Welcome Group envisioned an opportunity to develop a signature flagship industrial project in North Carolina’s Triangle Region, the Welcome Venture Park. This is Welcome Group’s first, and so far largest, property outside their home territory of Texas. Initially, WithersRavenel provided due diligence services for the development of 1.3 million SF of an industrial park on Hamlin Road in northeast Durham. In this phase, services included:
- Topographic and ALTA Survey
- Tree Survey
- Annexation Plat
- SUE
- Streams and Wetlands Delineation and Jurisdictional Determination
- Impact Permitting
- Planning
- Supporting field work for 404/401 permitting
- Conceptual design and Preliminary Engineering
- Rezoning and Community Engagement
- Annexation Petition
- Sewer Basin Study
Work culminated in the successful rezoning and annexation of the entire development site to support the client’s goals as well as the development of a sewer service plan that would not require reconstruction of a downstream pump station until a future phase.
Phase 1 was delineated to develop approximately 394,000 SF of the overall square footage envisioned for the development. This was to be spread across four buildings and include water and sewer utilities to support this development and construction of one-half of the planned Northern Durham Parkway across a jurisdictional stream to access a second phase.
Welcome Group was interested in advancing the project as quickly as possible so, in addition to our standard design and permitting package, WithersRavenel prepared an early site and mass grading package while the detailed site plans and construction plans were in permitting with the City of Durham. With the approval of the site plan, WithersRavenel pivoted to expand the limits of the early site and mass grading package to increase the work area available to Welcome Group’s contractor while a review of the detailed construction plans proceeded apace.
Uniquely, the USACE pivoted from their initial ruling of the environmental impacts as a nationwide permit to an Individual Permit. WithersRavenel adjusted quickly and was able to bring resolution to the matter in short order to keep construction moving forward.
We also worked with NCDOT, Welcome Group, and neighboring property owners to minimize the impact and number of affected properties of a widening of Hamlin Road.
WithersRavenel also provided construction observation and administration services. Welcome Venture Park recently had the ribbon cutting for Phase I of the project. Once complete, the park will offer 1.3 million square feet across 10 buildings.
