Apple North Carolina campus efforts continue to move at a glacial pace

Local utilities are ready to go on the site of Apple's future North Carolina campus, but the company appears to not be particularly motivated to get the project done any time soon.

The campus was rumored as early as 2018, but announced in April 2021. Since then, there has been a trickle of Apple investment into the project, instead of the expected major and quick leaps.

And, there still does not appear to be a great deal of urgency on Apple's part to get it done. A new report cites local utility giants standing by, but ultimately waiting on Apple to move.

A report on Monday by local news channel WTVD cites a Wake County spokesperson talking about stormwater management. The county has finished its review of the site in early 2024.

It reportedly hasn't heard back from Apple. Until it does, it can't move the approval process forward.

Additionally, Duke Energy says that the main power lines are installed. Full hook-up awaits structures that just aren't there, nor has any ground been broken.

Paperwork obtained by the news station says that Apple is starting construction in 2026. This is in contrast to its Austin, TX facility. After a 2018 announcement of a second campus in the area, the company broke ground within a month of signing the deal.

And, it has already started an expansion to that facility.

The proposed Triangle campus, when complete, will span 281 acres. It will include commercial offices, a parking deck, streets, and a central utility plant.

The campus, built on four parcels of undeveloped woodland near Cary and Morrisville, is expected to cost $552 million. Apple has requested approximately 700,000 square feet for office space, an additional 190,000 square feet for support structures, and almost 3,000 square feet for parking.

The initial phase of construction will see the erection of six buildings, possibly adding more structures in the future.

In May 2023, a collection of site plans was submitted to Wake County, and among them was the inclusion of a map.

Apple has committed to employing at least 2,700 people at the campus within the next decade, which is expected to increase to 3,000 eventually. As of 2021, Apple is leasing an office building on the MetLife campus in Cary.

It's not clear how many employees Apple has in the state right now. It is leasing office space at present, and the hiring targets are not reliant on the site being constructed.

The company already operates a data center in the state, has solar farms, and several Apple Stores.