First Look at The Strand

North Hills on the rise with new residential tower.

“Luxury” has become a popular buzzword in the local residential development world—but Kane Realty Corporation’s newly announced The Strand in the Park District at North Hills promises to fully deliver on its promise of luxe living… and then some. 

With Atlanta-based Rule Joy Trammell + Rubio leading the design, the architecture firm is taking the aesthetics and trends seen in the ATL market—and beyond—and introducing them into the 2027-slated 20-story, 362-apartment project, which includes studio; one-, two- and three-bedroom layouts; and penthouses.

“We’ve certainly been inspired by some of the larger metropolitan areas—especially across the Sunbelt—that may be a few more years advanced than our market, and starting to bring those amenities here to Raleigh and stay on the cutting edge of what residential developers are doing across the rest of the country,” says Kane’s Kallie Walker, adding the tower is already poised to “stack up well against other high-rises in North Hills with top-of-the-line finishes.”

Case in point: The Strand’s lineup of amenities are taking Raleigh living next-level, delivering elements not seen in other local apartment buildings. Think a hidden speakeasy accessible only to top-floor penthouse residents, each treated to their own wine locker (!), plus two additional club rooms available to all residents: one on the sixth-floor amenity deck with the pool and fitness center, and another on the 18th level.

Also unique to the building, the fitness center and club room will serve up an indoor/outdoor connection, in addition to a lap pool—with what will be “the largest outdoor amenity deck certainly in North Hills, if not in Raleigh as a whole,” maintains Walker. Not to mention given its orientation, The Strand will have some of the best views of DTR that North Hills—or anywhere—has to offer.

Its name a nod to NC’s textile industry, The Strand will embrace a sophisticated industrial feel throughout, seen first and foremost in its distinctive exterior architecture—featuring cross bracing that’ll add interest and excitement to the development’s entire skyline. “It’s like a true structural representation of what’s happening inside the concrete of the building that will be reflected on the outside,” explains Walker. 

That fabric theme will continue inside, with textural moments throughout the interior spaces and local art. “A lot of the feel to it has to do with integrating into the community itself,” shares RJTR Director of Marketing Chizoba Ibeanusi—“blending the aesthetic of the design with the overall neighborhood, as well as really using materials that give that industrial feel.”

On the public-facing side, The Strand will bring much-needed dining to the area via a potential restaurant partner—a national brand with a local presence, says Walker—already eyeing the whopping 9,000-square-foot ground-floor retail space, with outdoor space stretching the entire front. 

And for those concerned about losing the surface lot The Strand is replacing, those short-term retail spaces will be covered in the ~500-spot five-story integrated deck—plus all the short-term parking at Park Central and the Advance Auto Parts tower. 

“We continue to develop in North Hills because the demand continues to be there,” claims Walker. “There’s been a lot of chatter about the pipeline and apartment deliveries especially over the past two-ish years—but we’re excited for The Strand to be the only high-rise delivering in the market in 2027.”

Project Partners
Development Partner: Mitsui Fudosan America
Architect: Rule Joy Trammell + Rubio
General Contractor: Balfour Beatty
Civil Engineer: McAdams 

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