Thoughtful Development Creates Places with Enduring Appeal

Kane Realty’s creative approach to development attracted T.J. Barringer to the company in 2005 and has kept him busy reshaping Raleigh ever since. Barringer, Kane Realty’s director of development, discusses thoughtful development and how it contributes to North Hills’ enduring success.

How would you define thoughtful development?

T.J. Barringer: Thoughtful development focuses on making a project work financially while paying close attention to the experience for the community, tenants, and visitors. You can certainly have a project that works for the investors, but is not additive for the community – or vice versa. Creating a project that works on all levels is more challenging.Thoughtful development also involves thinking about how the buildings are going to age, and what the place will be like in 10, 20, or 30 years. You want to build something that lasts and continues to be successful.

What are elements of thoughtful development that are evident at North Hills?

TJB: North Hills is a great example of thoughtful development. Kane Realty has developed North Hills over time with careful consideration to architectural styles, green space, the mix of tenants, and its presence in the neighborhood. You will continue to see that approach in the next phase of development along St. Albans Drive on the east side of Six Forks Road. Plans include a mix of office, retail, and residential space with parks, fitness amenities, and public art. Our goal is to create a district that will be thriving 50 years from now and continue to have an important role in the city.

Do you think we will see more thoughtful development in Raleigh in the future?

TJB: I think we have seen that there is a market for thoughtful development, but this is not the only kind of development we will see in the future because, frankly, it is difficult to do. We will continue to see developers build five-story apartment buildings and strip shopping centers, but as we have seen at North Hills, if you create a thoughtfully planned district, the community will support it.

Does thoughtful development help retailers?

TJB: Amazon and other online retailers are putting an extreme amount of pressure on bricks-and-mortar retailers because customers can use their mobile devices to buy most of what they want and need. That’s why at North Hills we try to create an experience for visitors. People are coming to North Hills for a variety of reasons, and they are cross-shopping. This is a model that retailers nationwide will depend on more and more. If you are not creating a retail experience, then you are simply a commodity.

What’s one of the most interesting projects you have worked on at North Hills?

TJB: Park Central has been exciting because it includes mid-rise and high-rise construction. Combining these two construction types has allowed us to include some features we could not have otherwise, such as creating three courtyards at a lower level and a rooftop pool for great views of the city. In addition to the apartment homes, Park Central has 36,000 square feet of retail, restaurant, and office space that includes Orangetheory Fitness, Happy + Hale, and Arrow Haircuts.

About T.J. Barringer

Prior to Kane, T.J. Barringer consulted in the Atlanta office of Bain & Company, a global business strategy consulting firm where he drove results for clients in numerous industries. He also has analyst experience with Lehman Brothers Investment Bank in New York.He is a graduate, with highest distinction, of the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration. He also studied at the Center for European Studies at Maastricht University in the Netherlands.Barringer serves on local boards, including Hillsborough Street Community Service Corporation and Emmaus House. He is active with the Urban Land Institute locally and through the Regional Initiative Council Program. He also serves at Hayes Barton Methodist Church through various service and outreach programs. T.J. and his wife, Jessie, are the proud parents of two boys, Jones and Hayns.