3 years after announcement, Apple's East Coast hub in RTP appears to be in holding pattern
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. (WTVD) -- It's been three years since Apple announced its plans for a $1 billion East Coast Hub in Research Triangle Park. The project may be in a holding pattern.
Wake County, as well as Duke Energy, says they're ready to get the project off the ground and are waiting on the tech giant to move forward.
The site will be located along Little Drive in Morrisville.
Apple said the project would create a minimum of 2,700 jobs and consist of up to 682,000 square feet of office space.
A Wake County spokesperson says officials finished conducting its latest review for Apple's stormwater permit early this year and has not received any action since then, therefore cannot move the approval process forward.
Duke Energy Spokesperson Jeff Brooks says the electric company has already installed the main power lines to the area and now is waiting on development to connect everything.
ABC11 reached out to Apple and asked if the company is still planning to bring a hub to the Raleigh area. We're still waiting for a response.
Paperwork ABC11 obtained in December 2023 suggests construction will start in 2026.
The project received grant money and Apple would have to create a minimum of 2,700 jobs to avoid defaulting on the grant.
In the first three years, jobs must pay a minimum of 133,000 dollars a year. That's almost 80 percent higher than Raleigh's median household income, according to Census data.
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