Story Park and the downtown library.
This week New Hanover County commissioners unanimously approved moving forward with Project Grace, after making a few minor tweaks. Those changes left in place the financing structure, which includes $24 million in additional costs to taxpayers in order to ensure the participation of private development.
Several of the last minute changes to the Memorandum of Understanding, or MOU, between Zimmer Development Company and the county addressed concerns voiced earlier this month by the advisory boards for the Cape Fear Museum and the New Hanover County Public Library.
These concerns included 8,000 square feet of shared space, which had been identified in a needs study but left out of the original MOU. The space has been restored to the project at no additional cost.
Project Grace plans call for a museum and library to be joined on a downtown county-owned parcel. Private apartments will flourish too, according to an agreement between New Hanover County and Zimmer Development Company that will guide the demolition and rebuilding of various county parcels. (Port City Daily/Courtesy New Hanover County)
NEW HANOVER COUNTY Plans to demolish and reconstruct multiple county properties will be presented to the board of county commissioners March 15.
After years of evaluation and reconsideration, Project Grace is once again top of mind for New Hanover County officials. The name refers to a block of downtown land that houses the county-owned library and parking deck; the plan is to redevelop the site potentially the Cape Fear Museum as well in a public-private partnership.
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Project Grace is New Hanover County’s redevelopment project for the downtown library block. Ahead of a vote by county commissioners, representatives of the Cape Fear Museum and the New Hanover County Library are weighing in on changes they’d like to see to the current plan.
Late last week, the chairs of advisory boards for the museum and library both sent letters to the board of commissioners; the chairs have laid out a number of key changes and additions they’d like to see to the Memorandum of Understanding, or MOU, between the county and the Zimmer Development Company.
Tegna NBC affiliate WXIA Atlanta has promoted Kristie Anderson to assistant news director, effective immediately. She previously was managing editor of daily co
By Cece Nunn, posted Feb 22, 2021 A virtual community roundtable Tuesday will focus on Project Grace, a $107 million project that would transform a New Hanover County-owned block in downtown Wilmington into new public and private facilities.
Wilmington Downtown Inc. President and CEO Holly Childs will share the current vision and next steps with panelists who include:
Dane Scalise, WDI Board Chair
Jennifer Rigby, Chief Strategy Officer, New Hanover County
Adam Tucker, Director of Development, Zimmer Development Company
Chris Boney, Chief Relationships Officer, LS3P
Natalie English, President & CEO, Wilmington Chamber of Commerce
Because of a large number of people planning to attend the Zoom discussion, the session, which takes place beginning at 6 p.m Tuesday, will be live-streamed here, according to a WDI email Monday.