Why is wilmington so small? (Charlotte, Greensboro: homes, construction, college)

[socrates]

It baffles me that Wilmington is so small. It has all the makings of a huge American City but seems to be about 200 years behind. It is located right on the atlantic coast and if you look at most cities on the atlantic coast they are huge. Also, the port of Wilmington does more trade than some big city ports like Lousiville, Palm beach, San Diego, Milwaukee, San Francisco and Richmond. There is Also no large city on the coastline in the Carolinas. Savannah and Charleston are even busier ports but Wilmington gets me the most becuase its the smallest of the 3 and in a state where growth and fairly decent sized cities has been the rule unlike sc and ga. Also with access to the beaches being some of the best in the country, great weather, cheap prices, halfback location and mountains fairly close what gives?

Will Wilmington be exploding in the next ten years?

[SunnyKayak]

What kind of explosion are you wanting and what is wrong with the way it is?

[DawnW]

I think for many of us, there just aren't the jobs available to even consider Wilmington. Now, if the jobs were there, that would be a place I would think about.

Dawn

[socrates]

my main question is why aren't the jobs and stuff there like they are in other cities like Miami, Boston, the tidewater area, or even Charlotte, Greensboro, Winston Salem. Why did Wilmington never move along in growth like other cities that share basic characteristics?

Am I the only one that thinks its wierd that there isn't a large city on the nc coast?

[jmarquise]

wilmington will not explode again. it exploded over the last 10 years and the population has about doubled. the people came, the jobs did not. the prices went up, the salaries did not. it's a retirement type place and a college town. prices are expensive on the coast, so why would a company want to relocate here when they could do it cheaper elsewhere? charleston isn't that much bigger size wise I don't think. the beaches here are good, the prices are no longer "cheap" and the mountains aren't close. they are at least 5 hours away. you can get to the foothills in 3.5. I actually think we might see the population of wilmington shrink over the next 5 years or so. just my prediction.

Originally Posted by socrates

It baffles me that Wilmington is so small. It has all the makings of a huge American City but seems to be about 200 years behind. It is located right on the atlantic coast and if you look at most cities on the atlantic coast they are huge. Also, the port of Wilmington does more trade than some big city ports like Lousiville, Palm beach, San Diego, Milwaukee, San Francisco and Richmond. There is Also no large city on the coastline in the Carolinas. Savannah and Charleston are even busier ports but Wilmington gets me the most becuase its the smallest of the 3 and in a state where growth and fairly decent sized cities has been the rule unlike sc and ga. Also with access to the beaches being some of the best in the country, great weather, cheap prices, halfback location and mountains fairly close what gives?

Will Wilmington be exploding in the next ten years?

[Canes2006Champs]

Originally Posted by socrates

my main question is why aren't the jobs and stuff there like they are in other cities like Miami, Boston, the tidewater area, or even Charlotte, Greensboro, Winston Salem. Why did Wilmington never move along in growth like other cities that share basic characteristics?

Am I the only one that thinks its wierd that there isn't a large city on the nc coast?

I sure dont find it weird, If Wilmington has plans on becoming a city like Boston, or even Greensboro, it can probably forget about it. The coast of NC has always been a popular hub for tourists and retirees, thats pretty much always been the big money-maker along the coast, and always will be.

[chickenlittle]

1) There are 3 families that own 90% of the land in and around Wilmington. It is just the size they want it.
2) Wilmington consistantly votes contrary to the existing state government and has been punished accordingly. Until I-40 was completed the only 4 lane road leading to Wilmington was the 15 miles from Carolina Beach.
3) The depth and shifting shoals of the Cape Fear River have restricted the size of the port. Plus with no train or road system to get product from Wilmington inland we were very unattractive to shippers.
4) Wilmingtonians were all patriotic during the War of Northern Aggression from 1861 until 1865 and had to start over at Square 1 during Reconstruction. Also, at the same time, ships were becoming steel instead of wood. Our largest industry became obsolete and we didn't have the resources to diversify.
5) Wilmington has always been a destination for inland "old money" families who appreciated it for its lack of bigness and hustle and wanted to enjoy it just the way it was.

The largest industry presently in Wilmington is people from other places who just want to finish out their life here and spend money. Wilmington will resume its growth pattern when retirees can sell their existing homes for enough to cover the relocation.

[RDSLOTS]

Sheesh, ChickenLittle, still just three families own 90% of the land in and around the Port City? Some things just never change. With the growth Wilmington has seen since I was in HS, I wish I had married into one of those illustrious families!

[IonRedline08]

I lived in Wilmington for a very brief time, and, I must say, it was my favorite place I have been.

That being said, there just aren't enough good jobs there. It is just a college and tourist town, therefore the places do not pay, and there is not much of a "skilled" workforce to speak of to convince a company to move there. Which, is too bad, because the area is lovely, and I would move back in a heartbeat, if I could afford to do so

[jmarquise]

it's probably been a long time since you have been here. this place has gone downhill a bit in the last 10 years. it still has good points, but the bad are starting to outweigh the good.

Originally Posted by IonRedline08

I lived in Wilmington for a very brief time, and, I must say, it was my favorite place I have been.

That being said, there just aren't enough good jobs there. It is just a college and tourist town, therefore the places do not pay, and there is not much of a "skilled" workforce to speak of to convince a company to move there. Which, is too bad, because the area is lovely, and I would move back in a heartbeat, if I could afford to do so