North Hills East keeps growing up

On the east side of North Hills, a two-story supermarket and apartment complex are under construction. Developer John Kane said plans for at least eight additional projects for the 50-acre site are under way.

Existing retailers said they expect the growth will enhance North Hills' reputation.

"We are really, really excited about it. It'll mean a lot of foot traffic," said Stuart Hubbard, an employee with Fantasia Boutique. "I think it'll be more of a destination spot, which North Hills is starting to become."

The 17-story, mixed-use Captrust Tower is starting to take shape, as is the newest addition called Park and Market. The 900,000-square-foot project will put 409 apartments under the same roof as a two-story Harris Teeter.

"It's the only place I know of where you can go down an elevator to Harris Teeter and buy a carton of milk and go back up to your residence without going anywhere else," Kane said.

The developer said that's been his vision all along: to create a place where everything a person needs is within walking distance. The roller-coaster ride the economy has taken recently hasn't made him veer too far from that vision, he said.

"We were fortunate that we got our funding done for these projects before things got too bad," Kane said.

So far, new development at North Hills has thrived. The 10-story Renaissance Raleigh Hotel opened in December, and rooms are nearly sold out every weekend in April, May and June, managers say.

As for the future, Kane said he's looking at another eight or nine projects to add to North Hills, including another hotel.

"It is ambitious, yes, and it's always been ambitious," Kane said.