our parks became our sanctuaries of sanity,” said Raleigh City Council Member Mitchell Silver. “It’s where people go to feel mentally and physically healthy. We want that for our city.”

One of the park’s most notable additions this year was the opening of Gipson Play Plaza, now the largest adventure playground in the Southeast.

More upgrades are planned, including new public art installations and renovations to existing structures.

Ruffin Hall, president and CEO of the Dix Park Conservancy, outlined some of the upcoming enhancements.

“There’s lots of fun things going on at the park: House of Many Porches where you can go and grab a snack, renovating the Flowers Cottage next to Flowers Field,” Hall said. “We’re also looking at renovating the dog park and the trolls.”

With DHHS preparing to vacate state-owned buildings on the property, some structures will be demolished, while others may be retrofitted for new uses.

“To me, that’s a great opportunity, having a nice enclave of some market rate residential buildings,” Silver said. “Long-term leases or sales could generate money to reinvest in the park.”

Silver has seen this model succeed in other cities, where revenue from residential developments fully funded park improvements without relying on taxpayer dollars.

Plans also include a new entrance on South Saunders Street, and the city is exploring expanded public transportation options to better connect the park with downtown Raleigh.

Many of the park’s improvements have been made possible by a $75 million fundraising campaign led by the Conservancy.

“The City of Raleigh has some tremendous donors, civic-minded folks who made generous contributions,” Hall said. “That partnership with the city is what really made this happen — and that’s what makes Raleigh so special.”