Real Estate

The Durham Wake Service and Production District is a special tax district that encompasses the Park. On average, companies paying the DWSD tax as opposed to municipal property tax save around 30% on total property taxes. DWSD tax funds are invested back into the Park for public improvements, including trails, wetlands, recreation fields, and roads. While RTP entities do not directly offer incentives to companies interested in locating within the Park, staff is readily available to help facilitate those conversations with the appropriate state and county leaders.

Summary

RTP has a set of historic covenants which govern and provide guidelines to businesses that operate within the boundaries of the Park, applying to all 7,000 acres of RTP except Hub RTP. These covenants help serve as the identity statement for the Park. Specifically, the RTP Covenants outline that operations locating in the Park are required to include a high level of scientific input. Included in these uses are operations such as:

• research and development;
• production and assembly; corporate, regional or divisional headquarters of knowledge-based companies;
• data processing centers;
• nonprofit organizations;
• and educational facilities operated by UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke, or NC State.

These guidelines also provide landowners and tenants with the ability to vote on issues specifically pertaining to RTP. Durham County has rezoned Hub RTP, RTP’s new 100 acre redevelopment project in the heart of the Park, to allow for office, retail, hospitality, and residential uses.

Covenants

• Full RTP Covenants (PDF)
• First Amendment to RTP Covenants (PDF)