Southeast Raleigh development is quietly rewriting rules of ‘workforce’ housing
A new development in Southeast Raleigh promises modern design, amenities and easy access to downtown. But its most unusual feature isn’t something you can see from the street.
It’s who the homes are built for.
South Carolina-based Center Park Group recently broke ground on PNTE35, a new 35‑unit townhome community at the corner of Poole and Sunnybrook roads. It’s designed specifically to serve workforce earners and first‑time buyers who have been squeezed by Raleigh’s rising housing costs: teachers, health care workers, city employees and other essential professionals.
In a market where new construction often starts well above $500,000, it aims for something different: attainable homeownership for households earning 60% to 120% of area median income (AMI).
That’s around $45,000 to $100,000 for an individual and around $65,000 to $145,000 for a family of four.
“PNTE35 sets an important precedent for what is possible through private investment in attainable for‑sale housing,” said Jason Esposito, president of Center Park Group, which he founded in 2017.
It’s a notable shift in how some private developers are approaching the region’s affordability crisis. Instead of relying on subsidies or public incentives, the firm partnered with Dukes Properties and Construction and structured the subdivision from the ground up to hit a price point that’s increasingly rare inside the Beltline.
The three‑story homes are expected to start in the high $300,000s to low $400,000s. They will average about 1,600 square feet and include three bedrooms and three and a half bathrooms, with open‑concept living spaces and modern finishes.
Green spaces and outdoor gathering areas will also be integrated into the site.
It’s expected to come online later this year.
Founded in 2017, Center Park Group now has more than 30 communities nationwide and is quickly expanding its footprint in the Triangle.
It’s building Sadie Oaks, a 201‑unit “build-to-rent” townhome community near Wendell Falls Parkway in eastern Wake County, with BrightSky Residential.
The company is also developing a 106-unit build-to-rent community at 5115 Auburn Church Road in Garner, with Saxum Real Estate Partners.
