In recent years hundreds of companies across the nation have moved to walkable metropolitan areas, and the Triangle is no exception. Companies see these locations as a unique competitive advantage as they search for highly skilled employees and strive to be increasingly collaborative and innovative workplaces.
Core Values: Why American Companies are Moving Downtown is a new report from Smart Growth America examining the characteristics, motives, and preferences of nearly 500 companies relocating or expanding in vibrant, walkable downtown locations over the past five years. Eight companies included in the survey are from Raleigh and Durham, including American Underground, CalStar Products Inc., Citrix, Evalueserve, FHI 360, Ipreo, Red Hat, and The Iron Yard.
“These companies chose a walkable downtown location to help them better compete for talent and resources,” said Geoff Anderson, President and CEO of Smart Growth America. “That tells us two things. First, that creating these kinds of places is a crucial economic development strategy for cities. And second, that companies which haven’t considered a walkable location may be at risk of falling behind.”
Executive Director of WakeUP Wake County, Karen Rindge commented, “Trends we’re seeing in Raleigh, Durham, Charlotte, and others reflect the businesses desire to be in the most competitive job markets.”
As Raleigh and surrounding areas continue to grow, a densely populated downtown with many transit options will attract both employers and business to invest in vibrant, walkable communities and preserve our high quality of life.
Read WakeUP Wake County’s press release.