A two-story food hall and event center is coming to the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh, North Carolina.
While the exact design of the building is being finalized, the Midway Event Center is expected to be a 32,000-square-foot building and will be home to at least nine year-round vendors plus four additional vendors during state fair season, according to architect Kristen Hess of HH Architecture. The venue will include indoor and outdoor seating and multiple event spaces.
The North Carolina State Fair runs for 11 days each October. It drew over 925,000 visitors last year. In addition to the state fair, the fairgrounds host 350 events annually, including trade shows, conferences and cultural events. The new center is expected to bring even more people to the fairgrounds.
“People who live and work near the fairgrounds know there are very limited food options in this area. We believe once the Midway Event Center is completed, it will become a hub for lunch options and after-work gatherings, weekend brunch dates and quick business meetings,” North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said at a press conference announcing the new facility. “It will become a neighborhood meeting spot and a place where friends can enjoy time together before heading out to another event in the area.”
The Midway Event Center will replace an existing building, which was built in 1952 and houses food vendors during the State Fair. Several existing vendors have said they want to return, according to Troxler.
The new food hall is part of the State Fairgrounds Master Plan, which was created in 2009. Other improvements to the fairgrounds will include modernizing infrastructure, such as heating and air conditioning in existing buildings and refreshing flower and garden areas. Troxler noted that the state fairgrounds are self-supporting and do not rely on state appropriations.
Raleigh-based Clancy & Theys will handle the construction of the Midway Event Center. Once construction begins, it is expected to take two years to complete.
The improvements to the state fairgrounds come at a time when there is significant investment in this area of Raleigh, which has historically seen less development than many parts of the city. Last year PNC Arena, which is home to the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, announced $300 million in stadium renovations and an $800 million commitment to develop a sports and entertainment district around the arena.
Communications technology company Bandwidth opened a new 533,000-square-foot headquarters in the area, which was the largest new office building completed in Raleigh last year. Parking facilities at the new Bandwidth headquarters are used by visitors to the State Fair.
In addition, over 1,100 apartments have been built within two miles of the state fairgrounds in the past three years, with another 250 currently under construction.