Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina Profile

The hyphenated name, Fuquay-Varina, reflects the dual heritage of two communities and the story of a couple's romance that led to their marriage and the communities coming together.

Business in Fuquay-Varina:

Fuquay-Varina's business community is strong and diverse, ranging from family-owned stores to international corporations. As part of the Triangle area, they are consistently ranked among the best places to live, work, raise a family and earn a world-class education. The moderate climate, ideal geographic location, and proximity to institutions of higher learning, as well as a strong emphasis on culture and recreation, attract businesses of all sizes and types.

It's close proximity to Raleigh & Cary has made Fuquay Varina a thriving community, and a great alternative to home buyers wanting even more housing choices, and in many cases, more acreage. Yes, Fuquay Varina is further out from Raleigh, RDU Airport & Research Triangle Park, but the trade off is finding more custom home choices for less money than in the Raleigh & Cary areas! There are also two golf coarse communities to choose from, Crooked Creek & Bentwinds. Crooked Creek is the newer of the two offering a wide variety of home choices from the high $200's up to a million. Bentwinds is a more established, traditional golf community.

Today high-tech industries and innovative businesses balance the town's economy, blending economic development and community preservation.

Even with the continued growth, the town does still want to maintain the "village character" associated with Fuquay-Varina. A planned revitalized downtown will offer specialty shops, boutiques, restaurants, professional offices, and second-story residences, along with ample parking and pedestrian friendly streets.

By the time the massive renovation project is finished, the block-and-a-half-long area along Broad Street will ultimately provide the feeling of a small town that thrived as an overnight railroad stop at the start of the 1900s. The vintage appeal will include extensive landscaping, park benches, new street lighting, new sidewalks with brick bands and scored concrete, and completely renovated buildings with first-floor expanded space and new residential or loft living on the second.

Guided by the Fuquay-Varina Revitalization Association, Inc., special attention will be added in the commercial and new residential space in the historic district of the town. Attention will be devoted to facades, signage, and graphics, window displays, building appearances, rear entrances, landscaping, public seating, parking and park areas.

The project is the only one of its kind in Wake County involving a cooperative funding effort between town and state government. When completed, the area will be recognized as the Varina Commercial Historical District as part of the National Registry of Historic Places by the U.S. Department of the Interior.

The springs ceased to be a resort area in the 1920s. Located on the southwest corner of the intersection of West Spring Street and South Main Street, the site is to be developed as a historical park. Though they still flow today, the waters are not being used commercially.

Variety is the key to relaxation and recreation in the Town of Fuquay-Varina. From an 18-hole walk through a round of golf or a fast-paced game of tennis to a leisurely hike through the woods or a challenging game of bridge, you can find all sorts of ways to relax, get fit or just have a good time.

The Town's Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department oversees a wide range of programs and facilities for all times of the year, including managing and maintaining the local parks and athletic programs in town.

The newest park in town is the Carroll Howard Johnson Environmental Education Park -- 28 acres of rolling, picturesque land with 70 feet of elevation change. The land gently slopes along several minor ridges and drainage ways to Kenneth Branch, a permanent stream flowing across the park from west to east.

The park slopes up again on the south side of Kenneth Branch to another ridge. The park presently includes 2.5 miles of walking trails, although plans include increasing the walking paths by another 1.2 miles. The park area also includes an amphitheater; five overlook areas, and five footbridges.

This is the first park in southern Wake County with a major emphasis on environmental education. Programs such as wildflower hikes, owl prowls, stream studies, bird watching, plant identification and others are planned.

The park is located on the south side of Fuquay-Varina, west of U.S. Highway 401, and on the south side of Wagstaff Road about 1/3 mile from the intersection.

School parks at the Fuquay-Varina Elementary School and the Willow Springs Elementary School are also available for public use.