One major change in Fuquay-Varina over the last several months has got to be the road construction at three major intersections along Route 401. We can all agree that, although it is a much-needed project, it is messy… and frustrating… and we will all be happy when it’s all finished. Projects like these, however, are an indicator of growth – the kind of growth we all know has been coming for the last 10 years. Fuquay-Varina is one of the few local municipalities that has put a chunk of its own financial resources into the mix to make sure the improvements get done. Let’s take a look at what’s coming down the pipeline in Fuquay-Varina.
Civic Projects
Fuquay-Varina Arts Center
This project is nearing completion and is slated to open this month! A citizens council to help raise funds for programming and additional features for the center has been appointed by the mayor, and the grand opening details are in the works! This is going to be a wonderful addition to the downtown Fuquay retail district. There are a number of ways to get involved with this project as it gets ready to switch from construction to programming – you can purchase naming rights to several rooms, as well as seats in the theater, and you can volunteer to help with programs once they get underway.
Willow Springs High School
Construction on Willow Springs High School is well underway and right on schedule to open in the Fall of 2019. The corner of Kennebec Rd. and Old Honeycutt Rd. has been transformed by this project, which is much-needed with the intense growth occurring in SW Wake County.
Fuquay-Varina Branch Library
If you have not seen the wide-scale clearing going on at the intersection of Judd Parkway and E. Academy Street, you should take a drive by. This is the site of the new public library being built by Wake County and the new Adalyn Place subdivision. Construction of infrastructure (streets, utilities) is underway for the 8,000-square foot building with an entrance plaza. W. Academy Street will be extended into this development as well.
Commercial Projects
Kenney Properties
Road construction for this project at the corner of Hwy 55 Bypass and Old Powell Rd. (adjacent to Sheetz) is almost complete. The current plans are still for a 50+ acre parcel of mixed-use retail and residential, with an anchor tenant that has yet to be named.
Southbend Expansion
Southbend, located on Old Honeycutt Road near ClubWorx, designs and builds custom commercial kitchen equipment. The company is currently in the middle of a major expansion that will include a 45,000-square-foot addition on the rear of the existing building and road improvements.
Bengal Town Center
A new commercial development project at the corner of Stewart Street and Judd Parkway will turn 18+ acres into 13 separate tracts, to be developed in the future for a variety of uses including office, commercial, mixed-use, apartments, townhomes and civic space. Clearing for this project is already underway.
Panera Bread
Yes! Panera Bread is opening a site in Fuquay-Varina at long last! A site plan is currently in review for Panera Bread at 1330 North Main Street (Hwy 401) in Sunset Plaza. This is the space between Johnson Optometric Associates and Fidelity Bank.
Aviator Expansions
In addition to the huge downtown project in Varina where the Gold Leaf Tobacco warehouse used to be, Aviator Brewing Company is also expanding its taproom and bottle shop operations. A full kitchen has been constructed on the back of the Aviator taproom and is almost complete. In addition to this, the Aviator Beer Shop is expanding into the second space purchased by Mark Doble last year. The expanded footprint will include an oven-fired pizzeria and improved parking on that side of the street. Even more exciting this winter was the Aviator purchase of the old Elliott’s Pharmacy building, which the Dobles intend to turn into a vintage café with recipes inspired by Elliott’s and Campbell’s Diner.
3rd Degree Brewhouse
Yes, it seems mattress stores and breweries are what Fuquay-Varina is known for! The community’s fourth brewery has opened its doors out at the Five Points Centre. 3rd Degree Brewhouse is a nanobrewery featuring classic beer styles brewed on a 1-barrel system that operates out of The Corner Biergarten & Bottle Shop next to Wingin’ It Bar & Grill.
Abbey Road Tavern
The insanely popular franchise from Cary and Apex is finally expanding to Fuquay-Varina – currently renovating the former Cooley’s building across Rt. 401 from RJ’s. If you have not already checked it out, their other two locations make a great weekend excursion to try their pub grub and beer on tap.
Attain Street & Procure Street
There is a good deal of activity on Attain and Procure Streets, which are located behind Biscuitville and United Community Bank. Construction is underway for a new office building at 601 Attain Street that will be for general office use. There is also an approved site plan for offices at 400 and 404 Attain Street, as well as an accompanying parking lot with access from both Attain Street and Procure Street. This, combined with a new parking lot expansion at the end of the cul-de-sac on Procure Street, signals a significant increase in office and medical space in this area.
Cultivate Coffee Roasters
A new coffee roaster is opening a roastery complete with coffee shop at 128 S. Fuquay Avenue, across from the DMV office and the Fuquay-Varina Museum complex. This great new addition to Fuquay-Varina will offer baked goods as well as feature their own coffee products for retail sale.
Jimmy Johns
A brand new Jimmy Johns store is being upfitted in a space next to Krispy Kreme Donuts at the Broad St. and Judd Parkway intersection. Not a sub shop, Jimmy Johns features a variety of sandwiches. Another great addition to Fuquay-Varina!
Pints
A brand new project, trying hard to renovate the old Blanchards Plumbing location on Fayetteville St. in downtown Varina, is called Pints – offering homemade ice cream and beer! A recent announcement stated that they have decided to take over the old Cupcake Bite location right on Broad Street (yes, Cupcake Bite has closed), and plan to open in July!!
Residential Projects
The explosion in residential development continues in SW Wake County. Fuquay-Varina currently has 53 subdivisions in various stages of construction, from infrastructure completion and the beginning of house construction to the build-out of final phases. Communities such as Tyler Park, North Lakes, and Grays Creek are expanding development, while new subdivisions like Bent Tree on Fleming Loop Rd., Broadwell Trace on Coley Farm Rd., and Briar Gate on Wilbon and Old Powell Rd. are just getting started.
With the rage of high-density subdivision still in full swing, it is nice to see new subdivisions being started that feature larger lot sizes. Sippihaw Springs on Hwy 55, Black Creek Estates on Eddie Howard Rd., Judd Reserve and Kennebec Meadows on Kennebec Rd., Kingston Wood on Fleming Rd. (off Piney Grove-Wilbon), and Meyers Place on Mims Rd. are all offering lots that are close to an acre in size. It’s a good trend to see!
In addition to the many single-family homes coming soon, there are several multi-family projects in the works as well. The Meridian at Broad Street is finishing up their project on Judd Parkway by Food Lion. Two new apartment complexes are just beginning construction: Madison Park Apartments on Rt. 401 just south of Wake Tech will offer 178 units in four buildings and The Retreat at Fuquay-Varina behind Walmart on Judd Parkway will feature 432 units when completed. Another, smaller project in the downtown Fuquay retail district (a block from Mason Jar Tavern) is construction high-end townhomes. The Spring Townhomes will offer 15 units on just shy of an acre in the thriving downtown scene.
If you include subdivisions already completed, those building currently, and those in the initial stages of development (have submitted plans to the town for review), Fuquay-Varina now has over 100 subdivisions and climbing. These added rooftops, although they add cars to our roads, also make Fuquay-Varina much more attractive for those sought-after retail and commercial establishments people say they want to locate here.
