Print
Government

County To Unveil Potential Redevelopment Ideas For Downtown Property

By Cece Nunn, posted Jul 14, 2017
An illustration created by city of Wilmington staff members for a January presentation on Project Grace shows the potential for infill development at North Third, Chestnut and Grace streets.
On Monday, New Hanover County officials will share more details of a market analysis that has studied potential ways to redevelop a 3-acre, county-owned site in downtown Wilmington.

Also known as the library block, the study subject of what the county's calling Project Grace is bordered by Grace, Third, Chestnut and Second streets and includes the main branch of the New Hanover County Public Library. The site also holds the library’s Story Park, an EMS facility, a 650-space parking deck, the former county register of deeds office and three surface lots.

The board unanimously approved a contract in January with Wilmington Downtown Inc. and Benchmark Planning of Charlotte to create the study, site analysis and potential redevelopment scenarios. 

"The primary purpose of this study is to retain the library services on the site, and return the underutilized portion of the site to the private sector -- expanding the tax base," says a July 3 memo by Jennifer Rigby, the county's strategy and policy coordinator, included in the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners agenda documents for its meeting Monday.

The memo says the findings in the analysis indicate that the market capacity of the site could support 400 multi-family residential units, 25,000 square feet of retail space, up to 70,000 square feet of office space and a maximum of 100 hotel rooms.

That doesn't mean that's what, if anything, will be developed on the property, officials are quick to point out.

"The presentation scheduled for July 17th will include the findings from the market study and site analysis, and four development scenarios. It is important to understand these development scenarios serve as a framework for how the site could be developed," the memo says.

Rigby wrote that she recommends "looking at the scenarios based on the decision points or conditions that could be placed on the development."

Those potential decision points or conditions include: constructing a modern library, preserving green space, capturing the full market potential on the site, rezoning the site to increase height limits and constructing a modern Cape Fear Museum on the site, the memo says.

No other information about the market study and site analysis were available Friday because more detail will be shared during a presentation at the Board of Commissioners meeting, scheduled for 4 p.m. Monday at the New Hanover County historic courthouse, 24 N. Third St.

Story On The Map

Ico insights

INSIGHTS

SPONSORS' CONTENT
Untitleddesign5

The Role of Vulnerability in Leadership

John Monahan - Vistage
Burrus rob headshot 300x300

Spreading Wings for Flight: 2nd Annual Trade Show Highlights the Ingenuity of UNCW Business Students

Robert Burrus - Cameron School of Business - UNC-Wilmington
Untitleddesign7

HOA Collections Policies: Ensuring Financial Stability and Fairness

Dave Orr - Community Association Management Services

Trending News

New Hotel Proposed Along Market Street In Ogden

Emma Dill - Mar 15, 2024

Businesses Reopen A Week After Grace Street Facade Collapse

Emma Dill - Mar 15, 2024

Tech Upskilling Cohort To Host First Wilmington Class

Audrey Elsberry - Mar 15, 2024

In The Current Issue

MADE: Polyhose Inc.

Polyhose manufactures and fabricates hose protection, paint hose assemblies and rubber hydraulic assemblies from its Pender County facility....


Expanding Tastes On Castle Street

As John Willse and Beth Guertin, owners of Wilmington Wine bottle shop and now the recently opened Creative Tastings restaurant on Castle St...


Hacking Cyberdefense Shortage

A shortage of cybersecurity professionals influenced professor Ulku Clark and her team to slowly evolve UNCW’s offerings to now include eigh...

Book On Business

The 2024 WilmingtonBiz: Book on Business is an annual publication showcasing the Wilmington region as a center of business.

Order Your Copy Today!


Galleries

Videos

2023 Power Breakfast: Major Developments