Compass Pointe Sales Office Grand Opening Today at 108 Market Street

This morning I was the first to show up for coffee and bagels at the grand opening of the brand new sales office for the Compass Pointe neighborhood in Leland. The sales center, at 108 Market Street in downtown Wilmington, will be open today (October 14th) from 10am-8pm for REALTORs and others who'd like a sneak preview of this exciting new community.

Located off routes 74-76 on 2,200 acres of what are described as the highest point in Brunswick Country, North Carolina, Compass Pointe is a huge undertaking that, like Brunswick Forest, Waterford of the Carolinas, and Magnolia Greens will be developed over 10+ years. First phases will include townhomes, patio homes, tropical-style homes, and custom home lots with townhome prices starting in the $150's and home and land prices starting in the $200's.

Planned amenities, in addition to a village-style shopping area, will eventually include a 27-hole golf course, a tennis complex, swimming pools, fitness center, canoe and kayak launch, soccer field, many walking trails, a dog park, and an amphitheater. Compass Pointe has aready been named an Audubon International Gold Signature Community and will have at least two Audubon bird sanctuaries. Golf cart lanes on both sides of community roads will encourage alternative transportation use.

Community sales representatives will be on hand all day during the grand opening and will include some familiar faces, including K.C. Billings (pictured with the community map), Todd Garrett, John Matoska, and John Avera.

First Steel for New Hotel

This morning when I drove to the Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty office in Leland there were four trucks in a row lined up in the middle of the parking lot. I didn't pay much attention because I was in a hurry to get inside and fire up the Starbucks coffee machine in our office so I could moderate the blood level in my caffeine system. After I had a sip or two of Breakfast Blend (which is a bit light for my taste but we're out of Sumatra Dark till later today), I realized what those four trucks meant. First steel!!!

Yep, last week I posted a photo of the completed slab for the Comfort Suites hotel that's going up next to our office. These trucks are bringing the first structural steel components. Some time in 2009, by summer we're told, there's going to be a 106-room hotel close by our office, with two meeting rooms, an indoor pool and possibly an adjacent restaurant. Some of the agents in our office are having a great year this year (despite all the complaints in national media and by some local real estate companies, pundits, and pundit wannabes) and there's been talk that a few of us may want to get on the meal plan at the new hotel, not to mention the pool plan, the meeting room plan, and the place to recommend to our out-of-town clients plan.

Leland is truly on the rise. "Our" hotel will be the first of four going up within a half mile in the next two years, each with roughly 100 rooms. It's a lot of fun to be part of this growth.

Anne Boysen at Spectrum Gallery

There was a nice turnout Friday at Star Sosa's Spectrum Gallery in the Landfall Forum. Featured Philadelphia artist Anne Boysen's works were displayed and enjoyed.


Star and Anne indulged me for a minute to pose in front of one of Anne's larger works, while Nicole Wilkinson (Brunswick Community College Art Professor and Marketing Director & Web Designer for Spectrum) filmed entertaining guitar player Galen Hunsaker.