The golden arches are turning green in Cary.
McDonald's franchisee Ric Richards is planning an environmentally friendly redo of his restaurant in Saltbox Village shopping center, off Kildaire Farm Road.
The 4,150-square-foot restaurant, which has been there since 1985, is to be torn down and rebuilt with a design aimed at earning a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
If successful, the $2 million project would be the first LEED-certified McDonald's in the state, and the third in the nation.
"I believe in the whole philosophy of renewable resources and trying to help the environment," Richards said.
That's important, but so is the bottom line. Richards says that building green will cost more than building a traditional McDonald's, but he expects to make up for the expense with higher sales and cheaper utility expenses.
Retailers have been greening up in recent years to save money through operations and lure eco-conscious customers.
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