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‘We will double in population’ so what must Triangle do? Research Triangle Foundation CEO says …

Scott Levitan

by Jason Parker — May 24, 2022

Editor’s Note: The WRAL TechWire “Future of Work” series, supported by commercial real estate firm JLL and other partners, concludes this week, with a look ahead to the future of work and the future of the Triangle.

So far, the Future of Work series took an in-depth look at the demand for land, which can now be described as “ insatiable ,” while developers look to shore up their land positions . That’s especially the case in the industrial sector, the topic of the special report and in-depth Q&A , and, increasingly, the life science and biopharmaceutical sector, which the series investigated last week. Join a WRAL TechWire LinkedIn Live discussion on Tuesday, May 24 at 11 a.m. with Brett Cox, research manager at JLL, to discuss the latest trends and the future of commercial real estate in the Triangle.

RALEIGH – The Triangle will double its population. And that doubling could come soon, according to Scott Levitan , the president and CEO of the Research Triangle Foundation, who spoke with WRAL TechWire earlier this year about the future of the region.

Preparing the region for growth is already underway, and there are still many opportunities to enhance the region’s infrastructure beyond traditional roads, interstates, and bridges, Levitan noted.

The future of work in the Triangle will rely on the region’s ability to navigate the growth of the area, and in imagining a future of work that also incorporates an understanding of how people will prefer to live and recreate.

A transcript of our conversation appears below, and it has been lightly edited to enhance clarity.

Special report: Triangle must plan for even more growth as businesses follow ‘flight to quality’

Future of RTP

WRAL TechWire (TW): What’s the Triangle look like at the end of the decade? And what about in 2050?

Scott Levitan, president and CEO of the Research Triangle Foundation (Levitan): We will double in population so it is important that we plan now to implement a robust infrastructure to fix our existing infrastructure challenges and implement new function and capability.

Infrastructure goes beyond roads, highways and pipes. It includes open space, equitable public school education across the Region and inclusionary housing among others. We clearly need to add modalities to our transportation systems that may include Commuter Rail, region-wide Bus Rapid Transit, last mile solutions and robust systems for electric and autonomous vehicle implementation.

With new growth does Triangle risk becoming another Atlanta? Economist says …

Economic development

TW: What roles do the life sciences and technology sectors play in the region’s future?

Because of our reputation, university research capabilities and cluster of biotech companies, the Triangle will always lead in life sciences.

We are differentiated though in supporting clusters of companies in AgTech, FinTech, AI, Machine Learning, Gaming and others.

It would be hard to find another region in the world that can claim such cluster-power as the Triangle. These technologies have been converging over the last 20 years and are co-dependent. The relocation announcements that have accelerated over the past two years are clear indicators that our Region is where companies must locate their R&D centers.

TW: You mentioned relocation projects have accelerated in the prior two years. What are the factors important to these companies?

Levitan: The Triangle has focused on multiple talent resources and can produce a tremendous number of educated workers. Some tend to focus only on our Tier-1 Research Institutions, but that is only 1/3 of the picture. Our HBCU’s and Community Colleges are quite nimble in partnering with companies to produce new and “re-tooled” talent to fill the jobs. Tech jobs require consistent re-training as tech skills evolve in shortening cycles – 3-4 years. As a disproportionately large host for our military’s service members, North Carolina is focused on transitioning service-people into great jobs in our state. These are an extraordinary resource for talent.

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Moving to the region

TW: Why, do you think, are more people moving here?

Levitan: We all need to envision future life in the Triangle and understand the opportunities available now to maintain and enhance our community for the future.

There are so many examples of regions that experienced phenomenal growth and failed to plan appropriately. Some of the key opportunities that our Region must focus on now include regional mobility, our airport, equitable and high-performing public school output, water (supply, runoff and sewage), power resources and very importantly, preservation of open space and recreational resources like trails and local sports facilities.

North Carolina utilities are leading the way to transform to 100% renewables by 2050 – North Carolina needs to lead in all of these important areas.

TW: But there’s also a housing shortage. What can the region do to address this, especially as population growth is expected?

Levitan: We need to work with our elected officials to evaluate how to generate additional property tax revenue and dedicate increases to more and affordable housing.

Annual bond referenda are not the most effective or reliable way to pay for the needs of our communities.

Increased taxes do not need to impact existing property owners; but escalations are appropriate after transactions or investments have been implemented.

The cap on gross property tax revenue pushes investments in key infrastructure into the future when it will be exponentially more expensive (or impossible as land resources get redeveloped).

Prepare for a bidding war: Most Triangle home sales top list price, some by $100K+

HUB RTP a ‘big deal’

TW: How important will Hub RTP be in this future? What other current projects – across all sectors and geographies in the region – may be bellwethers for the future of the region?

Levitan: HUB and Frontier have already changed the perception of RTP – and not a day too early.

Of the 300 companies in the Park, 1/3 are located on the Frontier campus. These entrepreneurial, creative companies that will grow in our Region didn’t have a place in RTP 6 years ago. Densification of the region and tightening transportation networks have finally proven out RTP’s opportunity to be the center of the region and HUB is planned to anchor that role for the Park.

Our transportation and planning partners among the counties have identified opportunities to thoughtfully plan our major transportation corridors in the region to densify underutilized, transit-oriented corridors vs. rely on sprawl to meet the housing demands for our residents.

Implementing this in a way that provides opportunities for all residents to participate in our success is top focus for our organization, Research Triangle Foundation of NC and all of the companies in the Park.

Our organization is proud to have achieved 38% MWBE participation in our contracting and supplier sourcing in FY2021. We are making a big deal out of this because if a not-for-profit can make this a priority and achieve these results, we can motivate our industry partners to follow suit.

Future of the Triangle runs through Hub RTP, will require collaboration, leadership, says RTP exec at event

TW: So, then, what’s the latest on Hub RTP, its timeline, and other Research Triangle Foundation land and facilities?

Levitan: The $110M HUB RTP infrastructure project will complete in July 2022 and vertical construction will commence immediately. We are under agreement with residential, retail, lab, hotel and office developers. We can plan to have beers in HUB RTP in Spring 2024. In the meantime, please visit Boxyard RTP for a taste of what’s to come in the Park.

The Foundation has 40 acres available and are not aware of other parcels on the market. Related to leasing, there is continuing interest in the Frontier and we are above 95% occupancy. We have also executed a number of renewals and will be making some other leasing announcements in the future.

This editorial package was produced with funding support from JLL and other partners. WRAL TechWire retains full editorial control of all content.

The series launched here , and the second report discussed high demand . Next, the series explored the relationship between work spaces, work places , and the current labor market . The following weeks, we’ve investigated specific sectors of the real estate market including land development, commercial multifamily properties, industrial space, and life science and biopharmaceutical space.

A Hub of Research and Development

Research Triangle Park (RTP) is the largest research park in North America and remains one of the most successful science parks across the globe. Stretching 7,000 acres across Durham and Wake counties, the park is home to 250+ businesses, ranging from Fortune 100 multinational R&D operations to entrepreneurial-driven start-ups.

Major Employers

Unique Developments and Contributions

"Taxol," discovered at RTI International, is the most-prescribed cancer drug of all time.

Raleigh’s Red Hat pioneered and protected the viability of open-source software.

The revolution in “big data” was created by SAS.

3D Ultrasound was introduced by medical researchers at Duke University.

Industrial LED lighting by Cree has reduced energy consumption worldwide.

A workspace lit brightly by overhead LED lighting. There are various professionals working at tables.

The UPC barcode developed in RTP by IBM revolutionized inventory management.

The Nobel Prize was given to two RTP scientists for the first drug effective against HIV/AIDS.

A white buttoned-down collared shirt with a red AIDS ribbon to show support.

RTI helped develop an aircraft wind shear warning device that has saved countless lives.

RTP Spotlight

The Frontier RTP campus in the Research Triangle Park offers creative work spaces for nearly 100 business and 500 employees. Frontier RTP is exploding in growth and has expanded from a single building to a campus offering the public free coworking space, wet labs, startup offices, and private offices. Not to mention daily events such as food trucks, happy hours, workout classes, seminars and networking events. There is something for everyone at Frontier RTP.

Main coworking space at Frontier RTP. A wide open space with various tables and chairs and other amenities.

Infrastructure and Accessibility

A wide aerial view of RTP with various facilities below.

Equal-distant from Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill

Minutes from Raleigh-Durham International Airport

Provides access to the more than 2 million people who live in the Triangle

Economic driver of the region with total employment of more than 50,000 full-time workers

A wide aerial view of RTP with various facilities and parking lots amongst trees and greenery.

All RTP news

Biotalys collaborates with Novonesis on new biofungicide

GREENHOUSE + LAB FOR LEASE [Raleigh]

Molecular farming key to RTP startup’s new sweetener

Connect with the research triangle foundation.

Interested in learning more about the park? Click to connect with their team.

Our Counties

Get to know the counties that make up the Research Triangle Region.

Research Triangle

2.1 Climate
3.1 By plane
3.3 By train
4 Get around

Sprawling in the heart of North Carolina 's Piedmont, the Research Triangle is a metro area of about two million people. Largely suburban in nature, the Triangle is unique for a metro area in that, rather than having one primary city at its center, the region's focus is split between three cities: Raleigh, the state capital; Durham, a former industrial center; and Chapel Hill, a prominent college town.

The region derives its name from the major research universities in each of the Triangle's three cities as well as the vast office park that sits between these cities and is home to many research and high tech firms. These industries have spurred the rapid economic growth of the region. Visitors will find scenic college campuses, many of the state's cultural institutions, and a diverse population drawn by the Triangle's academic institutions and relatively high standard of living.

Cities [ edit ]

The main three cities that make up the Triangle are:

35.913139 -79.055806 1 Chapel Hill — A lovely college town based around the University of North Carolina, with college basketball, live music venues, and a beautiful campus with colonial-style brick buildings.
35.988611 -78.907222 2 Durham — Once the center of tobacco country, now home to the Gothic-style architecture of Duke University, a vibrant arts scene, and a revitalizing downtown district.
35.766667 -78.633333 3 Raleigh — The state capital, home to many of the state's cultural institutions, including three state museums, the state's performing arts center, and North Carolina State University.

In addition, there are a few towns that have become suburbs of the metro area:

35.731944 -78.852778 1 Apex — An expanding suburb near the Research Triangle Park.
35.778889 -78.800278 2 Cary — A sprawling, fast-growing suburb west of Raleigh.
35.591944 -78.788611 3 Fuquay-Varina — A town south of Raleigh, now a growing suburb.
36.070556 -79.104167 4 Hillsborough — A historic settlement west of Durham that's home to arts and music festivals.
35.720278 -79.176389 5 Pittsboro — Historic town with a sanctuary for tigers and other big cats.
35.9799 -78.5097 6 Wake Forest — Historic town that served as the original home of Wake Forest University and is the current home of the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Several other small towns are further afield but still part of the broader region surrounding the Triangle:

35.382222 -78.546111 7 Benson
36.324722 -78.408611 8 Henderson
35.465236 -78.160414 9 Princeton
35.481333 -79.177556 10 Sanford
35.509167 -78.346389 11 Smithfield-Selma

Understand [ edit ]

The Research Triangle , also known to the locals as the Triangle , is a region consisting of 3 anchor cities, Raleigh , Durham , and Chapel Hill , and everything in between. The name, "Triangle" was originally coined to refer to the three universities, North Carolina State University, Duke University, and the University of North Carolina, all fierce rivals. One of the largest research parks in the world, Research Triangle Park is located in the area, and has attracted both large companies and high numbers of immigrants from other parts of the United States, as well as all over the world. Leading employers such as IBM, Cisco Systems, SAS Institute, GlaxoSmithKline, and Biogen have ensured the exceptional performance of the strong economy. Both the universities and the research park are factors in the fact that the region is one of the most diverse in North Carolina.

Climate [ edit ]

This part of North Carolina can be hot and muggy during the summers (but air conditioning is widespread). Winters are relatively mild, and spring and autumn are popular for their pleasant weather.

Get in [ edit ]

By plane [ edit ]

Raleigh-Durham International Airport ( RDU IATA ) is the main airport for the region, located at the center of the metro area near the Research Triangle Park, just off I-40. A former hub of American Airlines and Midway Airlines, the airport today is one of the larger national airports without official hub status - some 9 million passengers embark and deplane annually, making it one of the nation's fastest-growing airports. American's strong continued presence here gives RDU daily direct service from London Heathrow , and Delta runs direct flights from Paris. Traditional and low-cost carriers offer flights from most East Coast cities, and Western cities including Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Denver. Air Canada offers several flights per day from Toronto.

RDU has two terminals; Southwest is the sole airline in the older Terminal 1, while the more modern and architecturally impressive Terminal 2 services the legacy carriers Alaska, American Airlines, Delta, and United, as well as the low-cost airlines Jetblue, Frontier, and Allegiant. There is a large rental car facility on-site. Public transit bus service is offered by Triangle Transit route #100, which runs between Raleigh and a transit center near the Research Triangle Park. Free WiFi is provided by Boingo—it's unlimited, but you have to look at an ad every 45 minutes.

In the winter , even a small amount of snow can cripple RDU, so plan for the risk of being delayed a day or two. That goes double if you're flying Southwest, as they're responsible for de-icing their own ramps.

By car [ edit ]

Interstate 40 cuts east-west through the Triangle, passing through Raleigh and the Research Triangle Park and along the outskirts of Durham and Chapel Hill, continuing west to Greensboro , Winston-Salem , and Asheville , and east to Wilmington .
Interstates 85 and 95 run north-south through the area, providing easy access to the region from up and down the Eastern Seaboard. I-85 passes through Durham, continuing north to Petersburg , Virginia (where it terminates at I-95) and west, merging with I-40 to Greensboro before splitting off to Charlotte . I-95 doesn't serve the Triangle directly, but rather skirts the eastern edge of it, where you can take I-40, US-64, US-70, or US-264 into the Triangle.
US-1 , the East Coast corridor route, cuts through Raleigh on its way from New York to the Florida Keys.

By train [ edit ]

Amtrak serves the Triangle with three routes: the Piedmont runs twice-daily to Charlotte , a trip of just over three hours, serving Raleigh, Cary, and Durham. The Carolinian runs once a day between Charlotte and the Eastern Seaboard, serving the same stops as the Piedmont, while the once-daily Silver Star stops in Cary and Raleigh on its way between New York City and Florida .

By bus [ edit ]

There are two intercity bus carriers serving the Triangle: Greyhound serves depots in Raleigh and Durham , while Megabus has a stop in Durham on its Charlotte - Washington, D.C. route. The regional bus system PART (Piedmont Authority for Regional Transit) has one line to Chapel Hill from the Piedmont Triad .

Get around [ edit ]

Given the very spread-out and suburban nature of the Triangle, driving is easily the most convenient way to get around. Interstate 40 is the main east-west corridor that links up the main cities of the Triangle, passing through Raleigh, the Research Triangle Park, and past RDU airport and Chapel Hill. The Durham Freeway (NC 147) links the Research Triangle Park and I-40 to Durham, while US-15/501 connects Durham to Chapel Hill. The Triangle Expressway , North Carolina's first modern toll road, follows NC 147 from I-40 to I-540, then NC 540 to Apex and Holly Springs. There are also two loop freeways circling Raleigh and serving many of the suburbs: I-440 circles the central portion of Raleigh proper, while I-540 traverses much of the suburban fringe north of Raleigh before heading south to the Research Triangle Park. South of the RTP, I-540 becomes a state-run toll freeway for the stretch around Cary south to Apex.

Each of the main cities operates a local bus service. Regional service is provided by Go Triangle , which operates all-day service daily (no service during certain holidays) between Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, and several other towns in the area, operating out of a hub (the Regional Transit Center, RTC) near the Research Triangle Park. RTC has restrooms, water fountains, and a window selling bus passes, but basically no other amenities. Fortunately, the bus schedules are coordinated so that you can make transfers quickly without having to wait around at the transit center. Fares cost $2.25 per trip (one transfer is free), with $4.50 for a day pass.

See [ edit ]

The universities ! They're what the region is known for: Chapel Hill has UNC, Durham has Duke, and Raleigh has NC State (as well as several other lesser-known schools). All three have attractive campuses that include historic buildings. Naturally, they also include various other sights within their ecosystems, from varied museums to extensive botanical gardens and arboretums at all three universities (Duke Gardens in Durham are the best).

The area also has its share of historic districts and the like. Especially worth noting are several antebellum and Civil War sites in Durham, Hillsborough 's walkable downtown, and Raleigh's State Capitol building.

The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences , which hosts an IMAX theatre, and has live presentations by visiting experts (from universities in the area) on certain days, is a very engaging (for audiences ranging from ages 5 to adults), modern, and top-tier institution that is well-worth visiting. The North Carolina Museum of History is located right next to it has many exhibits covering the history of North Carolina. Both museums are in downtown Raleigh.

Do [ edit ]

With the many universities in the area, it should come as no surprise that college sports are a big deal here. The Duke Blue Devils, the North Carolina Tar Heels, and (to a lesser extent) the NC State Wolfpack all have fiercely loyal fan bases, with immensely popular football and basketball programs. The Carolina-Duke rivalry is particularly fierce, with two of the most well-regarded basketball programs in the country. Non-college sports teams in the area include the popular Durham Bulls minor league baseball team and Raleigh's Carolina Hurricanes NHL hockey team.

There are many excellent performing arts spaces in the Triangle, hosting a lively theater scene. The lion's share of these are located in Durham, which is home to the prominent Durham Performing Arts Center , the historic Carolina Theatre , and a number of small, independent local theaters. Downtown Raleigh is home to the state-run Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts , which plays host to the state ballet, opera, and symphony.

And if you're looking to get away from the towns for some outdoor activities, the Triangle and its surrounding rural areas have state parks and nature . Particularly worth a visit are Eno River State Park near Durham , Umstead State Park in Raleigh , Raven Rock State Park near Fuquay-Varina , and Jordan Lake to the southwest of the metro area.

The American Tobacco Trail is a 22.6-mile (36.4-km) trail that runs from Durham in the north, to Apex in the south, cutting across wild forests for the more than 10 mi (16 km) that run south of the I-40, and more urban landscape to the north. The trail supports running, biking, and even horse back riding, and is widely used by residents of the area.

Eat [ edit ]

Boasting an impressive list of award-winning and nominated chefs and restaurants, Raleigh has become a hotbed for exciting and modern dining experiences. Durham and Chapel Hill have more than their share of quality restaurants as well. For visitors who want to sample local cuisine, restaurants serving authentic North Carolina cooking can be found in all three of the Triangle's main cities.

Drink [ edit ]

Out of the three cities, Chapel Hill is considered to have the best bars, due to the abundance of students in the area. Durham and Raleigh also have a fair share of drinking establishments, mainly centered around the universities.

Go next [ edit ]

Charlotte Metro — centered around Charlotte , the biggest city in North Carolina, a bustling, rapidly growing economic powerhouse (not unlike the Triangle)
Piedmont Triad — an urban area nearby that's also centered around three main cities
Wilmington – the beach!
Kitty Hawk — where the Wright brothers broke us free from the bonds of gravity. It has a museum that honors and explains their achievements.
Asheboro — home of the North Carolina zoo.