Adaptive Reuse
Redeveloped the outdated Morrisville Outlet Mall into a thriving space for economic development
Flexibility
Created indoor and outdoor business and amenity spaces that could be customized by different tenants
Collaboration
Coordinated with Equator Capital Management, Gensler, and other stakeholders to develop a unique site
Recognized as the nation’s largest research park, Research Triangle Park (RTP) is a community for business, science, development, and connections between growing North Carolina cities like Raleigh and Durham. Situated at one of RTP’s major gateways is The Stitch, a project that balanced re-use with a desire to expand amenities by redeveloping the Morrisville Outlet Mall. Kimley-Horn partnered with Equator Capital Management and architecture firm Gensler to reinvent the space, and the final structure’s name refers to the transparent common area that “stitches” the site together. This common space encourages gathering, collaboration, and innovation while also leveraging a robust indoor and outdoor amenity program to maximize the leasing and revenue objectives of the project.
At the gateway of such a developing area, The Stitch offers an opportunity for research growth and economic development in RTP, and Kimley-Horn provided these essential services for the project:
- Site design and amenity programming
- Landscape architecture
- Site civil engineering
- Environmental design and permitting
- Traffic engineering
- Parking services
- Entitlements
Adaptive Reuse and Amenity Spaces
Across from the Raleigh-Durham International Airport, the original building was in a prime location and could support one or two tenants. Listening to the client’s revitalization priorities, Kimley-Horn and Gensler had the original building gutted and focused on redesigning both the structure and site to accommodate any prospective tenants. The team developed a space that would facilitate collaboration and community, taking the project through planning and development channels with multiple stakeholders, including the North Carolina Department of Transportation, Town of Morrisville, US Army Corp of Engineers, and others.
The result is a structure with a transparent, well-lit connection area between the two sides of the building. Amenities that Kimley-Horn collaborated to develop include a yoga lawn, bocce court, outdoor dining space, creekside trail network, community garden, fitness center, and coffee shop. Our team also converted existing parking areas into tenant entry plazas and repurposed back of house service and loading areas into feature amenity courts, outdoor conference spaces, and tenant activity nodes. The amenities were developed as part of the campus, but they were designed flexibly so tenants could adapt them according to their needs.
After being sold by Equator Capital Management, the innovative structure now provides a home for the genetic testing and biotechnology company Invitae. The Stitch embraces the tension between environmental and commercial elements, and our team leveraged the natural assets of the site to create a unique development.
