August 2024 Cities Civil and Municipal Public Sector

Morrisville, North Carolina – Wake County

August 28, 2024

Morrisville, North Carolina

An “All-America City”

A Thriving Hub of Diversity, Innovation, and Community

A prominent town in North Carolina, Morrisville has been continually recognized for its excellence and livability. Named the “Fifth Best Place to Live for Families” by Fortune Well in 2022 and honored as an All-America City by the National Civic League in 2021, the town’s population has surged from 5,000 to over 32,000 since 2000. This rapid growth reflects Morrisville’s commitment to diversity, connectivity, and quality of life, resulting in the warm, welcoming atmosphere that residents experience and cherish.

Conveniently located in North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park (RTP) region—an area encompassing the cities of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill, Morrisville is equidistant from three major universities- NC State, Duke, and UNC-Chapel Hill. Wake Technical Community College’s RTP campus is in Morrisville, and its service to Morrisville residents and the business community helps to enhance educational opportunities, support economic and workforce development, and improve the overall quality of life for residents. Combined with its proximity to major transportation hubs, the municipality offers the perfect blend of small-town charm and metropolitan amenities, embodying the town’s philosophy: “Live connected. Live well.”

A Mosaic of Cultures

“Approximately 46% of our residents are of Asian ancestry, and of that 34% are Asian Indian, which makes it a very diverse and welcoming place,” depicts Mayor TJ Cawley. This diversity is celebrated through various initiatives, including the town’s language access plan, which ensures key documents are available in Hindi and other languages. “We also host 22 special and cultural events each year to recognize our diversity and to introduce different portions of our community to one another and their traditions, celebrating what makes us so unique,” adds Town Manager Brandon Zuidema.

Community engagement is a priority, and Morrisville hosts a variety of special happenings throughout the year, bringing people together through events like the SpringFest festival, Red, White & Boom! on July 3, and S’Morrisville every August, where the town gathers for fun activities and a chance to enjoy the delicious S’mores treat. An international festival showcases Morrisville’s many cultures, drawing residents and visitors alike.

Economic Powerhouse

Morrisville’s economy is thriving, as Mayor Cawley expands, “It’s bolstered by strong natural growth in our tax base and robust development activity, particularly in the life sciences industry.” He talks about the $1 billion Spark LS Pathway Triangle project, which will bring a 109-acre, mixed-use, life sciences campus to Morrisville’s McCrimmon Parkway, further solidifying the town’s position as a hub in the region. These projects are part of a broader trend bolstered by federal support to bring manufacturing and technology back to the United States.

On the high-tech side, Forge Nano Battery recently chose the town for its manufacturing site, drawn to the availability of an educated and skilled workforce. “With those universities and Wake Tech nearby, there is constant upskilling of different things as the market changes so quickly. We are ideally suited to make sure that there’s always the workforce necessary for our companies to continue to grow,” the mayor asserts. “We’re embracing high-tech manufacturing and life sciences, and it’s because the workforce is so strong in this area.”

Empowering Morrisville’s Business Community

Michael Haley, executive director of Wake County Economic Development and senior vice president of the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce reports that Morrisville’s economic development efforts, which are coordinated with Wake County, boast a pipeline of projects. “In terms of companies either expanding or wanting to come to the area, right now we have 38 active projects, these are prospects that we’ve had communication within the last 30 days,” he says.

“That accounts for about $10.8 billion in potential capital investment and about 13,000 potential jobs with an average salary well above the county average wage.” Through initiatives like the “Work in the Triangle” campaign, the county continues to attract top talent to sustain this growth trajectory. Executive Director Haley asserts, “Talent is the differentiating factor here, based on our education, and higher education ecosystem. That’s the number one reason that companies want to be here.”

Along with large international companies in the realm of life sciences, technology, and advanced manufacturing, Morrisville and Wake County are supporting entrepreneurs and innovative startups. “That growth is occurring across the entire spectrum of business and business types. There’s just so much opportunity that lays in front of us right now,” Haley stresses.

When it comes to supporting local enterprises, Rose Cornelius, president of the Morrisville Chamber of Commerce, points out the chamber’s efforts to support a strong economy in the town, gearing programming towards small businesses, including a certification workshop for historically underrepresented enterprises, allowing them to qualify for municipal and other government contracts. She says, “To have a healthy economy, all of our businesses have to be healthy. So, we’re pushing out programming and services to make sure that is the case.”

Strategic Development

In a county that is welcoming 54 new residents every day, Morrisville’s growth is meticulously planned, with a focus on sustainable development and quality of life. The town’s Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) and land use plan have been updated, paving the way for significant commercial growth, such as the Spark LS and Pathway Triangle projects.

While prioritizing growth, Morrisville is also working to maintain the character of the community. “We know that the reason we are a great place to do business is because we are a great place to live. That’s in large part why Apple chose our area, because it’s such a great quality of life for families, and our families place education highest in their priority list. So, we do everything we can to support the school board, and our county commissioners, who are responsible for education,” Cawley portrays.

Community Charm and Quality of Life

Detailing the colorful murals on display throughout the town, Cornelius underscores the ongoing efforts to hold on to the friendly spirit that makes Morrisville so special. “These billion-dollar projects going in, they are mixed-use, they will be walkable communities,” she remarks. “It’s not going to be building after building after building. We’re fostering a community. Even on our life sciences campuses, it is going to be a community of people.”

Morrisville is also set to establish its first designated downtown area, transforming a blank canvas into a vibrant hub. Zuidema shares an exciting public-private partnership that will see the development of a town center, featuring a green space with a stage for entertainment, the expansion of the existing farmers market, and the introduction of new boutique-style retail options.

“Our council has had a vision for the better part of 20 years to build a downtown that will be a destination for others to come and visit, to give a place for our residents to come and to be able to relax and have amenities,” he relays. “A lot is going on to create that downtown, and to maintain that feel that Morrisville is still as much of a small town as we can be.”

The municipality also continues to invest in its recreational facilities, boasting seven parks with a variety of amenities, including a world-class cricket pitch, racquetball, tennis, and pickleball courts, miles of interconnected greenways, and a state-of-the-art aquatics center. A senior center is another popular feature of the town. “We’re happy to serve our seniors,” says the Mayor.

“We are very intentional. We heard that they wanted more benches along our greenways, so we added those. I’m proud of how responsive our staff is to the wants and needs of our community.”

Supporting Growth

Morrisville is balancing infrastructure and housing development to meet the needs of its growing community. Recent investments include a $4.76 million budget allocation for key projects such as roadway improvements, an innovative smart shuttle service, and the introduction of new overpasses in key areas. “That will significantly enhance connectivity and accessibility for our residents and our businesses,” acknowledges Cawley.

In terms of housing, Morrisville is focusing on mixed-use and multifamily developments, affordable housing initiatives, and seeking out potential partnerships with organizations like Habitat for Humanity to provide affordable housing. “It’s a unique challenge to us, based on the quality of the people here, their education, and their income,” admits Zuidema. “It’s not traditional affordable housing, it’s more about workforce housing and trying to make housing available to the folks that live here and work for the town, our first responders, our teachers, others that may not make that higher level salary that makes Morrisville affordable. We want them to be able to live here and contribute to the community outside of their work time.”

Future Forward Vision

Looking ahead Mayor Cawley says “Our strategic vision focuses on sustainable growth, enhanced quality of life, and leveraging technology to foster innovation and community connectivity. We’re committed to transparent data-driven metrics to guide our progress and ensure alignment with our long-term goals.”

Top areas of focus include transportation improvements, leveraging social media and in-person outreach to enhance community connectivity, and expanding recreational and social services. In summary, he emphasizes. “We are all embracing our strategic plan, and bringing forth things that are going to make life better for our community.”