Cary Development Updates: Glenaire, Fenton, Epic Games and More

Cary, NC — Cary’s future is looking mighty vertical through the lens of the developments on the horizon.

In a virtual Cary Chamber meeting Wednesday morning, Cary’s Director of Economic Development Ted Boyd gave a summary-level overview of Cary’s current projects under development. From a sold-out retirement community to medical offices and industrial space, here’s a look at the highlights of what’s coming to Cary.

Glenaire Expansion

“Believe it or not, this is Glenaire,” Boyd said as he moved to the above rendering of the expansion that’s underway along Kildaire Farm Road, saying that it appears the entirety of the retirement home’s new units are already sold out.

This particular undertaking Boyd says will likely serve as a catalyst for how the Town needs to be thinking about the entire intersection area of Maynard and Kildaire Farm Road.

“This is really setting a new scale for height, density and perspective as you come into Downtown Cary from the south,” said Boyd.

Phase 1 Vertical Construction Takes Off at Fenton

The creators of Fenton are currently in phase 1 of their development plan with total retail and office space at just over 550,000 square feet. Additionally, 357 multi-family units will be completed in this phase.

Building permits that have been approved for Fenton include 8 buildings, 2 parking decks, 4 Jewel Boxes, retaining walls and stormwater. Currently under vertical construction are 5 buildings and 2 parking decks.

New renderings give a closer look at what the site will offer, including what Boyd called detailed passageways from parking areas into the main streets of the mixed-use district.

Epic Games Headquarters

Not much new information was offered on the Cary Towne Center site that was nearly a mixed-use development known as Carolina Yards before being sold to Epic Games for $95 million.

The news of this site becoming the new Epic Games global headquarters broke at the start of 2021. Next up for this site will be its entitlement process with the Town this Spring.

With this project incoming along with Fenton just across the street, Boyd said,

“I think this area is really going to thrive and change over the coming years.”

No demolition of existing buildings at the old Cary Towne Center mall will be happening before Fall 2021.

Duke Health to Welcome Cary Patients in 2022

Duke Health has acquired and rezoned portions of land to the north and south of Green Level West Road in Cary. This project will begin with its first phase to the north that is set to bring about 102,000 square feet of medical office space and 346 space parking deck.

“They’ve already had their groundbreaking and they are expecting to have their first patients in the spring of 2022,” said Boyd.

Boyd said since the rezoning process, Duke Health has acquired a few more parcels in the area to the tune of 10.6 acres in additional property. Once the focus shifts to the southern portion of the project, that will bring more medical office elements and Boyd said it will also provide opportunities for some residential to be built in.

Other Developments of Note

Briar Creek Industrial

142 acres near RDU slated for 13 single-story flex buildings that will offer over 700,000 square feet of office/industrial space. This project is under the development of Merritt Properties, headquartered out of Baltimore, MD.

Urban Place Apartments

Ladd Commercial’s project called Urban Place is a small, boutique apartment project of about 28-30 total units. This will be right next to the recently completed Chatham Walk condo project.

The Walker Goes Vertical

The residential element of The Walker development that will wrap the Downtown Library and parking deck is slowly but surely getting its legs. This first residential phase will include two buildings that will offer 153 apartments and approximately 16,000 square feet of retail on the ground floor.

The more office-focused element of this project that will face Walnut Street will be constructed under the project’s next phase known as the commercial phase. This will consist of 95,000-110,000 square feet of office and ground-floor retail space.

The projected opening of The Walker’s residential buildings is in the first quarter of 2022 with the opening of the commercial office building to follow.

Hunter Street Extension & Meridian East Chatham

The Town of Cary plans to extend Hunter Street to complete Cary’s downtown, grid-like street pattern. In this new section, Hunter will connect E. Chatham and E. Cedar Streets.

It’s in this area that the newly announced Meridian East Chatham development will be located. This development, according to reporting from TBJ, will bring an additional 220 apartments and 8,000 square feet of retail space to Downtown Cary.

Streetscape Improvements at “The Center” on Chatham

The strip-mall style buildings across from the Cary Theater that many may call the Taipei 101 area is now being dubbed “The Center” by new management.

The shopping center is now home to the recently opened DiFara Pizza and soon to open Hank’s Downtown Dive. The center is looking at a few upcoming streetscape improvements along the Chatham Street facing side and has been undergoing a few facade improvements through a Town of Cary program.

Improvements to keep an eye out at this site are for improved sidewalks and moving toward suspended pavers to allow for trees that will be planted to have better growth.

Downtown Park Phase 2

For those unfamiliar, here’s a snapshot of the latest updates on the progress of the Downtown Park.

• Design nearing completion
• Utilities and grading coming soon
• Staffing and programming being planned
• Public art being planned
• Construction begins summer 2021
• Completion scheduled for 2023

Story by Ashley Kairis. Images screen-captured from the live Cary Chamber presentation.

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