Cary’s South Hills Mall as a ‘vibrant urban area?’ Here’s what developers want to do.

For years, people have wondered what might become of Cary’s oldest areas on the border with Raleigh.

South Hills Mall & Plaza, built more than 60 years ago with bricks from Cary High School’s former dormitory, sits on more than 44 acres on Buck Jones Road.

The property got new owners in 2021 when Raleigh-based Loden Properties bought it with ambitious plans to breathe new life into the area.

On Wednesday, the group filed an application asking to rezone the site, providing a first look at their plans to create “a vibrant, urban district that hosts concerts, sports tournaments, festivals and special events year-round.”

Cary’s planned sports and recreation facility, “The Centre,” on six acres is included in the development plans for South Hills, said Henry Ward, a partner with the Loden Properties.

Ward told The News & Observer they want to transform South Hills into a unique destination for the region.

“It’s going to have an urban feel similar to the downtowns that we all know and love and an energy that’s different from traditional developments in our market,” he said.

Any physical changes to South Hills are a couple of years off. First, the developer will work with Cary for the rezoning process that could take up to a year.

The development plans

Loden Properties teamed up with Northpond Partners, a Chicago-based real estate investment company, to purchase South Hills for $38.4 million.

They want to give South Hills pedestrian and bike-friendly roads lined with cafes, boutiques, and outdoor restaurants. The plan includes up to

• 935,000 square feet of office space

• 235,000 square feet of research lab space

• 550,000 square feet of retail space

• 350 hotel rooms

Other features include gathering spaces and access to local greenways.

The plan calls for up to 1,775 apartments above ground-floor retail space. The apartments will be aimed at two groups: young people and workers earning close to the area’s median income.

“Cary is an aging community that is falling behind when it comes to attracting young millennial residents,” the proposal states.

“Cary has a national reputation as being a premier suburban community,” it states, “but the challenge moving forward is to provide quality housing options in convenient locations that can serve households seeking a different lifestyle in Cary.”

The full buildup of a new South Hills could take five years or longer, Ward said.

Anticipating new life and change

“South Hills was a front runner in its time,” Ward said. “Anyone that drives through there has a keen appreciation for its history but also realizes that such a prominent location is ready for a new life.”

Current tenants at the shopping center include Roses, the Grand Asia Market, Northern Tool & Equipment, the Cary Awards store. A Division of Motor Vehicles office is also located there.

Several businesses have closed in recent years, including D&S Cafeteria, whose owners made a “difficult decision” to shut down in 2022 after 23 years.

George Cooke remembers when the South Hills Mall area was only a single gas station and an Italian restaurant “with the best pizza.”

“In 1965, we’d come from Raleigh and there was nothing out here, and it was like going to the country,” he said. “I drive around now and I’m like, where am I?”

Cooke and his wife still frequent the existing stores. On Thursday, he was visiting the DMV.

“Life is full of changes; changes are going to happen. Old people die off, and they tear down a place and put something new up,” he said. “That’s just the way it is.”

Ward said he plans to include the businesses in the redevelopment plans and update them on what is happening.

Lizeth Castro, the owner of Lizard Cases, said she did her research on what was in the works for South Hills before leasing her space a few months ago.

“Everything’s going to go up in taxes, so it’s a thing that people in Cary have to think about,” she said. “I knew since the beginning when I opened that I would have to relocate, and I’m open to that idea and I’ll have enough time to.”