Equal Optics and North State Pools Choose Wake Forest Exchange for Corporate Headquarters
Equal Optics LLC signs lease with St. John Properties for 12,120 square feet, and North State Pools completes 2,790 square foot lease at 30-acre mixed-use business community
RALEIGH, NC – North State Pools and Austin, Texas-based Equal Optics, LLC have selected Wake Forest Exchange, developed and managed by St. John Properties, Inc., as the site of their new corporate headquarters. Equal Optics signed a lease for 12,120 square feet of space, and expects to move approximately 45 professionals to the 30-acre mixed-use business community, and 40-person North State Pools recently took occupancy within the park. St. John Properties Regional Partner Dustin Atkielski represented the landlord in both transactions.
“This latest activity continues the momentum we have generated at Wake Forest Exchange, which represents a mix of locally-owned and new businesses entering the Research Triangle market,” stated Atkielski. “The common thread between these two tenants is the value they see in Wake Forest Exchange’s strategic location and the flexibility of our signature flex/R&D product,”
Equal Optics consolidating positions currently located throughout the country
Equal Optics has grown into one of North America’s leading providers of optical connectivity, network cabling, and server memory, serving AI, data center, telecommunications, and enterprise IT applications. The company’s new Wake Forest headquarters will feature a state-of-the-art engineering, testing, and validation lab focused on advancing next-generation high-speed optical connectivity and related technologies.
Equal Optics also operates a West Coast distribution center in Orange County, California, and plans to consolidate professionals currently working in Pennsylvania, New York, and other locations into its new East Coast headquarters. The company will move to 920 Timberline View Drive, and was represented by Curt Britt of Phoenix Commercial Properties.
When choosing a new location for the company, Dan Hennen, President of Equal Optics explained that “the Wake Forest area was especially attractive due to the region’s high quality of living, proximity to a major international airport, presence of like-minded companies, and the availability of specialized talent familiar with the high technology industry.” Hennen added that “Wake Forest Exchange fulfilled every real estate requirement, especially the single-story multi-functional design which can support front office, research and development, testing, and warehouse/logistics needs.”
North State Pools establishes additional retail component in new headquarters
Now located at 920 Timberline View Drive, North State Pools specializes in the installation, maintenance, and repair of residential and commercial in-ground pools throughout the Research Triangle and Coastal Carolina regions. The company also offers Imagine fiberglass pools, spas, tanning ledges, and related services for residential customers. According to owner Adam Mills, the expected customer foot traffic at the building and its adaptability to support a retail use, was a driving factor in the company establishing a water testing division at the new site.
“920 Timberline View Drive looks like and functions as a commercial office building, but can also support retail uses,” explained Mills. “We always wanted to start a water testing subsidiary, but our former offices were not visible from the road and few people walked by our space. Wake Forest Exchange presents a completely different scenario, especially given the presence of the children’s entertainment concept Happy Feet, which consistently draws sustained audiences. The building’s layout also supports our varied administrative, office, maintenance, and storage uses. It is extremely difficult to find new office space in the Wake Forest region, especially a product that is so multi-functional.”
Wake Forest Exchange, the first development undertaken by St. John Properties since entering the Research Triangle market in 2022, will include more than 180,000 square feet of flex/R&D, single-story medical flex, and retail space upon completion. 920 Timberline View Drive is a single-story flex/R&D building containing 60,240 square feet of space. It is equipped with 18-foot ceiling heights, rear dock and drive-in loading docks, and is surrounded by expansive surface parking.
Wake Forest Exchange is adjacent to Capital Boulevard (US-1) and South Main Street (Falls of Neuse Road) in Wake Forest. The new business community, located less than five miles from Interstate 540 and approximately 13 miles north of Raleigh, is expected to support more than 650 jobs at final build-out and leasing. St. John Properties acquired the site in late 2023.
Founded in 1971, St. John Properties, Inc. is one of the nation’s largest and most successful privately held commercial real estate firms. The company is distinguished by its commitment to customer service, achievements in green building, and top-rated workplace culture. Throughout St. John Properties’ 55-year history, the company has developed more than 25 million square feet of flex/R&D, office, retail, and warehouse space and has investments in over 3,000 residential units. The company proudly serves more than 2,700 clients in Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Utah, and Wisconsin. For more information about the company, visit www.sjpi.com.
