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Mixed-Use Project With 899 Student Beds Proposed For Kmart Site

October 4th, 2017

Story by: Cammie Bellamy, posted on StarNews Online 

GHK Cape Fear Development submitted plans for The Hamilton to the city Wednesday. 

WILMINGTON — Developers have proposed an 899-bed student housing complex and retail space for the former Kmart site on South College Road in Wilmington. 

The project, known as The Hamilton, would include two four-story student housing buildings and a third building with one floor of retail space and three more floors of student housing. According to plans submitted Wednesday to the city of Wilmington, the project includes two parking garages — tucked inside the student housing buildings — and surface parking for a total of 1,048 spaces, which would be built in phases. 

The developers are GHK Cape Fear Development of Wilmington and Alabama-based company Capstone Collegiate Communities. GHK’s Brian Eckel and Capstone’s executive vice president of development did not immediately return requests for comment Wednesday afternoon. 

Plans for The Hamilton include a large, circular courtyard near the retail space at 819 S. College Road and elevated bridges connecting the student housing buildings. Each of the housing buildings would also feature an interior courtyard with swimming pools. The existing Burger King and Chili’s restaurants would remain at the site, plans show. 

Kmart closed its Wilmington location in March. The 13.2-acre property has an assessed tax value of $4.7 million and includes the 120,887 square foot Kmart building, which would be demolished to make way for The Hamilton. 

Located just next door to the University of North Carolina Wilmington, the site is a prime location for student housing. According to Capstone’s website, the company has developed two other student housing complexes in North Carolina: the 928-bed Valentine Commons in Raleigh, opened in 2012, and the 894-bed The Cottages of Boone, opened in 2013. Capstone has built 27 such complexes from Oregon to Texas to New Hampshire. 

The Hamilton is scheduled to be taken up by the city’s technical review committee Oct. 19. 

View the original story on the StarNews website. 

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