- Merritt Properties started construction on the first phase of RDU Business Park in Cary, North Carolina.
- The 150-acre development is planned for more than 790K SF across as many as 13 single-story industrial buildings.
- Phase one includes three buildings totaling more than 201K SF and is scheduled for completion in Q4 2027.
Merritt Properties has started construction on RDU Business Park, a 150-acre light industrial project in Cary, North Carolina. CommercialCafe’s report on the groundbreaking said the full development could exceed 790K SF. Up to 13 single-story buildings are planned. The site sits about three miles from Raleigh-Durham International Airport in the Research Triangle.
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RDU Industrial Development Starts With 201K SF
The first phase includes three buildings totaling more than 201K SF. Construction is expected to finish in Q4 2027. Two buildings will have 18-foot clear heights, while the third will offer 24 feet of clearance.
Two of the buildings will share a 150-foot-deep truck court. The third will have a dedicated 110-foot truck court. All three will include rear-loading docks and drive-in access. They will also offer 30- and 40-foot column spacing, free surface parking, and 277/480-volt electrical service.
The design targets flexible light industrial users. Rear-loading docks and drive-in doors support different operating models. Clear heights, truck courts, parking, electrical service, and column spacing broaden the range of tenants the buildings can serve.
Airport Access Shapes the Site
The broader park can accommodate buildings ranging from 8,600 SF to 108,225 SF. The location provides access to Interstate 540, Interstate 40, and U.S. 70, in addition to the nearby airport.
Up to 13 buildings are planned across the full site. Individual buildings could range from 8,600 SF to 108,225 SF. That gives Merritt room to serve both smaller occupiers and larger users within the same business park.
Merritt regional director Keith Wallace called the project the first step in a shallow-bay industrial park for regional business growth. Additional phases may move forward based on future market demand.
Local officials described light industrial space as one of the region’s most in-demand product types. Cary leaders said the project can give growing companies flexible space. They also expect it to support jobs and business activity in the community.
North Carolina Industrial Pipeline
The project adds another major Raleigh-Durham industrial development to North Carolina’s pipeline. CommercialCafe reported 7.6M SF under construction in Charlotte at the end of July 2026. That was the 13th-largest pipeline in the country.
Charlotte’s under-construction inventory was also the fourth-largest among major Southern US markets. Only Dallas, Houston, and Atlanta had larger pipelines at that point.
The Charlotte figures do not measure the Cary submarket. They show the scale of industrial construction elsewhere in North Carolina. Merritt said it has continued expanding in the state because it believes in the market’s long-term strength.
What’s Next
Merritt is now building the three structures in phase one, with completion targeted for Q4 2027. The developer can add further phases within the 150-acre site if leasing demand supports additional construction.
