There was a packed house on Monday for the ribbon cutting and grand opening of the downtown branch of New Hanover County Library, part of the Project Grace development!

 

Project Grace is a public-private partnership between New Hanover County and local developer Cape Fear Commercial to redevelop a full city block in downtown Wilmington. The north part of the block is the home of the new building that houses the Library, Cape Fear Museum, and community meeting rooms. The library is vibrant and light-filled with dedicated areas for children, teens, and adults. With a mix of private study areas, meeting rooms, soft seating, computer stations, and book stacks, the library serves as a hub for learning, exploration and collaboration for all New Hanover County residents.

 

The Cape Fear Museum, which occupies roughly half of the building, is currently in the process of building and installing exhibits and will open in Summer 2026. The museum will feature exhibits about local history and nature, interactive outdoor exhibits on the Level 03 roof terrace, and a planetarium.

 

The exterior design ties into the historic city fabric with the use of brick and ballast-like stone while bringing in modern elements of curtainwall and a large photovoltaic roof.