More apartments are in the works for Riverlights, with the newest plans adding 286 units on 17 acres.

The site is within a 120-acre mixed-use portion of the 1,400-acre community.

Argento at Riverlights is expected to contain a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, along with amenities that include a swimming pool, clubhouse, cabana, dog park, a gym and courtyards. The developer is Indiana-based Sterling Development.

The Argento plans are expected to be discussed at a meeting of the city of Wilmington’s Technical Review Committee in March, according to the city’s project tracking website.

Already under construction in the master-planned community off River Road is Mosby at Riverlights, a project with 250 apartments. Both Mosby and Argento are upscale developments.

Mosby is “more dense and includes traditional neighborhood constructs. It’s a different type of product from the standpoint of the way that it looks and the way that it’s going to live whereby the Argento project is going to be more garden-style apartments, several buildings spread over a much larger campus limited to three stories in height,” said Nick Cassala, vice president of operations for Riverlights. “Both of those communities will have their own set of amenities for the residents.”

The first building in the Mosby project, which is under development by Virginia-based Middleburg Communities, is expected to be finished by April and all the buildings could be complete by September, Cassala said. 

For Argento, Sterling Development has the land under contract, and would likely start construction four to six months after closing on the purchase.

“Both of those developers generally build, own and manage their assets so it’s important to us as we continue to build Riverlights that we’re working with partners who value what has been established here,” Cassala said of Sterling Development and Middleburg Communities.

Some existing Riverlights residents have expressed opposition to the apartments. 

“What is happening to the Riverlights was not what myself and many here had envisioned. We understand that there would be single family home development but not mid-level apartments and other types of apartments, which is growing in numbers,” said resident Michael Sanclimenti in an email. “It is totally out of character to Riverlights and we are getting no help or support from the city planning commission and council.”

Riverlights officials disagree.

"In developing this new section of Riverlights, with both multi-family and commercial properties, we are intentionally creating an opportunity to disperse traffic within our master plan," Cassala said in an email. "Our timing with this new section coordinates the apartment homes with new and necessary commercial enterprises, places like boutique fitness companies, day care operators, veterinarians, dry cleaners and the like.  

"As a result, with this new section of development, we are balancing well our growth with our quality of life for all our residents.

He said Riverlights developers have always had the right to offer a multifamily component.

“The market’s going to dictate how a tract of land gets developed over time,” Cassala said.

Since word of the apartments has been made public, more developers have expressed interest in the commercial portion of the 120-acre mixed-use area, he said.