Creating a Foundation for Community-Oriented Development
White Oak Townhomes brings 30 new residences to Wake County, including 15 affordable housing units for residents earning 80% or less of the area median income. Developed by the White Oak Foundation, the community is located near the common border of Cary and Apex and represents the completion of a project more than a decade in the making.
The townhomes are part of the broader White Oak Foundation Campus, a community-centered development planned to combine housing, education, child care, and future senior living opportunities on one site. The campus also includes the Young Scholars of Cary daycare center, with a senior apartment living component planned for a future phase.
Turning a Long-Term Vision Into a Viable Site Plan
WithersRavenel began supporting the White Oak Foundation in 2016, when Reverend Dr. Charles R. Tyner Sr. shared a vision for a campus where affordable workforce housing, nearby child care, and senior housing could serve residents at different stages of life.
Early planning focused on translating that vision into a development program that responded to the property’s opportunities, environmental conditions, and regulatory requirements. WithersRavenel prepared concept sketch plans to evaluate the site’s development potential and assisted with rezoning and land use plan amendment efforts involving the Town of Cary. Glenda S. Toppe and Associates supported the rezoning process as a project partner.
The entitlement work helped establish a framework that could accommodate the townhomes, daycare center, future senior apartments, and supporting community uses.
Evaluating Site Conditions and Environmental Constraints
Environmental due diligence was an important part of determining how the site could be developed responsibly. WithersRavenel’s work included:
- Champion tree assessment coordination
- Wetland and stream delineation
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers jurisdictional verification
- Stream buffer determination coordination with the Town of Cary
- Environmental permitting support
This work gave the project team a clearer understanding of site conditions and helped the development move through entitlement, design, and regulatory review.
Coordinating a Phased Development
The White Oak Foundation Campus required a phased approach that allowed individual components to advance while supporting the long-term vision for the property. The first portion of the project included the Young Scholars of Cary daycare center, followed by the adjacent townhomes.
WithersRavenel helped separate the daycare and townhome components into distinct phases on the site plan and updated utility permit applications for submittal. The multidisciplinary team provided engineering design, environmental services, landscape architecture, and coordination throughout the project’s development.
Supporting Construction and Project Closeout
As construction progressed, WithersRavenel provided construction administration and closeout services, including:
- Construction observation
- Record as-built drawings
- Utility certifications
- Stormwater control measure record drawings
- As-built certifications
- Site plan amendment support
These services helped document completed improvements, address permitting and site plan requirements, and support an orderly transition from construction to occupancy.
Expanding Housing Opportunities in Wake County
The White Oak Foundation celebrated the completion of White Oak Townhomes with a grand opening, ribbon-cutting ceremony, and open house on June 10, 2026. Community leaders, elected officials, project partners, and stakeholders gathered to recognize the addition of attainable housing in one of North Carolina’s fastest-growing regions. Guests also toured the completed residences and surrounding amenities.
The completed townhomes demonstrate how early due diligence, coordinated entitlement assistance, phased site planning, and multidisciplinary design can help move a complex, mission-driven development from concept through construction. With the senior living component continuing through design, the White Oak Foundation Campus is positioned to serve residents and families across multiple generations.
