Development of the last remaining large parcel of land in Apex is about to get under way. A 170 acre parcel stretches from across the street from the Town Hall on Hunter Street to NC 64 north of town. Town Planners and the Board of Commissioners had previously reviewed and approved the expansion under two major plans known as "trackside north" and "trackside south".
Under the new name "Villages of Apex", the combined project is said to include plans for 1,300 condos, townhouses and homes, a private elementary school, a 13-acre park, 35 miles of walkways, 220,000 square feet retail shops and 80,000 square feet of offi
ce space. Work will probably begin immediately since the projects had been approved by the town and may take five or more years to complete.
The development is being described as an extension of the existing downtown area and that it bring more new businesses to the central part of town. It is not clear if the development will complement newly established businesses in the "historic downtown district" or if it will slowly drain businesses away as often happens with new developments.
Little has been said about how the significant surge in traffic will be handled by town planners. Recent projects all around town have brought a huge increase in daily commuter traffic and existing streets are already clogged much of the day from large numbers of cars passing through town along with a significant increase of construction and commercial traffic. Eighteen wheeler flatbed trucks, cargo haulers, gasoline tankers, concrete carriers, commercial dump trucks with trailer carrying road construction equipment constantly pass through the older parts of town making daily trips to construction sites and problems will get even worse with the new Villages of Apex project.
Town Planners consistently claim that new developments will not add significantly to traffic volume and include a comment in most project review reports on the Town's website that each project will bring only small increases in traffic and existing infrastructure will adequately handle the growth. Unfortunately the small increases have now accumulated to a point where driveways in much of the area are blocked for hours each day as commuters travel to and from outlying areas of employment. Years ago part of the town was declared a "historic district" in order to preserve the "small town look and feel" but neglect of traffic planning and control has turned most of the area into the equivalent of an interstate during work hours each day.
A new "Peakway" road was started several years ago by the town but limited construction has been done and the town has built only one side of segments of the parkway and the work has resulted in a hodgepodge of disconnected sections that don't provide a good route for commuters to use. If things continue as with prior developments, the Town will wait until after the new project is well under way to avoid investing in adequate roads to get ahead of problems before traffic has gotten too bad and hoping to force builders to provide the roads or cover cost of additions.
As noted in the following report, Apex has been experiencing a growth spurt, jumping from 7,257 residents in 1990 to 26,311 last year. Its population is predicted to climb to 31,430 by 2011.
News & Observer
August 2, 2007
Sue Stock, Staff Writer
One more big development for Apex
The largest remaining tract of undeveloped land in Apex won't remain that way much longer. Construction could begin as early as this month on 170 acres in northeast Apex that connects the downtown area with U.S. 64.
Plans for the Villages of Apex, include 1,300 condos, townhouses and homes, a private elementary school, a 13-acre park, 35 miles of walkways, 220,000 square feet retail shops and 80,000 square feet of office space.
"It is the last project of that scope that will be possible in our town," Mayor Keith Weatherly said.
But the size of the project is raising some concerns about traffic, stress on Apex's already strained school system and cannibalization of the town's historic downtown, which has been experiencing a revitalization of its own.
Beverly and Bob Fuller own Out of the Kiln, an art studio and craft gallery on downtown's main drag, Salem Street. They also opened a gift shop, Traditions on Salem, next door in June.
"We just opened up a second store, so we weren't real, real worried about business dropping," Beverly Fuller said. "I think the thing is that people aren't afraid of the growth if it's done right. But have we yet to see it done right? I don't know."
Apex has been experiencing a growth spurt, jumping from 7,257 residents in 1990 to 26,311 last year. Its population is predicted to climb to 31,430 by 2011.
Retailers have been following the boom, with the addition of Beaver Creek Commons off U.S. 64 and the still-under-development Beaver Creek Crossings nearby. Together, the centers encompass more than 1 million square feet of retail space.
And there is more demand that makes the Villages of Apex viable, said developer Mike Howington.
Howington is half of Apex First Development LLC, and also owner of Apex Electric. His business partner is a friend and Maryland developer named Warren Halle. Together they plan to invest at least $327 million in the project.
Already, retailers are trying to become a part of the project, said Calvin Ramsey of Coldwell Banker Advantage, a Raleigh-based company helping to lease the space.
"We haven't even marketed this thing yet, and we've just been inundated with calls about this thing," he said. "We're already being courted by several major upscale grocery stores."
Work on the Villages of Apex will begin this month or in early September, Howington said. The entire project could be built in as little as five years.
"It's going to change the whole area," Howington said. "We're actually building a new city."
Weatherly, Apex's mayor, said town planners are doing what they can to encourage developers to include new schools and infrastructure with their plans as Apex grows.
The town is planning road improvements, including the extension of Apex Peakway and a bridge over the CSX railroad tracks to help ease traffic, he said.
"We can't force the school district to acquire property, but certainly we're facilitating the discussion," Weatherly said. "We really intend to keep our growth rate at 3 to 4 percent [annually] on average."
Each year the Parks and Recreation Department of the Town of Apex, NC, has a "just for kids" parade on July 4th. Vendors line the streets with inflated slides and rides for the children and others have tents offering food or wares for the occasion. The downtown area is packed with residents and visitors from all around just wanting to get out and celebrate the day. At high-noon all the kids that care to participate line up at the center of town on Salem Street to join a procession through the historic downtown with their costumes, wagons, bicycles and tricycles and all sorts of home built outfits to celebrate the day.
Apex is full of scenery, but the most striking area is the quaint Downtown Historic District. The turn-of-the-century train depot, built between 1867 and 1873, is still impressively intact, with an array of commercial and residential buildings now serving visitors and residents alike. Locals enjoy the small-town feel of the growing community. But some residents have to adapt to growth in less popular ways, like longer commute times to Raleigh or the Research Triangle, and recently implemented year-round school schedules. -A.B.
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