Saturday in Wilmington, NC (pt II)

[monsoon]

Great photos of Wilmington.  However, whilst palms will last there if cared for, the indigenous line for palms is about 30 to 40 miles south of Wilmington, just north of the North Carolina South Carolina boundary, and therfore about 20 - 25 miles north of Myrtle Beach.  Wilmington is on the north northeast side of the Cape Fear River, and that river marks a real change in climate, or at least the transition zone begins here.  Flora is different beginning about 20 miles south of the river.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I completely agree about this "microclimate". Hwy 74 in Wilmington is also known as Oleander Ave., named for the ornamental plant of the same name that grows there. It is a beautiful flowering shrub that you see all over the coast and further south that will absolutely die in a really cold Charlotte winter if you try to grow it here.

Palms and Palmettos are not native to the Piedmont and while you see people plant them, they are often in for a shock when we have a really cold winter. (which has not happened here in a number of years).

[FlaNatv]

It's my understanding that Wilmington is a happening place as far as business goes. Verizon Wireless just recently built a large facility there. And a lot of motion-picture business happens there. Wasn't Dawson's Creek and now isn't One Tree Hill filmed there. Also looking at the latest road atlases, it appears a limited access bypass is being built, of course FREEway construction seems to be common all over NC. I wish FL had that going on more.

[RiverwoodCLT]

From what I hear from my real estate agent, Wilmington has a lot going on down there, the real estate market is hot, and lots of new things are coming.

[RaleighHeelsfan]

To me, Jacksonville is the line where if you go north of it, it looks/feels more mid-atlantic (Delmarva) but if you go south of Jacksonville, its the mid-south feel with spanish mosses with it being semi tropical/semi decidious/pines until you get to that other Jacksonville

New Bern has the Spanish moss as well. I get what you are saying though. It does start looking more mid-atlantic north of Jacksonville. But it really changes the most once you get to Pender Co.(which is just south of Jacksonville) Thats where it starts to look more tropical.

[RiverwoodCLT]

The tallest building in downdown Wilmington.

Church and fountain at Market and 5th Street.

Houses on 5th Street

[NCMike1981]

The tallest building in downtown, which was called the First Union Tower when I lived there, so it's probably now called the Wachovia Tower, will probably stay the tallest downtown for a while. I think it's 12 stories tall but I believe there are height restrictions in place to keep all buildings within downtown under the height of that tower. I believe even the proposed PPD headquarters is around 10 stories high....

Interestingly enough the old Wachovia Tower, which is a few buildings down from the current one has sat vacant since the Wachovia/First Union merger, and I read somewhere there was talk of tearing it down and building a new "tower"...something in the 5-10 story range. The old Wachova Tower is a large building, but it's just your typical 1960's Wachovia box....

[lma1973]

PPD HQ will be 12 stories and 200 ft.

[orulz]

And I believe that the PPD tower has moved beyond the "proposed" stage as construction has begun.

But I could be wrong?

[NCMike1981]

yeah, construction has started....

[TheDash]

very nicceeeeeeee