39 Roads

In a posting from last week I talked about a recent trip to the Myrtle Beach-Wilmington area.  I would like to continue along those lines in this article.  I ended by referencing up-and-coming communities in northern Brunswick County, just outside Wilmington.

One such community which has received significant attention in the past few years is Waterford of the Carolinas.  Waterford is best known for its finger lakes which run behind many of the homes.  Mere steps from the doors of many residents are these waterways and the rowing, kayaking, and other activities accommodated by this unique community feature.  The scene calls to mind Florida living- without the excessive heat and cost.  One can easily envision a relaxing lifestyle in this kind of setting- whether it’s taking the grandchildren fishing, enjoying a picnic by scenic Osprey Lake, or taking walks on the community’s trails.  Waterford offers tennis and swimming at its clubhouse.  The community is adjacent to a 27-hole golf course with a 4 1/2 star rating and is within a 60-minute drive of over 50 public courses.  Accessibility to shops and restaurants are key as well as many are located within just a few minutes drive of Waterford. Lastly, Property Owners’ Association fees are quite reasonable.

An article from a March 2006 edition of the [Wilmington, N.C.] Star-News talked about Brunswick County becoming one of the fastest growing counties in the country (29th), with the county’s population increasing 5.4 percent from July 2004 to July 2005.  As chairman of the county commissioners, David Sandifer attributed the growth to the variety of the neighborhoods- with beach towns and golf course communities among the offerings- and the slower-paced lifestyle that’s available.  Brunswick County is one of the largest counties in North Carolina in terms of land mass, and with plenty of room left to develop, Sandifer speculated that new residents will continue to find the county a place to call home.

An article from a Grand Strand New Home Guide publication entitled “Ten Reasons to Build or Buy a Home in Brunswick County” highlighted among other things new roads and bridges coming to the area.  The Cape Fear Skyway when completed will link Wilmington’s Independence Boulevard with Highway 17 in Brunswick County.  This bridge will be the tallest in the Carolinas and will make northern Brunswick County much more accessible.  Another bridge to Oak Island scheduled to be completed in 2008 will enable the new and established communities along Highway 211 to have easier access to the beaches.  Property values in the county will reflect this new accessibility for area residents in coming years.

Recent travels took me to the coastal Carolina areas around Myrtle Beach and Wilmington. 

The first stop was Myrtle Beach, land of outlet malls and golf courses and, of course, the beaches of the Grand Strand.  There’s much to do for the 14 million visitors who come to the area each year, from the Myrtle Beach Pelicans minor league baseball games to the shopping and entertainment of Broadway on the Beach to the many restaurants.  While current housing prices in the region are reasonable, the Myrtle Beach area continues to grow in size and popularity.  The world’s first Hard Rock Park is slated to open there in the spring of 2008 and will create approximately 3,000 jobs.  The almost $400 million 140-acre theme park will feature 40 attractions and is projected to host more 30,000 guests each day during the peak season.  The endeavor is being hailed as “the largest single investment in tourism infrastructure” in the history of South Carolina.  Needless to say, this will have a dramatic effect on the region in many ways.

Harmony Township, located in Georgetown, S.C., is conveniently situated halfway between Myrtle Beach and Charleston.  Georgetown has been named among Newsweek Showcase’s “Ten Small Towns that Make Great Places to Retire” and CNN Money’s “Best Places to Live Along the Coast”; the town is also currently being featured in a Nikon television ad.  With its riverfront, lake, marsh, and Town Center homesites and approach to neo-urbanism, one can enjoy a South Carolina Lowcountry lifestyle to the fullest in Harmony Township.  Within easy walking distance of the homes is Harmony’s deep-water marina on the Sampit River; from there one can access Georgetown, the Intracoastal Waterway, and the Atlantic Ocean.  In recreating the feel of a small Southern town, the community also will offer a swimming pool, tennis and basketball courts, fitness center, and community center for events of all types.  When completed, the Town Center will feature shops, businesses, and restaurants where the owners may live just above their establishments.  If you’re planning to visit Harmony Township, you’ll want to ask for Missy Toemmes for thorough insight and guidance on what the community has to offer those looking for property in the area.

Coming along Highway 17 into North Carolina’s Brunswick County, it’s remarkable how many communities in a variety of price ranges there are to choose from in this relatively small geographic area.  Again, golf seems to be a major draw, but beach clubs are popular as well.  The area markets itself based on easy access to the activities of Myrtle Beach and the resources of Wilmington.  Towns like Calabash, proclaimed to be the seafood capital of the world, Sunset Beach, Ocean Isle Beach, and Southport have much to offer, and some of the amenity communities provide enough seclusion to escape from even the activity of the smaller towns.  What seems to really be fueling what is now one of the fastest growing counties in the country is what is happening in northern Brunswick County.  Leland, just west of the Cape Fear River and downtown Wilmington, is booming.  Again, there are a number of unique housing possibilities in the area, and shopping and dining options are sprouting up to support the new residents flocking to these communities.  While I’m sure that many jobs are still linked to Wilmington, the area is coming into its own both economically and with its own identity.  Some of the neighborhoods will essentially become their own towns and are projected to be developed over the next twenty years.

Clearly, this entire coastal region is experiencing pronounced changes which will greatly alter the literal and proverbial landscape of this area.  I believe the extent and speed of these changes is as dramatic as you will find anywhere in the country.  I for one look forward to seeing how this stretch of the Mid-Atlantic develops over the next five to ten years.     

In reading over references to John Villani’s books on art towns in America, an article in USA Today from 2005 on “10 great places for big-city art, small-town feel” (John Villani also contributed to this piece), a “Best Art Towns” list from America’s 100 Best Places to Retire, and my own travel experiences, here is my list of best art towns for retirement (in alphabetical order):

• Beaufort and Hilton Head, SC
• Charleston, SC
• Charlottesville, VA
• Hot Springs, AR
• Lewisburg, WV
• Santa Fe, NM
• Scottsdale, AZ
• Wilmington, NC

Honorable mentions go to Abingdon, VA; New Orleans, LA; Ojai, CA; and Sedona, AZ.

I love the low country art of Betty Anglin Smith in Charleston. I remember being at a wonderful art show in Scottsdale a number of years ago. But for my number one choice, I am convinced that if I had to buy a piece of art of a certain size or price range within the next three days (let’s say an inheritance in the fashion of Brewster’s Millions depended on it), I would immediately get on a plane and head toward Santa Fe for its wide-ranging selection for a variety of tastes. A recent visit [2005] to Santa Fe’s Canyon Road and other areas of the city left me greatly impressed with the art scene there. Generally speaking, I found the sales professionals in the various galleries to be knowledgeable, friendly, helpful, and unpretentious.