NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC – After years of hard work and planning, Tuesday was an opportunity for celebration as officials with New Hanover County cut the ribbon on the recently opened Government Center complex.
The new building officially opened to serve the community on April 3. It sits adjacent to the old government center facility and is the first piece of a redevelopment plan for the area, which has been home to a large portion of New Hanover County Government operations since 2002.
“Today was a monumental one for our county as we see the vision of a customer-focused Government Center come to fruition,” said Board of Commissioners Chair Bill Rivenbark. “This building is a tribute to all the Commissioners who have served this community throughout the years and their steadfast leadership to do what is best for the county and our citizens. We’re excited to have a facility that is modern, efficient and ready to adapt as our community grows. This is truly a home for county government that everyone can be proud of.”
Built with the customer in mind, the new Government Center has a first-floor customer service counter capable of handling an array of needs immediately or the ability to connect someone with the help they need. The building also has a hardened Emergency Operations Center and 911 call center capable of withstanding wind speeds of up to 165 mph, along with back-up power to keep response systems online.
With the new Government Center now open, work will soon begin on creating a greenspace area out front over the coming months that will feature a community gathering space with walking paths, public art installations, native plants, and a bio-retention pond. Future development at the site will continue to be led by Cape Fear Development and include mixed-use development.
For more information on the transformation taking place at the Government Center site, click here. And to view the ribbon cutting ceremony, click here or watch the video below.