This year, the city of Wilmington purchased the former Thermo Fisher Scientific building on the northern end of downtown for $68 million. 

Wilmington leaders bought the 12-story office building at 929 N. Front St. with plans to consolidate city offices into a single building. Officials submitted a purchase offer on the building in January and closed in July. 

In April 2022, Thermo Fisher Scientific announced it would explore selling the Wilmington building. That decision came four months after the company closed on its acquisition of Wilmington-headquartered pharmaceutical research firm PPD.  

PPD has operated out of the building since it opened in 2007. In announcing its plans to sell, Thermo Fisher Scientific officials cited a need for more flexible work models. 

After several months on the market, the real estate company tasked with finding a buyer for Wilmington’s tallest building contacted city officials. The city began exploring the purchase to consolidate its offices, secure more public parking on the north end of downtown and open up the city’s existing offices for new downtown development. 

The purchase process started with a 120-day due diligence period, giving city staff time to evaluate the property’s condition. City leaders initially considered a tax increase to support the buy but ultimately opted against one. The council secured financing permission from the state’s Local Government Commission in early June. The commission permitted the city to borrow $70 million for the purchase. 

Since the purchase closed in July, about a dozen city departments have moved into the building. Planning and renovations are in the works to relocate the rest of the city’s offices next year.  

The adjacent 1,022-space parking deck is open and operational for special events and for those using the building. City leaders expect the parking deck to be available for 24/7 public parking by early next year. 

Wilmington-based real estate firm Cape Fear Commercial is working with city leaders to lease out extra space in the building. City leaders are also working to sell its former office buildings, which were declared surplus following the purchase of the former Thermo Fisher building. The bidding process kicked off this fall for several city-owned properties. 

The Wilmington City Council recently voted to name the building Skyline Center. The new name gives the building an identity separate from the city for businesses that decide to lease there, council members said. The name will appear on a monument sign beside the building.