From Timme Plaza to the Hilton to the Ballast, downtown Wilmington hotel has some history

These days, we think of the Hotel Ballast as being in the heart of downtown Wilmington, rising high above the Cape Fear River between the historic central business district and the newly emerging Northside.

The hotel's history, however, dates to more than 50 years ago when it was a product of Wilmington's $7 million Waterfront Urban Renewal Project. As part of the project, in the late 1960s more than 900 homes and 40 buildings north of downtown in an area then known as Tank Town were demolished.

The hotel, built by Wilmington's Timme Corporation, opened in 1970 as the Timme Plaza Motor Inn and saw immediate success. On Jan. 8, 1971, more than 500 people attended a gala dinner there honoring hometown hero and well-known newsman David Brinkley, who gave a speech about the importance of preserving and promoting Wilmington's history.

In 1972, the building was purchased by the Hilton hotel chain. For more than five decades it has continued to be a popular spot for visitors, dining and events, including hosting the first iteration of the Cape Fear Festival of Trees, Wilmington's long-running Christmas celebration.

Intially known as the Wilmington Hilton, it was later renamed the Hilton Wilmington Riverside.

In 2017, the hotel was rebranded the Hotel Ballast. A grand re-opening came in spring 2018, a move that allowed the Ballast to compete with several newer hotels that opened downtown last decade, including the Courtyard by Marriott and the Hampton Inn, both located nearby on Second Street.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Hotel Ballast in Wilmington used to be Timme Plaza, the Hilton