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| Cary Towne Center | |
|---|---|
| Name | Cary Towne Center |
| Caption | Exterior view (former) |
| Location | Cary, North Carolina |
| Opening date | 1979 |
| Closing date | 2019 |
| Developer | Sears, Roebuck and Co.? |
| Owner | United Church of Christ-affiliated entities? |
| Number of stores | ~100 |
| Floor area | ~900000sqft |
| Floors | 1–2 |
Cary Towne Center was a regional shopping mall in Cary, North Carolina serving the Research Triangle area from its opening in 1979 until closure and demolition in 2019–2021. The center functioned as a retail, social, and commercial hub linking suburban populations around Raleigh, North Carolina, Durham, North Carolina, and Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Over four decades it experienced shifts tied to national trends involving retail apocalypse, e-commerce, and urban redevelopment.
The mall opened in 1979 amid suburban growth tied to Research Triangle Park expansion, nearby North Carolina State University, and investments from regional developers connected to chains like Sears, Roebuck and Co., Hess's, and Belk. In the 1980s and 1990s it added anchors and underwent renovations similar to projects at SouthPark Mall (Charlotte), Crabtree Valley Mall, and North Hills (Raleigh). Ownership changes reflected consolidation in retail real estate involving firms comparable to General Growth Properties, Brookfield Properties, and private equity investors active after the 2008 financial crisis. The 2010s brought increasing vacancy, mirroring closures at Lord & Taylor, Macy's, and J.C. Penney locations nationwide; local policy debates involved Town of Cary officials, Wake County planners, and regional transit agencies.
Designed as an enclosed, climate-controlled center typical of late 20th-century suburban developments, the complex incorporated one- and two-story layouts echoing plans seen at SouthPark Mall (Charlotte) and Tysons Corner Center. Interior corridors featured skylights, tile flooring, and common areas that hosted events similar to programming at American Girl Place pop-ups and regional fairs produced by North Carolina State Fair vendors. Exterior façades and parking fields faced arterial roads used by commuters to Interstate 40, U.S. Route 1, and North Carolina Highway 54. Landscaping schemes referenced local horticultural practices promoted by North Carolina Botanical Garden and planning guidance from Wake County urban designers. Adaptive-reuse potential drew comparisons to transformations at sites near Durham Bulls Athletic Park and American Tobacco Historic District.
Major anchors over time included national department stores and chains such as Belk, Sears, Roebuck and Co., and J.C. Penney, as well as specialty retailers akin to Foot Locker, Barnes & Noble, and Chick-fil-A-style food outlets. Entertainment and service tenants reflected trends at similar centers where Regal Cinemas, fitness operators like LA Fitness, and regional grocers maintained pop-up or satellite presences. Smaller retailers ranged from local boutiques comparable to merchants in Fayetteville Street (Raleigh) to national brands like The Gap, Victoria's Secret, and GameStop. Seasonal vendors and kiosk operators paralleled those found at Southpoint Mall (Durham) and other Triangle retail complexes.
Persistent vacancies and strategic shifts in corporate retail strategy culminated in closure and plans for redevelopment, paralleling projects at former malls redeveloped by entities such as Northwood Investors and Duke Realty. Proposals involved mixed-use redevelopment concepts integrating residential units, retail streetscapes, office space, and public parks following examples in Highland Mall Redevelopment and Belk Hudson Lofts. Local debates included stakeholders like the Town of Cary council, Wake County transit planners, and developers exploring transit-oriented development near commuter corridors to Raleigh. Demolition proceeded in phases after anchor departures, with demolition contractors and environmental remediation teams coordinating removal and site preparation similar to the redevelopment of Southwyck Mall-type sites.
The site was accessible via arterial routes connecting to I-40 and U.S. Route 1, and served by regional bus routes operated by GoCary and GoRaleigh transit systems. Proximity to Research Triangle Park and Raleigh-Durham International Airport shaped commuting patterns, with planning conversations invoking Wake County Transit Plan priorities and Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization studies. Parking lots were expansive, following suburban mall norms that emphasized automobile access rather than rail-oriented transit like Charlotte Rail Transit corridors; proposals for redevelopment considered integration with bus rapid transit or shuttle services linking to North Carolina State University and Durham Station.
For decades the center functioned as an employment node, tax base contributor to Town of Cary budgets, and venue for community events similar to festivals hosted by Cary Arts Center partners and regional nonprofit programming by groups analogous to United Way of the Greater Triangle. Its decline reflected broader shifts affecting retail employment observed in analyses by entities like U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and urban scholars at Duke University and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Redevelopment discussions emphasized affordable housing, walkable neighborhoods, and placemaking influenced by examples at Atlantic Station and The Streets at Southpoint. The site’s transition continues to shape debates among developers, municipal officials, and civic organizations such as Wake County Economic Development and local chambers of commerce.
Category:Shopping malls in North Carolina Category:Cary, North Carolina