Cary, NC – Epic Games, the company best known for its hugely successful Fortnite, on Sunday announced plans to convert the Cary Towne Center mall to its new campus.
Epic plans to transform the mall into a 980,000 square foot global headquarters by 2024, canceling plans announced last year for a mix of offices, stores and residential spaces.
The announcement generated buzz in the community, with some feeling that the headquarters will be a much better use of the space that it has struggled to remain open over the years. However, some residents are disappointed with the loss of stores and places for residents.
Epic Games currently operates on Crossroads Boulevard in Cary. When making the transition to the mall’s property, it will house office buildings and recreational spaces.
Not everyone is on board. A viewer of the WRAL Facebook page agreed, calling the announcement “devastating news for those who were waiting for the Cary Towne Center to turn into a good thing”.
The original plan, due to open in February, included up to 1.2 million square feet of office space in seven buildings, 360,000 square feet of retail space, 1,800 housing units of varying sizes, a 450-room, 10-acre hotel of parks and squares.
In 2018, the furniture store IKEA had plans to take control of the mall, but gave up.
Construction is already underway across the street for Fenton, a 90-acre development along Cary Towne Boulevard that will open in late 2021 with a mix of shops, offices and apartments.
Only a few stores remain open at Cary Towne Center, including Belk. Most of the mall is blocked.