Wilmington, home to the Battleship North Carolina, has obvious economic development firepower too. But 10 miles away, there’s a small vessel that continues to tack with impressive agility: Leland.
“Leland is a lot of things to a lot of people,” Barnes Sutton, economic and community development director for the town of about 35,000, said.
“Because there is a lot more room in the northern Brunswick area, generally, the cost of living is lower here. Yes, we’re attracting retirees from the Northeast, but we’re also seeing a lot of young professionals and starter families moving into the area for the larger homes with a backyard.”
Commercial areas such as Leland’s Gateway, Town Center, The Villages at Brunswick Forest and Leland Village help ensure that the town remains more than just a bedroom community.
And that’s Sutton’s pitch. No matter whose asking, he can make a strong argument for not just space but accommodation – including financial accommodation.
Part and parcel to the small-town economic success story is Leland Innovation Park, or LIP, the former industrial park that was reimagined in 2018, with revised zoning adopted in 2020. Sutton said the genius of the strategy devised by his predecessor, Gary Vidmar, and others was agreeing to cut through red tape with a “permitted by right” approach that combines light and heavy industrial uses.
“You can now come in with a site plan and go straight to technical review,” Sutton said. “That bypasses what would be two to three months in another jurisdiction. You don’t have to wait for regulatory review to get a bank loan. The goal is to remove all that uncertainty.”
Barring waste discharge outside of the facility, Leland officials take a mostly hands-off approach. But that doesn’t mean they’re pushovers.
“We’d rather get the right use for which the park was intended,” he said, “rather than one that isn’t the highest and best use.”
It’s worked. Factory jobs that pay $52 an hour, for example – that’s not something you see every day. While advanced construction panel manufacturer US MgO Co.’s permanent home in the LIP won’t be completed until 2027, the April announcement was just one of the latest causes for excitement.
That same month, Akron Pharma announced a $4.2 million purchase of an existing warehouse facility at the LIP. The company joins like-minded neighbors MicroSolv and Flow Sciences.
“It’s all about the synergy in the area of life sciences and medical technology,” Sutton said.
Adams Beverages’ and Coca-Cola’s distribution centers round out the park, which is not yet at 50% capacity.
The development director said the city and the county are still courting sectors that may be an additional fit, including IT, marine biology, aerospace and renewables.
For instance, “We’re looking to see what spins out of the Epsilon plant,” he said, referencing the coming Mid-Atlantic Industrial Rail Park tenant in Brunswick County. Epsilon received an air permit in April for the manufacture of graphite anode components to the electric vehicle batteries the company produces.
Meanwhile, Sutton wants to amplify quality of life in Leland with more restaurants, hotels, nightlife and outdoor activities. The town doesn’t have a traditional downtown area, but mixed-use development at the gateway that’s already happening organically – notably Harrington Village – provides a template for what can be.
Sutton would like to give nature a nudge in hopes of seeing another Kinston, where he grew up. Downtown Kinston’s business-cultural revival has “informed how we can bring energy into the Gateway district and get tourists interested in this area,” he said.
In that regard, Sutton has put forward a plan to add wind to Leland’s sails – or perhaps a cannon to its gun mount. He can’t predict the future, he said, but he’s hopeful that his inaugural economic incentive program will be approved.
“It might be façade improvement in front of a building or a shell building that’s never had a tenant, but the owners want to create a new establishment,” Sutton said of potential uses of the incentive. “We’re looking at ways to lessen that burden.”
For businesses investing in the LIP in particular, the proposal could mean a 10-year grant to receive 75% tax breaks. According to his memo outlining the proposal, the capital improvement would have to be in excess of $10 million and raise property tax assessment by 50% or more.
Sutton is optimistic. He anticipates adding a business developer to his office in the spring.
“Everyone is familiar with Wilmington; Leland has a lot of those same assets,” he said. “First, it was residents, and now industry and retailers have moved this way. But it’s so early on that the opportunities are still there. I don’t want anyone to think they’ve missed the boat on Leland.”
Barnes Sutton was part of last year's WilmingtonBiz 100 as a Connector. This year's group will be highlighted in the December issue of the WilmingtonBiz Magazine.
