Trending in the Triangle: Walkable communities with grocery stores
From Triangle Business Journal
A walkable development anchored by a Publix in north Durham is evidence of a growing trend in the Triangle.
Latta Park is a 30-acre development with townhomes and retail east of Highway 157 and north of the Eno River. The community will have 176 townhomes built by Tri Pointe Homes and 12,580 square feet of retail space — all anchored by a 42,240-square-foot Publix.
Construction has already begun. If all goes according to plan, homes will be for sale in late 2025 while retail tenants will be able to open late spring 2026.
Grocery stores have traditionally served as anchors for retail and shopping plazas, but the rise of massive master-planned developments in the region brought in grocery stores and other retail within those communities so residents didn’t have to go far.
Now that trend is leaking into mixed-use developments, where grocery stores anchor smaller, walkable communities. Latta Park is just one example.
The Peace Raleigh apartments in Downtown Raleigh is anchored by a ground-floor Publix as part of the Smoky Hollow development by Kane Realty. There are 417 apartments that, along with the store, opened in 2020.
Initially, plans for Fenton in Cary included a Wegmans store before the retailer backed out of the project. But the developers could still bring on another grocery chain.
Work is about to start on the redevelopment of the Durham Coca-Cola Bottling Co. warehouse, where the 11 acres will be anchored by an 23,291-square-foot grocer. No grocer tenant has been announced yet. Developer Ardent Companies is planning 370 apartments, 35 townhomes and 70,000 square feet of retail space, including the grocery store.
In Apex, the Sweetwater development is anchored by a 64,000-square-foot Harris Teeter store. At full buildout, the project will have a mix of retail, apartments, office and green space.
New Harris Teeter coming to Apex targets western Wake County's explosive growth
From Triangle Business Journal
The fast-growing town of Apex has landed a major grocer as an anchor tenant in a new mixed-use development.
Harris Teeter (NYSE: KR) has signed on to open in Sweetwater Town Center. The development is currently underway along Highway 64 west of town in an area that continues to attract new residents and commercial developments.
The Matthews-based grocer will fill a 64,000-square-foot space in the development's second phase. Its first phase, which is currently under construction, includes 230 apartments, an event/concert lawn, parking decks and 67,000 square feet of commercial space.
The project is a joint venture between The Kalikow Group and ExperienceOne Homes and is situated on more than 40 acres at 2775 Core Banks St. (south of U.S. 64 and west of Interstate 540.)
Apex project topping 1M square feet comes into focus
The first phase of development is expected to deliver at the end of this year, according to Preston Waldo of Retail Strategies of NC.
That phase, dubbed the East Side, has seven signed leases. Tenants include Duke Health taking up 13,500 square feet, Club Pilates, Restore Hyper Wellness, Southern Peak Brewery, Fratelli's Deli, Sushi Yaki and Royal Nail Spa and Lounge.
The second phase, or the West Side, is slated to deliver in late 2024. It will feature the Harris Teeter and 11,200 square feet of retail space along with three outparcels. Two of the outparcels have ground leases pending with national tenants, Waldo said.
Harris Teeter will also be opening a gas station along with the grocery store.
"The demand has been overwhelming given this will be one of the finest suburban mixed-use projects in one of the hottest markets in the Southeast," Waldo told the Triangle Business Journal.
Cline Design of Raleigh is the architect on the project. CE Group is the engineer on the project.
Sweetwater Town Commons was first announced in 2019 as the epitome of a Southern small town — "on steroids." At the time, developers expected the project's value to be around $150 million to $200 million. Their goal was to bring modern designs to Apex — at the time, Apex's population was about 55,000. As of Dec. 31, 2022, the Town of Apex estimates its population at about 74,000 people.
Harris Teeter has not responded to requests for comment. The grocer has over 40 stores currently in the Triangle area, including two in Apex — one at Haddon Hall Commons and one at Lake Pine Plaza. The company is owned by grocery conglomerate Kroger, which is currently working to get approval to merge with another grocery giant, Albertsons (NYSE: ACI).
‘For us, it’s a game changer’: Apex development draws customers across central NC
From CBS 17 News
APEX, N.C. (WNCN) — A major new development is taking shape in Apex, bringing new homes, restaurants, and shops.
The 45-acre Sweetwater Town Center mixes restaurants, shops, and nearly 250 apartments. It is still under some construction, but is already drawing in events. Shop Local Raleigh held First Friday on the event lawn of the development, which is exactly what the developers want in the space.
Developer Marvin Waldo said he wants Sweetwater to have a small-town feel, a place where families have easy access to everything they need.
The development is bringing people in and not just from Apex. Steph Tucker and her family drive in every week to have dinner at Fratelli’s Delicatessen, one of the development’s businesses.
“This has become our spot every Friday night,” she said. “This area is providing us everything as a family that we kind of look for to be convenient and easy.
“It’s a game changer being able to hop on 64 and get somewhere that’s quality food,” she said. “It’s extremely convenient, and just a sign of the growth that’s coming this way.”
Miguel Ryan, a mechanic at a car dealership and a student at Wake Tech who lives right down the road from Sweetwater, said having the development close by makes his life a lot easier.
“It helps me because I work at a dealership as a mechanic, so long hours, early mornings, late nights,” Ryan said. “It’s very much convenient to have a place where I can very easily get gas, early breakfast, late dinner, whatever I need.”
One downside to the development is more traffic. But Tucker said it had not been a major inconvenience so far.
“You have to recognize with growth, there’s going to be a few pain points and that’s one of them,” she said. “The traffic to get here is not so bad that you think twice about going.”
Everything in the development is expected to be open by late September or early October. At that point, Sweetwater will host a bigger launch event.
Sweetwater Town Center opens first two retail tenants
From New York Real Estate Journal
Apex, NC — The Kalikow Group, a fourth-generation, New York development and management firm, and ExperienceOne Homes LLC, a North Carolina developer, announced that its first retail tenants at Sweetwater Town Center, a sustainable 45-acre mixed-use development, have opened for business, as the community begins to grow.
As of October 1, 2024, the retail at Sweetwater Town Center is 100% pre-leased.
The Kalikow Group has been an investor and developer in the Southeast for more than 20 years, having constructed the mixed-use community of Grace Park in Morrisville (outside Raleigh), and the renovation of Rams Plaza in Chapel Hill. Along with EYC Companies of Charleston, it has developed several multi-family projects such as Shade Tree, 17 South, Wescott, Forest at Fenwick in Charleston and Raleigh, The South Terrace at Auburn in Durham and Mebane Apartments in Mebane. The Kalikow Group has also successfully developed the Anthem Apartments, a 40-acre, 406-multi-family, rental community project in Huntsville, AL, including one and two-story single-family and duplex homes with private yards and detached garages. It has also developed Coventry Square Apartments in Salisbury, MD. A full list of Kalikow projects, valued at over $1 billion, is available here.
At Sweetwater Town Center, Fratelli’s Deli, serving New York/Chicago-style deli sandwiches and more, and Sweetwater Dental, are among the first wave of businesses that will open over the course of the coming months. Lightbridge Academy, which occupies an 11,200 s/f building, opened in 2021 on the site.
“Seeing Sweetwater Town Center, a timeless venue, spring to life is a dream many years in the making,” said Greg Kalikow, vice president of Kalikow Group. “Our goal here is the same as with all our mixed-use developments — to create neighborhoods where professionals of all ages, families and friends can live together and enjoy a lifestyle they have always dreamed of.”
The East Side of the project consists of four mixed-use buildings with 230 apartments and 66,000 s/f of retail space and an event lawn. Residential units include studio, one and two-bedroom apartment homes located atop retail shops and restaurants. Apartments feature modern touches with spacious interiors with a southern charm. UpNest has named Apex one of the best places to live in North Carolina.
Cline Design of Raleigh is the architect for the project. CE group is the civil engineer. Samet of High Point, NC is the general contractor. The lender is American National Insurance Company and owners’ rep is NEMA.
“For nearly two decades, we’ve recognized the tremendous potential to build vibrant communities in the Southeast United States,” said Ed Kalikow, president and CEO of Kalikow Group. “Our innovative developments stem from strong, long-term partnerships with local builders and community leaders, fostering environments where people want to live and thrive. We take pride in being ahead of the curve when it comes to selecting markets for multi-family development.”
Ground Breaking Held For Sweetwater Town Center
Ground breaking was held today for Sweetwater Town Center in Apex, NC. Apex Mayor Jacques Gilbert gave a speech to the crowd prior to breaking ground.
Sweetwater Town Center is a 45-acre neo-traditional mixed-use community developed in partnership between ExperienceOne Homes and the Kalikow Group. Sweetwater Town Center will feature 230 luxury apartment homes, over 65,000 sq ft of retail space, and a six-story Tempo by Hilton hotel, all anchored by an event lawn. In addition there will be a grocery store, outparcel space, and 2 additional retail buildings.
Retail leasing is being handled by Retail Strategies. Contact Preston Waldo at 919-789-4447 or [email protected].
Sweetwater Towncenter Releases Commercial
Interested in learning more about Sweetwater Town Center? This video will take you through a virtual tour of what is to come.
Sweetwater Towncenter Featured on WRAL News
Sweetwater Towncenter featured on WRAL News. Ground breaking is set for October 21, 2021.