NEW HANOVER COUNTY — The expansion of Riverlights in the southern portion of the county continues with a new low-maintenance neighborhood bringing more homes for active 55-and-older adults.
READ MORE: $2.1M roundabout coming to River Road, Independence, costs split among developers, city
Riverlights will break ground on The Haven this year, consisting of coastal craftsman-style architecture, overseen by Pulte Homes (Devaun Park in Calabash, Eagle Run in Carolina Shores). Around 151 homes will be designed as low-maintenance, meaning lawn care is included and amenities, such as pickle ball courts, a clubhouse, pool and workout facility, are offered.
Homes will be outfitted with a two-car garage and have open floor plans, in two-, three-, and four-bedroom options; square footage will range from 1,345 to 2,838 square feet. Buyers will have the option to add to the design, including entertainment areas, flex space and a second-floor loft bedroom.
A spokesperson did not respond to pricing on the units by press.
“With our Riverlights’ Del Webb community completely selling out this year and Pulte’s strong single-family home demand, we see the need for low-maintenance, single-story living in an amenity-rich community, such as Riverlights,” David Carrier, division president of PulteGroup Wilmington, said in a press release.
Del Webb, a 500-home development, was designed for the 55-and-up age range as well, while The Luminance, 180 rental units for seniors, was announced for Riverlights in February. The former will be finished this year, while the latter is planned for completion by 2026.
It’s only a handful of multiple developments under way in the area. Also coming in 2024 is 7Bridge — a commercial and residential site located across from The Haven — including more than 700 homes. On its 120 acres will be two new housing developments, Argento and The Cottages.
In September, Riverlights announced Town Center would take up 10.78 acres at 4410 River Road. The site includes 22 buildings, mostly between three and four stories, housing 274 apartments and 23,800 square-feet of commercial space. The units include 132 one-bedroom apartments, 120 two-bedroom and 22 three-bedroom. It’s being built out by Alabama-based Capstone Communities.
Located midway between downtown Wilmington and Carolina Beach, Riverlights is owned buy Brookfield Properties. The 1,400-acre master plan offers a mix of apartments, townhomes, and homes to accommodate 3,000 various units upon completion. There is also commercial space, a 38-acre freshwater lake, and views of the Cape Fear River.
The growth of the area has brought with it an increased demand from area residents to address traffic congestion. The intersection of Independence Boulevard aand River Road currently averages more than 10,500 vehicles daily due to the increased build-out. At the end of last month, the City of Wilmington, Riverlights and area developers agreed to foot the $2.1 million bill to add a roundabout at the Independence and River Road intersection in efforts to improve traffic.
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