History with ‘Hud’: Construction of the three tallest structures in Wilmington
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — In Wilmington’s nearly 300-year history, the buildings lining downtown have gotten taller and taller over time. What began as a few small properties along the Cape Fear River has grown into several structures towering above the crowded streets below.
The tallest point in the city is the eastern spire of the First Baptist Church at the corner of Market Street and 5th Avenue. While the church itself is much shorter, the tip of the steeple tops out at 197 feet, making it visible from miles away.
The church began construction on the site along Market Street in 1860, but was delayed due to the Civil War. The church and its tall steeple were completed in 1870. But the steeple there now isn’t the original one. After surviving countless storms, Hurricane Fran proved too much for the structure, with the steeple crashing to the ground in 1996. But it was quickly rebuilt with the same dimensions and stands tall today.
The second tallest structure, and the tallest building in Wilmington, is the Thermo Fisher Scientific building, known as the PPD Building until 2021. The 12-story building was constructed to a height of 193 feet in 2007 along North Front Street, providing 380,000 square feet to PPD employees and a completely new look to the Wilmington skyline.
The City of Wilmington recently acquired the building through a $68 million purchase, with plans to add more parking options for concert goers at the nearby Live Oak Bank Pavilion amphitheater and expand future projects to the surrounding grounds.
The third tallest structure in the Port City is the historic Murchison Building at the corner of Front Street and Chestnut Street. Constructed in 1914 by the Murchison National Bank, the 138-foot brick and marble building was the tallest in Wilmington for over 90 years until the completion of the PPD Building down the road.
The building was considered top of the line when it was finished, housing human elevator operators, boiler heat and its own water supply through an on-site artesian well.
As the population of Wilmington continues to grow, its downtown buildings are likely to grow with it. But for now, when looking across the Cape Fear River into the city, the First Baptist Church steeple, Thermo Fisher Scientific building and Murchison Building stand out among the many buildings below.
