Residential Growth Abounds

There are so many distinct areas that it’s not easy to describe neighborhoods in the Greater Wilmington area. With growth averaging about 20 percent every 10 years and forecasted to continue at a rapid pace in this hot residential construction area, new neighborhoods become old neighborhoods fairly quickly as even more new neighborhoods are developed.

Construction even today, both residential and commercial, is one of the largest employers in our area and has a huge impact on our economy. Retirees, employees transferred into our area because of industrial and commercial expansion and entrepreneurs seeking a better quality of life are some of the newcomers fueling the demand for additional housing.

Of course, it’s not possible to list all of the neighborhoods, but we’ll mention a few that are new or continuing to develop in three basic areas: New Hanover County, which includes Wilmington; Brunswick County, which includes Southport and Leland; and Pender and southern Onslow counties, just north of Wilmington.

Brunswick County Building

We’ll start with Brunswick County, which experienced a 43.5 percent population growth during the ’90s. As one of North Carolina’s fastest growing counties now, Brunswick County was not always so.

Fifteen years ago, the fishing village of Southport plus a few other sleepy communities were about all there was in Brunswick County. St. James Plantation south of Southport, probably the first of the major developments in the county, had just gotten underway. St. James today, actually a town now, is just one among many communities in the burgeoning Brunswick County real estate development scene.

Today, numerous, relatively new developments and neighborhoods exist in Brunswick County, many along North Carolina State Routes 133 and 211 from Southport, and along U.S. Highway 17. A number are gated communities, sometimes called plantations, and quite a few have golf courses.

Brunswick Forest Master Plan

The largest new development is Brunswick Forest, a 4,500-acre master-planned golf and residential community. Located on Town Creek near Leland, Brunswick Forest is about 15 minutes from downtown Wilmington. An array of individual neighborhoods include single-family home sites, custom homes, town homes and cottages, all designed to offer a wide range of architectural and lifestyle choices.

Brunswick Forest's residents will enjoy the 27-hole Cape Fear National Country Club, which opens its first 18 holes and clubhouse in the summer of 2009. Other amenities include an 18,000 square foot Wellness/Fitness Center with tennis courts, indoor and outdoor pools, a River Club serving as the center for boating and fishing, an Ocean Club offering private beach access, the Community Garden with greenhouse and growing fields, and over 100 miles of paths and trail ways, parks and preserves. The Villages at Brunswick Forest, a major commercial center with shops, dining, entertainment and medical professional offices, will be located at the community's entrance.