Following one project's setback, another developer eyes the Cape Fear River's west bank

Another developer is eyeing the west bank of the Cape Fear River for a new project.

This time, it's a 146-room hotel and spa situated between the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge and Battleship North Carolina. The proposed project is set to be considered by New Hanover County's Technical Review Committee later this month.

The consideration comes on the heels of a major setback for another project proposed on the west bank.

On Thursday, the New Hanover County Planning Board denied a request to establish a new zoning district needed for the Villages at Battleship Point, a project planned across the river from the northern end of downtown Wilmington, to move forward.

The development was set to bring hundreds of condos and apartments, shopping and restaurant space along with a river walk and other amenities to the other side of the river. Before denying the request, planning board members expressed concerns about the size and scale of the proposed project and the types of projects the new district would allow in the area.

More: New Hanover planning board rejects new zoning district needed for west bank development

The proposed hotel and spa is planned for a nearly 14-acre site situated to the south of the Battleship Point proposal at 125 N.E. Battleship Road.

Of those 14 acres, close to half are classified as wetlands, according to site plans. Nearly an acre of those wetland areas will be permanently impacted when a pump site for the area is installed.

The land is located in a flood zone designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and is a Brownfield site. That means the development of the project could be "complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant," according to information from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

More: Project could bring skyscrapers, condos, and Riverwalk to Cape Fear's western bank

The project is set to include 146 planned hotel units, which will amount to 290 bedrooms. The units range in size from one- to five-bedroom units. The hotel is set to have six floors, which will be situated above at least two floors of parking. Plans show the building reaching a height of between 96 and 100 feet on different sides.

Plans also feature two rooftop pools, an open air patio and an infinity pool that looks onto the Cape Fear River.

The development will also include more than 2,000 square feet of retail space, close to 2,600 square feet dedicated to a restaurant and seating area and more than 2,100 square feet of commercial kitchen space.

During peak morning hours, the development is set to generate 66 additional trips while during peak evening hours it's expected to generate roughly 80 more trips, according to a traffic impact analysis.

The project is being developed by Ginn Corporation, a Charleston-based development company. The property is owned by the Holdings of TCM, Inc., a company based out of Mooresville. The group has owned the land since 2016, according to New Hanover County property records.

Land on the site is currently unused and zoned as a business district.

The proposed development is set to be considered at the Dec. 15 meeting of the New Hanover County Technical Review Committee. The technical review committee ensures that submitted plans meet development standards for New Hanover County.

This isn't the first time there's been interest from developers in building on the river's west bank. Several residential projects have been previously proposed across the river from downtown Wilmington, but none have stuck.

In 2017, a developer submitted plans to bring 13 upscale homes to the section of the river's west bank between Battleship North Carolina and the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge. New Hanover County planners recommended denial of the plan because it didn't align with the vision outlined in the county's comprehensive plan.

More: Developers want to build on western bank of the Cape Fear River. It's not the first time.

A year earlier, a plan for 120 condos and a hotel near Battleship North Carolina was considered. Neither came to fruition.

The bank's marshy wetlands, flooding, and a lack of water and sewer infrastructure have posed challenges to developers looking to build on the western bank.

Ensuring development on the west bank doesn't harm the existing environment is something New Hanover County leaders have worked to address.

In 2007, planning leaders with New Hanover County and the city of Wilmington created a riverfront mixed-use district that aims to incentivize a builders to design buildings with smaller footprints.

Neither Ginn Corporation, the project's developer, or Frank Braxton, who is listed as the project's applicant, responded to requests from the StarNews for comment on the proposed development as of Friday afternoon.

Reporter Emma Dill can be reached at 910-343-2096 or edill@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Wilmington hotel, spa proposed for river's west bank