Lee & Associates, a commercial real estate company, started construction on its new headquarters in downtown at 413 Kildaire Farm Road, which is on the corner of Kildaire Farm Road and Walnut Street. The three-story, mixed-use building will include the new home of Lee & Associates as well as ground-floor retail. In conjunction, Cary staff is coordinating an intersection project to create a turn lane on Kildaire Farm Road to help the intersection better align and add new sidewalks to improve the pedestrian experience. The development is anticipated to be complete in winter 2022.

One of the continued impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic is that it is unclear when or if some companies will return to the office. With that challenge in mind, it is especially good news that Garmin International will be doubling its office footprint in Cary. The wearable technology and GPS company will occupy about 63,000 square feet at the Regency Creek office building. 

Protolabs, a digital printing and e-commerce company, announced an expansion of its 3D printing operations in Cary to a new 120,000-square-foot building across the street from its current location on Pleasant Grove Church Road. Capital Associates is developing the new building with the assistance of Cary and the Cary Chamber of Commerce. 

On Dec. 9, Cary held its first Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Mixer at The Mayton. The event was an opportunity for Council, staff, and the community to engage with one another around the shared interest of DEI. Mayor Harold Weinbrecht, Chief Human Resources Officer Renee Poole, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Manager Rashonda Harris welcomed the crowd and emphasized Cary’s commitment to cultivating diversity and inclusion throughout the community. Information was also shared about a community-based Human Relations, Inclusion, and Diversity Task Force for which recruitment began early January.

Cary continues to prioritize employee health and well-being by providing opportunities to proactively prevent the spread of viruses. In partnership with WakeMed, Cary offered two additional on-site COVID-19 vaccine clinics and two COVID-19 booster clinics where nearly 225 employees received a vaccine. Additionally, WakeMed held two on-site flu clinics and visited fire stations and utility plants, providing nearly 250 flu vaccines.

In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Cary once again adapted its annual employee recognition events to ensure the safety of all employees. Slideshows on the staff intranet as well as outdoors in the evenings at Herb Young Community Center showcased 224 employees representing more than 4,035 years of service along with 52 retirees in 2021. An online whiteboard provided colleagues an opportunity to connect with and recognize each other by posting kudos in a virtual space.