The hiring of Livian Jones as vice president of operations for RiverLights signals the start of increasing momentum for the highly anticipated mixed-use project.

Newland Communities, the company developing RiverLights, announced the hiring Friday.

“As a long-time resident and civic leader in Wilmington, Livian is the perfect candidate to provide skilled oversight and strategic vision to the Riverlights development,” said Keith Hurand, senior vice president and division manager for the mid-Atlantic region for Newland Communities, in a news release.

RiverLights includes 2.5 miles of Cape Fear River shoreline and wetlands, nearly 1,400 acres of land and the zoning capability of holding up to 2,700 homes.

Jones, a Wilmington resident since 1988 who has more than 25 years of experienced in development and construction management, said RiverLights will hold an informational meeting for builders within the next couple of months.

She said she anticipates a variety of builders because the community will include a variety of housing types, including single-family, multi-family and homes geared toward retirees.  

“We’re going to work real hard to pick out the right builder for each niche,” Jones said Friday.

Before the meeting with builders takes place, a realignment of River Road, the major thoroughfare connecting RiverLights to downtown Wilmington, is set to begin next month, and the community’s opening is planned for 2016.

Local developers and real estate industry professionals have been watching the progress of RiverLights, which became part of the city of Wilmington last year through a voluntary annexation.

“A nice community like this gives more opportunities to consumers who are considering Wilmington as a market to live in,” said Tim Milam, president of Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage.

Hill Rogers, broker in charge at Cameron Management Co., called RiverLights a “game changer” in terms of its impact on his company’s nearby residential and commercial project, Gallery Park.

As commercial tenants consider becoming part of Gallery Park, Rogers said, “they want to know where the customers are coming from and they’ll come from us – we’re building homes and apartments – and there’s homes and apartments already nearby . . . and you can point to RiverLights and say, ‘Look. Right there.’”

Jones said she believes the size and location of RiverLights, along with Newland’s reputation, has added to the buzz surrounding the project.

“I think overall, the real estate community is excited to see some activity. I think it energizes everyone, especially in that industry. It shows confidence in the market,” Jones said. “There’s nothing else here like it with everything that it encompasses.”

Jones said along those lines, the marina facet of the project is noteworthy. A 112-slip marina is one of the development’s planned amenities.

RiverLights is zoned for up to 1 million square feet of commercial property on 184 acres, and Jones said she’s meeting with a potential tenant next week. While the commercial portions of the development won’t happen all at once, “If people are interested, then we’ll go ahead and build,” Jones said.

Meanwhile, the city of Wilmington’s designation this week as America’s Best Riverfront location in a USA Today contest will be incorporated in marketing efforts, Jones said.

“It couldn’t have happened at a better time,” she said.