Developer Seeks 20 Story Rezoning for Western Boulevard Property
Raleigh developer CityPlat asked the Raleigh City Council to rezone the former Kmart site at 4500 Western Boulevard to allow buildings up to 20 stories, a major increase from the current five story limit. The proposal would enable thousands of housing units and more than a million square feet of office space, raising questions about traffic, environmental buffers and the timing of new apartments.
CityPlat brought a rezoning request to the Raleigh City Council on December 3 seeking to transform the long vacant former Kmart property at 4500 Western Boulevard into a high density mixed use node. The developer, which purchased the site earlier in 2025 for fourteen million dollars, is already investing roughly six million dollars in renovations to reposition parts of the existing building and has leased space to a Turkish cafe, a gym and a basketball training facility.
Under current zoning the site is limited to five story buildings. The rezoning application would allow development up to 20 story buildings, tapering to 12 stories along the western edge that faces Blue Ridge Road. CityPlat outlined a potential ultimate buildout that could include as many as 3,500 residential units, 1.2 million square feet of office space and 300,000 square feet of retail. The company also acknowledged that the multifamily market has cooled and that new apartments would likely be many years away.
Council members pressed the developer for details on landscaping and tree buffer plans adjacent to Interstate 440. CityPlat has argued that reduced buffers may be necessary because buildable areas are constrained by existing parking lots. Those answers will be central to the rezoning discussion because buffer setbacks and tree canopy requirements affect stormwater management, air quality and noise mitigation for nearby neighborhoods.
The proposal carries significant policy implications for Wake County and Raleigh. Approval would increase potential residential density in a major corridor, alter traffic patterns on Western Boulevard and Blue Ridge Road and expand the city tax base through new commercial development. It would also test how the city balances growth and environmental protections when repurposing large former retail parcels.
The rezoning is expected to return to the Raleigh City Council for further consideration in early January 2026. Residents who want to follow or participate in the public process should monitor council agendas and scheduled hearings to evaluate project details, mitigation commitments and timelines for future construction.
