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The Midtown mixed-use destination is set to file a new rezoning request.
North Hills wants to grow again—but this time, the aim is to go up rather than out. The booming Midtown development is slated to request rezoning updates for five parcels in the North Hills Main and Lassiter Districts in August, with the plan to keep the allowable density the same while increasing heights to 12, 20 and 37 stories (see map)—plus enable more open public space, pedestrian amenities, ground-floor activation and a varied skyline.
“North Hills has evolved into a world-class mixed-use destination… and activation is everywhere,” maintains Barry Long, principal and president of Urban Design Associates, the design firm supporting North Hills’ exploration of best uses for the remaining developable sites. “A few auto-oriented sites, such as the gas station at the corner of Lassiter and Six Forks, remain at the perimeter. The North Hills team is pursuing a zoning modification to transform these outdated lots into meaningful places.”
The request comes ~four years after they submitted a controversial rezoning in 2021 asking for a 30-story tower at the intersection of Six Forks Road and I-440—which was later withdrawn in 2023 upon opposition from City Council and community pushback.
“The last premier parcels in Raleigh’s Midtown deserve the best we can create with the appropriate balance of height, density and beautifully landscaped ground level spaces.” —John Kane
Now, North Hills tells Raleigh Magazine in a sit-down interview they’re taking a different approach, pulling inspo from how the community interacts with the open public spaces across the development—from Beach Music to Midtown Park to the new Main District Expansion spaces. To wit, Kane Realty is holding an Open House July 30 at Church of the Apostles from 5–7pm to gain feedback from the public to shape the new rezoning application and appease some previous concerns.
The North Hills team is already working with the city to identify some of those community needs and priorities. “We want to have a lot of opportunities throughout this process to talk with city staff, council and the community as a whole to make sure the project can deliver meaningful public benefits,” says Kane Director of Development Kallie O’Haren Walker—with one possibility potentially including the upgraded Fire Station 9 along Rowan Street conditioned in the first rezoning.
But the key difference in the new proposal, while asking for a height increase, is not asking for increased density or square footage over what is currently allowed (2,500 residential units and 3 million total square feet). “We’re changing the shape of what we’re zoning, not the scale,” maintains Walker.
While specific plans are in flux, Walker imagines the likes of public gathering areas, ground-floor retail and restaurants, with opportunities for outdoor activation and dining—plus improved pedestrian and bike connectivity. Walker also notes the North Hills team is very aware of traffic concerns in the area and is proactively looking into solutions for vehicular travel as well.
As such, the Lassiter and Six Forks sites will feature integrated parking decks, with the potential addition of below-ground parking, says Walker. The increased heights will also enable outdoor amenity spaces within the buildings themselves.
All this said, these projects are at least five, 10, 15 years down the road. “We want to acknowledge that some of the properties included in the rezoning case are home to active businesses,” notes Walker. “We have no imminent plans to start these projects—this is a long-term planning process and it’s about future flexibility, not immediate changes or impacts to those businesses.” With another community meeting set for sometime this fall, it’s only a matter of time until we see how North Hills will shape up—literally.
What’s Going Where:
- Six Forks & Lassiter site: Exxon gas station and tire shop (4369 Six Forks Road), currently zoned for 12 stories, asking for 40 stories (conditioned at 37)
- Six Forks site: North State Bank lot (4270 The Circle at North Hills St.), currently zoned for 12 stories, asking for 40 stories (conditioned at 37)
- Wells Fargo Bank lot (4220 Lassiter Mill Road) – currently zoned for 12 stories, asking for 40 stories (conditioned at 37)
- Lassiter District site: Walgreens strip (4441 Six Forks Road), currently zoned for 5 stories, asking for 12 stories
- Main District expansion phase 2: Empty parcel on Lassiter Mill (next to the Beltline), currently zoned for 12 stories, asking for 20 stories
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Already it had been decided to have taller buildings was not a good option. What is the change that the city sees to have these larger buildings? The problem to me is the traffic is already very heavy, and there are three schools nearby which could cause many disruptions in getting to and from school, and then with so much construction it could be hard to even have a good school zone. This area of North Hills is mostly solid neighborhoods, why disrupt them and create even larger population, and worse traffic?
John Kane and our City Council have lost sight of what is best for the residents in the North Hills area and surrounding areas. All they can focus on is filling their pockets. Once fully completed, they will move on, but will not have to live with the havoc they have left behind for this community to live with.
We live 5 miles away from North Hills and can avoid this traffic pattern for the most part; however, there are people who have no choice but to deal with it on a daily basis. We use to find North Hills pleasurable to visit for dining and shopping, but that’s no longer the case. Parking is impossible along with the traffic. We now have learned that there is potentially a parking fee and ticketing involved. After living in Raleigh for almost 50 years, I have probably visited North Hills for the last time sadly.