FROM SOUTHPORT MAGAZINE
OCTOBER, 2006
St. James Square:
The shape of things to come…
What does it take to transform a briar-filled parcel into one of the most impressive office parks in Brunswick County?
Tenacity. And vision. And a deep belief in the future of our slice of coastal North Carolina.
Those who keep an eye on the ebb and flow of the restless US population have pointed to the Southport area as a lifestyle gem. Forbes, Money, Where To Retire, Rand-McNally and other publications consistently cite our region as “one of the best places….”
With the secret out, it is no coincidence that an influx of new residents is followed by businesses that provide services for our diverse population: doctors, dentists, lawyers, insurance agencies, financial brokers and so on. Yet as we all know, the many of them serve the area in offices located elsewhere, or, if local, offer small, satellite offices.
That may soon change, however, with the addition of St. James Square—the first of its kind in the area. The development consists of luxury-level executive offices that have already attracted professional services to meet the demands of our fast-growing town.
Ground was broken in June for Phase I, which is the first of two identical 2-story buildings on Highway 211. Phase II is being planned now. If you’re curious to view the progress of this development, what you will see now is a lot of earth-moving and heavy equipment. It’s hard to imagine the stunning steel/concrete/brick building that will soon emerge, taking its place as the premier office park in the area.
“This isn’t about creating need,” says Debby Daigle, a partner in St. James Square, and the driving force behind Plantation Properties and the newly formed Coastal Commercial Real Estate company. “It’s about fulfilling demand. People want convenient services here without having to drive 30 miles.
“We are in the middle of an economic boom, with many companies and business professionals looking to expand here. The truth is, there is limited Class A office space available in the southeast coastal area,” she says. “But if they want to buy or lease premium office space, they’ll find we, as a region, are finally catching up. St. James Square is a good example of our progress.”
A community evolution:
It’s no secret that Brunswick County is riding high right now. People want to live here, and services are not far behind.
Economic indicators point to Brunswick as an ideal place to nurture a business. Consider these facts:
• 2nd fastest growing county in the state; ranked 29th nationally
• 12-14 percent projected economic growth rate for 2006
• One of the best places to live, according to Forbes and Money magazines.
The demographic shift began five years ago. Then, the county population was 73,143. By 2005, the population was up to 87,715. That’s an almost 20 percent increase in five years. The projected population for 2010 is 93,753, with those numbers increasing in the coming years.*
Mike Reaves, the former president of Brunswick Community College and current vice chairman of the county’s Economic Development Commission, is one person happy to see services playing catch-up.
“We have a very healthy population increase projected over the next five to ten years. But it won’t mean much, in terms of the economy and quality of life, if we have all these new residents, but no services to support their needs.”
Reaves, who is also chairman of the Southport/Oak Island Committee of 100, says the Commission is ever mindful of the demands on the current infrastructure and is encouraged by the vigilance of the local planning commissions, as well as state and Federal partners. “Southport and surrounding towns are going through a major transition right now. We need to be sure everything is in place in order to grow responsibly.”
*Source: Brunswick County Economy/Leadership Brunswick County studies, UNC-W Cameron School of Business, C. Farrell, W.W. Hall, Jr.: March, 2006
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