Working in Downtown Raleigh
Each day, over 40,000 people work in Downtown Raleigh. There is a wide variety of employers in Downtown - from large employers such as the Fortune 500 company, Progress Energy, the State of North Carolina with over 14,000 employees, and the City of Raleigh, to smaller employers such as retail shops, architectural firms, and law offices. There are opportunities for just about anyone to call Downtown Raleigh their place of business. There are over six million square feet of private sector office space in Downtown Raleigh, with over half of that figure represented by multi-tenant space. The market for commercial office space is one of the healthiest in the region, hovering around a 90% occupancy rate.
Education and the public sector constitute a large portion of Downtown Raleigh’s workforce, with Federal, State, County, and City governments all operating in a significant capacity. Three universities also have a presence in Downtown Raleigh, including: Shaw University, Peace College, and NC State University. There are also two middle schools, Moore Square Museums Magnet Middle and Exploris Middle School.
Other major employers in Downtown Raleigh include the Triangle’s preeminent newspaper publisher, News and Observer, the workforce acquisition provider PeopleClick, and the SmithAnderson law firm. The banking industry also has a significant presence, as RBC Centura will soon join Capital Bank, BB&T, and Wachovia on Downtown Raleigh’s skyline.