Town of Apex selects Stantec to redesign downtown streetscape for improved public space and walkability

Project advances the community’s Downtown Plan, providing a
guiding vision for placemaking in the heart of Apex

Charlotte, NC-SX, NYSE: STN 

Continuing to support the town of Apex’s vision for a vibrant future, Stantec has been selected to lead the community’s downtown streetscape and parking design project. The project represents progress on three of the top ten priorities identified in the Apex Downtown Master Plan and Parking Study (Downtown Plan), adopted in 2019 with guidance from Stantec to set a course for the ongoing revitalization and economic vitality of the downtown area for the next 20 years.

“Downtown Apex is the heart of our growing community. Its success comes with increased demand for outdoor dining, retail, and walkable, engaging space for our citizens and visitors alike to enjoy and interact,” said Russell Dalton, senior transportation engineer and project manager for the Town of Apex Public Works & Transportation. “We are celebrating and enhancing the value Downtown Apex holds for us by carrying forward projects that will meet our community’s needs for years to come.” 

The project encompasses the streetscape along Salem Street between Center Street and Chatham Street; the alleyscapes along Commerce Street and Seaboard Street; and the public parking lots off of Templeton Street and Saunders Street.

Through the guidance of the Downtown Plan, project goals for Salem Street include expanding sidewalks for improved walkability and outdoor dining, enhancing comfort and appearance with the addition of street trees, and reconfiguring on-street parking to facilitate these upgrades. The project also aims to transform alleyways into lively spaces, while both the streetscape and the alleyscapes will incorporate public art and wayfinding enhancements.

“Our team’s goal is to embrace the authenticity of Downtown Apex by adding vibrant people places that support the needs of residents, local businesses, and visitors while also honoring this community’s historic roots,” said Amanda Morrell, project manager at Stantec. “This will be accomplished under the framework of the Downtown Plan, along with additional input from the community through a robust public engagement process centered around inclusive feedback.”

As part of Stantec’s project role, the team will provide planning, public engagement, surveying, landscape architecture, and engineering services to deliver final design plans and permitting. Public engagement will launch in early 2021 with projects slated for completion in 2023.

This project follows Stantec’s active role in the development of Apex’s Downtown Plan. Through an extensive engagement process with the public and downtown stakeholders, the plan establishes a guiding vision for the area by prioritizing opportunities for placemaking and public spaces while incorporating active parking management strategies. As part of plan development, the team created a temporary “parklet” within two on-street parking spaces along Salem Street to demonstrate the potential of parking re-use. Public feedback to this installation was so positive that the parklet remained open for the remainder of the summer, indicating the incredible potential for reimagining these spaces.

About Stantec

Communities are fundamental. Whether around the corner or across the globe, they provide a foundation, a sense of place and of belonging. That’s why at Stantec, we always design with community in mind.

We’re designers, engineers, scientists, and project managers, innovating together at the intersection of community, creativity, and client relationships. Balancing these priorities results in projects that advance the quality of life in communities across the globe.

Stantec trades on the TSX and the NYSE under the symbol STN.

For more information about Stantec’s response to COVID-19, visit Responding to COVID-19.