Projects continue to revitalize Wake County downtown areas

Three Wake County towns are giving their downtowns a makeover. The projects began before the coronavirus pandemic, and local leaders have kept moving them forward.

Morrisville is quiet, with very little activity, but despite the pandemic, town leaders are re-envisioning growth. Neighboring cities, like Holly Springs and Apex, may be able to offer some inspiration.

Known for its big tech companies, Morrisville sits in the heart of the Triangle, yet doesn’t have a heart of its own to call downtown.

“It looks like people are looking for that live, work and play environment where they can live close to somewhere where they can go and shop [or] they can go play in the parks,” said Steve Rao, a Morrisville council member.

Rao said that long-anticipated vision may soon come. The town has partnered with developers, making great progress to build its downtown from the ground-up.

“We have a great, talented workforce, and we have great business community and entrepreneurs. So, being able to create this kind of environment right in Morrisville would be no different than what Raleigh has done, what Winston-Salem has done, what Durham has done,” Rao added.

“At one point in time, way back when, we didn’t have a downtown, and I used to get comments like, ‘When are you going to look like Apex?’” said Dick Sears, the mayor of Holly Springs.

Sears said his town also has come a long way, touting the success of projects like the Town Hall Commons.

The pandemic isn’t slowing Holly Springs down, with several projects still underway.

“We’re welcoming new businesses in town as fast as they can come, and now we have a new one called the Block. We are going full blast. I think you’ll find we’re investing in downtown more than anybody else,” added Sears.

Apex, on the other hand, has been able to redevelop with its new downtown master plan designed to help people meet the needs of the pandemic to thrive.

“We look at opportunities when there are challenges. It’s all about working together. Our downtown area really was an opportunity to bring hope to the city of Apex,” said Jacques Gilbert, the mayor of Apex.

For these three towns, all eyes are on the future.

“In a post-COVID world, we’re going to break away and have a lot of success,” added Rao.