Development continued in Cary, even through COVID-19 pandemic, mayor says

Both residential and commercial developments are continuing to build in the village of Cary, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Mayor Mark Kownick said at a Business Round Table Thursday afternoon.

Mayor Mark Kownick noted that while big events, such as Cary Main Street and Cruise Nights last year were postponed, or, in the case of the Merry Cary parade, reworked to fit social distancing requirements, eight new businesses were established in the village and seven expanded.

These new businesses include KD Superstore at 280 Cary Algonquin Road, Johnstone Supply at 1000 Alexander Court, Cozy Comfort Spa at 290 Cary Algonquin Road, and Cary Dairy Ice Cream Cafe at 395 Cary Algonquin Road.

Businesses that expanded include Stryker on 3909 Three Oaks Road, Aptar at 1160 Silver Lake Road, and Technipaq, which opened a new warehouse facility at 685 Industrial Drive in Cary in addition to the one in Crystal Lake.

“As much as we love welcoming new businesses, it’s equally as gratifying when you have a business that’s already here that expands,” Kownick said. “They’re reinvesting in our community, and we love that.”

Still, Kownick said, the village is looking for new opportunities to do some economic development. His presentation noted that 62,552 square feet of industrial space and 39,828 square feet of retail space is available.

“It’s great that we have all these places that are occupied, but as I say, we are lacking plug-and-play operations,” Kownick said. “There’s a lot of people that want to come to the village of Cary, and they’re looking for specific industrial use with office and warehouse or office and manufacturing.”

Though the amount of retail space occupied declined after the closure of Marco’s Pizza and Family Video for reasons unrelated to COVID-19, Kownick said this is an opportunity for the village to look for new growth in retail.

“We need new shopping centers in town,” Kownick said.

The Thorntons gas station on the corner of Jandus Cut Off Road and Route 14, which Kownick said the village has gotten a lot of questions about, is set to start construction this year.

Kownick stressed a gas station, not a truck stop, is planned at the property.

“It’s just a gas station, very similar to [the Thorntons] just on the other side of our town,” Kownick said.

Also approved for the property is an Extreme Clean Wash, though construction for this part has not been determined yet, he said.

Last year, development started on 47 housing units in Cary. Most of that – 39 units – was in the West Lake subdivision off of Three Oaks Road and Route 14. The village expects 52 new units this year in West Lake as well, Kownick said.

“They’re selling like hotcakes,” Kownick said, referencing the townhomes at West Lake.

Country Commons, which added three residential units last year, also approached the village, saying it wanted to convert some of its commercial space into more “luxury-type” apartments, a proposal the village allowed.

Now at eight apartments currently, Kownick said developers plan to flip it into 17.

Currently, Cary has no luxury apartments, something the village will be working on in the next few years, Kownick said.

“We have some opportunities in the hopper here,” he said.