Cary’s long-planned South Hills makeover is getting a rewrite after voters put the brakes on a key piece of the deal. Residents rejected the town’s parks and recreation bond, which would have helped bankroll a big new sports complex, so developers and cultural groups are pivoting toward arts and mixed-use projects as possible new anchors. Small retailers that once banked on year-round arena traffic are now waiting to see what actually lands on site. The first phase focuses on a 70,000-square-foot former car dealership that is slated to host a major cultural tenant, signaling that South Hills is still moving forward, just on a different track.
Bond Vote Throws Anchor Into Question
The bond package that would have helped fund a Sports & Recreation Community Center went down at the ballot box in November 2024, upending plans for what had been pitched as the centerpiece of the South Hills redevelopment, according to Axios Raleigh. Without that voter-approved money, town and developer officials say the larger redevelopment can still proceed, only now without the promised public sports anchor. Loden’s partners have stressed that the master plan was written with flexibility in mind so the project could adjust as funding sources and market conditions change.
Carolina Ballet Signs On As An Anchor
Into that gap steps Carolina Ballet, which has agreed to buy and occupy roughly half of the 70,000-square-foot former dealership at 1300 Buck Jones Road. The company plans to convert the building into rehearsal studios, administrative offices, costume and storage rooms, and a flexible black-box theater, according to Carolina Ballet. The campaign materials brand the project as “Starline South Hills” and outline a targeted opening in 2028. The ballet has also pursued public hospitality or tourism funding to help with the renovation, a request noted in a recent News & Observer review of Wake County grant proposals.
Small Businesses Feel The Impact
For longtime tenants, the transition has not been as elegant as a pas de deux. Déjà Vu thrift store owner Debra Barkett told reporters she was operating month to month and that the shop had been bringing in roughly $8,000 to $12,000 a month to support a nonprofit, and the store has since moved, according to WRAL. Nearby Ultimate Comics took over Barkett’s former unit for storage, and owner Alan Gill said sales have actually ticked up since the move, a reminder that redevelopment can deliver both painful disruption and unexpected upside. The interviews highlight how much outcomes hinge on the fine print of leases, the cost of relocating, and whatever priorities ultimately guide the new master plan.
Timeline And Next Steps
The Town of Cary signed off on rezoning for the South Hills property on Oct. 22, 2024, clearing a major procedural hurdle. The next formal move is for the developer to submit a detailed development plan to the town’s Development Review Committee, according to the Town of Cary. Developers have said the project can advance even without the community center that voters declined to fund, although timing and scope will depend on permitting, market demand, and available financing. Carolina Ballet’s materials show the company intends to occupy 36,000 square feet of the building, which would allow the arts group to consolidate its rehearsal, school, and administrative operations under one roof by 2028.
What To Watch
Three levers will tell you where South Hills is headed: the schedule for the Development Review Committee, any decisions on Wake County tourism funding, and the developer’s leasing announcements. Each will shape which pieces of the plan get built first and how the district ultimately serves neighbors and businesses. Wake County had previously set aside substantial interlocal funding that helped fuel the original pitch for a large sports anchor, a factor noted by Axios Raleigh. For now, the story will be written in municipal approvals and developer filings, which will decide whether South Hills grows into an arts-led neighborhood or heads back to the drawing board for a different public-private mix.
