The N.C. Coastal Land Trust closed Tuesday on its purchase of about 150 oceanfront acres in Pender County known as The Point, commercial real estate brokers announced.

​“This is a once-in-a-generation victory for conservation on the coast,” said Harrison Marks, executive director of the Coastal Land Trust, in a news release. “We are deeply grateful to the partners, donors, and volunteers who made this possible.” 

Officials have said Serenity Point, or The Point, on the south end of Topsail Island is one of the last undeveloped tracts of beachfront land on North Carolina’s barrier islands. The land trust entered into an agreement last year to buy the property for nearly $8 million and place it under permanent conservation protection. The final purchase price was $7.5 million

Community members had pushed to save the property from any kind of development after a potential buyer in 2022 wanted to use part of it for a large residential compound with a private dock.

Three families – the McCullens, McLeods and Oppegaards – had owned The Point since the 1960s, but the public would use it recreationally. 

Broker Paul Loukas of Wilmington-based commercial real estate firm Cape Fear Commercial represented the sellers in Tuesday's transaction.

“This was a very complicated sales process, being one of the most unique and high-profile properties in our area,” Loukas said. “I know the community, and everyone involved, is extremely happy that the N.C. Coastal Land Trust was able to purchase this property to preserve this truly amazing section of our Cape Fear region.”

Stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to Banks Channel, the property "features expansive dunes, estuarine wetlands and maritime shrub forest that provide critical habitat for loggerhead sea turtles, Wilson’s plovers, willets and more than 30 priority bird species," the land trust release stated. "The rare coastal plant, seabeach amaranth, also makes its home on the open beach. Without protection, the property was under increasing threat of future development."

The land trust announced in January that it had reached its goal to raise nearly $8 million to purchase and protect The Point after more than 760 donors contributed about $1.5 million to the Save the South End campaign. The rest of the funding was expected to come through grants from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, N.C. Land and Water Fund and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  

As part of the transaction, a 1-acre portion of the site – including the existing parking area and surrounding land – was sold to the town of Topsail Beach. 

“This beautiful and beloved section of Topsail is now protected forever,” said Frank Braxton, mayor of the town of Topsail Beach, in the land trust release.

To meet the contract deadline for closing, the land trust secured a bridge loan since money from the approved grants will not be received for several more months, the release stated. The land trust will own and manage the property for up to a year, repaying the loan when all the grant funds are received, before transferring the land to the state of North Carolina to be managed by the Division of Coastal Management, according to the release. 

“We look forward to stewarding this unique site for the public’s enjoyment and protection of irreplaceable wildlife habitat,” stated Tancred Miller from the Division of Coastal Management in the release. “Its natural and ecological value is extraordinary.” 

In the meantime, the N.C. Coastal Land Trust will work with volunteers and partners, including Audubon North Carolina and local volunteers from Conserve the Point, to protect nesting bird habitat, remove debris and lead educational beach walks, according to the release.