A steady rain fell over Raleigh on July 23, but it could not dampen the excitement surrounding the opening of Parkside Apartments.
Project partners, community representatives, and invited guests gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the new affordable housing community at 4320 Blue Atlantic Court. The event marked the completion of a project designed to expand housing opportunities for working families while supporting Raleigh’s continued growth.
Developed and owned by Blue Ridge Cascade, formerly Blue Ridge Atlantic Development, Parkside Apartments delivers 144 thoughtfully designed apartment homes for families earning between 30% and 80% of the Area Median Income.
Located near the Western Boulevard corridor, the community provides convenient access to public transportation, employment centers, schools, and neighborhood amenities. By placing affordable homes near the destinations residents use every day, Parkside can help reduce transportation burdens, commute times, and overall living costs.
Housing Designed Around Residents
Parkside Apartments includes three residential buildings and a centrally located amenity center. Residents have access to features including a fitness room, playground, business center, outdoor gathering spaces, and other shared amenities intended to support daily life and foster a sense of community.
The development was constructed using durable, high-quality materials, helping create homes that are both attractive and designed to serve residents for years to come.
Parkside also supports Raleigh’s broader land planning and housing goals by adding affordable residential options within an established and well-connected part of the city. As housing costs and demand continue to affect families throughout the region, developments such as Parkside help provide greater choice and stability for residents across a range of income levels.
Supporting the Project from Planning Through Construction
WithersRavenel began working with Blue Ridge Cascade on Parkside Apartments in 2023 and supported the project through several stages of planning, design, permitting, and construction.
WithersRavenel’s Site Civil team served as the project lead, coordinating the overall civil engineering effort and helping move the development from its early stages toward construction. The project also involved support from several additional service areas across the company.
The team assisted with the rezoning process and prepared the site and infrastructure designs necessary to support the residential buildings and community amenities. WithersRavenel’s Design + Planning and its landscape architects developed the landscape design, helping shape outdoor spaces that complement the development and provide an inviting environment for residents.
The Stormwater team designed the project’s stormwater control measures, addressing drainage and water-quality requirements associated with the site. WithersRavenel also provided construction administration services, supporting the project team as the designs moved from plans on paper to a completed community.
Senior Project Manager Rob Caudle, PE, of WithersRavenel’s Site Civil team attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Having been involved with the development from its early stages, Caudle said it was rewarding to see the project come together and become accessible to the families it was designed to serve.
Celebrating the Community’s Next Chapter
Although umbrellas were necessary throughout the ceremony, the weather did little to diminish the significance of the occasion.
The ribbon-cutting represented more than the completion of a construction project. It celebrated the opening of 144 homes, the collaboration of numerous public- and private-sector partners, and a meaningful investment in affordable housing along Raleigh’s Western Boulevard corridor.
For the residents who will call Parkside Apartments home, the ceremony marked the beginning of a new chapter and a community designed to provide connection, convenience, and opportunity.
