Triad Region Counties Report New Commercial Permits for Week of March 13

Commercial permit activity continued across Alamance, Guilford, Forsyth, and Randolph counties during the week of March 13, adding to a regional construction pipeline that is among the most active in recent memory for the Piedmont Triad.

The permit filings arrive against a backdrop of significant investment. Ahold Delhaize USA announced plans to build an $860 million distribution center in Burlington, near the Rock Creek Industrial Park in eastern Guilford County, close to Lake Mackintosh along the Guilford-Alamance county line. The new distribution center is expected to bring about 500 jobs to the Triad region and represents the largest economic investment in the area's history.

That project is far from the only construction reshaping the two-county corridor. The City of Burlington approved three commercial renovation permits for Food Lion stores in January 2026. The South Church Street location lists about $9,100 in fees and names Farris Interior Installation Inc. as the contractor. Construction across those locations is expected to be completed by spring 2027, with the Ramada Road location scheduled to finish this summer.

Mebane, on Alamance County's eastern edge, is also tracking a large mixed-use project. The Mebane City Council approved by a contested 4-1 vote a new large-scale mixed-use development by Koury Corp. that calls for approximately 300,000 square feet in retail shopping space, along with 645 residential rental apartments and 38 residential townhouses for sale. A Target store anchoring the project will be approximately 128,000 square feet, the fourth in the local region alongside current stores in Burlington, Durham, and Chapel Hill.

Burlington and Alamance County have shown a growth rate of over 16% in the last 14 years, with Alamance County centrally positioned between the Research Triangle Region and the Piedmont Triad Region. That geography, straddling I-40 and I-85, continues to draw developers to the corridor, making weekly permit filings a reliable indicator of sustained commercial momentum rather than isolated activity.

Permits issued by Alamance County are valid for six months from the date of issuance, remaining active as long as work progresses and inspections are scheduled regularly. Contractors and property owners can submit commercial permit applications electronically to planreview@alamance-nc.com or in person at the Alamance County Central Permitting office at 201 W. Elm St. in Graham, open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with permits issued until 4:30 p.m.