The Cary Urban Design Studio is a municipal, cross-departmental urban design team, office, and meeting space. Organizationally it is part of the Economic Development team in Town Manager’s Office. This allows the studio to work across all of the disciplines related to the built environment, such as Planning, Transportation, Housing, Historic Preservation, etc.

The studio focuses on implementing the 2040 “Imagine Cary” Community Plan through the practice of urban design. This work mostly involves creating small area, corridor, and public space plans and using various graphics to visualize possibilities for the built environment. The studio guides the redevelopment of aging commercial areas as Cary seeks to grow with more compact, walkable, mixed-use places.

The team also reviews development plans and design guidebooks, maintains codes and design standards, and advocates for high quality design outcomes for public and private projects.

The studio, offices and meeting spaces are located on the third floor of the Cary Theater and Brew Coffee Bar building, at 122 East Chatham Street. The main studio space is used for meetings, workshops, charrettes, and similar collaboration events.