A significant mixed-use project along Wilmington’s northern riverfront area is nearing completion.

Dewitt Carolinas on Tuesday announced that its upscale apartment and retail complex, Pier 33, will offer its first phase of 125 apartments for lease in October.

The remaining two phases should be ready by the end of the year, according to a news release. 
 
“At six stories and 286 residences, developers expect Pier 33 to be fully occupied by spring 2021, transitioning what was long an industrial site into one of high-end waterfront living,” the release stated, adding that the developer plans a grand opening early next year.
 
The residential portion of the development consists of studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom units as well as four two-story loft apartments with views over the marina, the release stated. 

Apartments have balconies, floor-to-ceiling windows, quartz countertops, energy-efficient lighting, washers and dryers and plank flooring. Rental rates begin at $1,129 per month. 
 
Amenities for the complex include a resort-style pool and two landscaped courtyards, a fitness facility with a flex fitness studio, a clubhouse with a resident lounge, a business center with a rentable conference room, a coffee bar and a dog wash station and dog run.

The mixed-use, steel and concrete project boasts a 525-space parking garage.
 
Since the project broke ground in February 2019, more than 700 people have joined a “reservation list,” indicating their potential interest, project spokeswoman Margee Herring said Tuesday. Most are from Wilmington, but others are residents of Raleigh, Atlanta and Charlotte who are seeking a vacation home in the Port City.   
 
Herring went on to say that the project’s 20,000 square feet of commercial space can be developed for retail, office and dining use.
 
Pier 33 is situated on a 5-acre site between PPD headquarters and the Wilmington Convention Center. It has easy access to the Cape Fear Riverwalk at the Northern Riverfront Marina and will be a neighbor of the city’s future Riverfront Park.

“We are so proud of this project and the level of sophistication it brings to downtown Wilmington," Dewitt Carolinas President Everett Daniels said in the release. 

"The unimpeded views of the River Walk, marina and Cape Fear River are breathtaking, and the interior level of finish is truly second-to-none, earning interest from possible tenants well beyond Wilmington.”
 
As part of the project, Dewitt Carolinas made “significant” road improvements along Nutt Street, according to the release. Those improvements, representing a $2 million investment, included new city streets, granite curbs and pedestrian-friendly sidewalks.
 
Dewitt Carolinas Inc. is a Raleigh-based real estate company with more than 30 years of experience specializing in office/retail/multi-family development, project management, sales and leasing and property management.