Community leaders gather to talk about future of Downtown Wilmington

WILMINGTON, N.C. — As Wilmington continues to grow, city and county leaders say bringing a grocery store to downtown remains a key priority.

The topic was one of several discussed during a recent Economic Development Luncheon and Leadership Forum, where Wilmington City Council members, New Hanover County commissioners, business leaders, and community stakeholders gathered to discuss the future of downtown Wilmington.

Attendees had the opportunity to ask questions and share concerns about issues impacting the area. One topic that generated significant discussion was improving access to fresh food and attracting a grocery store to serve downtown residents.

The issue has remained a challenge since Publix withdrew from a proposed project on city-owned property along Chestnut Street.

Despite that setback, New Hanover County Commissioner Rob Zapple said he believes downtown Wilmington has grown enough to support a grocery store and hopes other retailers will consider the opportunity.

“I know they are hesitant because their business models all show a thin margin. They don’t want to jump into something that is not sustainable. I get that, but I think downtown has grown,” Zapple said.

Zapple added that a future development on the site could include more than just a grocery store. He said surrounding space could potentially be used for retail businesses, commercial development, or workforce housing.

Another topic that also brought in conversation, was the issue of available housing. Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo offered one possible solution.

“We have the capacity and the parking where people can go out and walk around. So we don’t have the large expansion that a lot of subdivisions or neighborhoods need, but we can do it vertically. We want to see more vertical construction, especially in northern downtown, northern riverfront,” Saffo said.