Stephanie Lanier could see it coming a decade ago.

“I don’t think it’s on the average person’s radar screen, but it really should be. This is where growth is going to happen in New Hanover County in the next 10 years,” said Lanier, head of Lanier Property Group, a real estate team of Wilmington-based residential real estate firm Intracoastal Realty.

She’s seen that prediction come true.

“Midtown is all grown up now, and it’s so fun to hear people talk about ‘midtown’ as if it’s always been a foregone conclusion. A friend still calls me ‘the queen of midtown’ because of that article from 2015, and although I don’t think there is a homecoming court here, I’m totally happy to be its No. 1 cheerleader,” Lanier said in September this year.

Midtown’s borders depend on who you ask. In a colorful, illustrated map of midtown rendered by Lois Watson of Watson Illustrating for Lanier Property Group about 10 years ago, the big swath of Wilmington considered midtown was bordered by 17th Street, including Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center; South College Road, encompassing Randall Parkway; a touch of Carolina Beach Road; and part of Market Street that includes the Nir Family YMCA at 2710 Market St. not far from downtown Wilmington.

“We might not have the ocean or the cobblestones, but we’re the heart of the city, and from midtown you can get everywhere. I still spend the vast majority of my life in midtown – living, working, playing – I mean, my son even goes to Hoggard High School, that’s about as midtown from a location perspective as you can get,” Lanier said. “So how do I feel about it 10 years later? Well of course it’s grown and developed, and I love that. It’s so wonderful to see residents and business owners want to be here and invest in this little corner of our city. I can’t wait to see the continued growth.”

That growth these days is mainly in the form of residential development, although businesses are still finding some commercial space there (see here).

In an example of one of the residential projects underway in midtown, Middleburg Communities has been advertising the homes in Hamlet Barclay West. In this 280-unit, build-to-rent neighborhood, some units are currently under construction, while others are already available for lease. Hamlet Barclay West is adjacent to another project, Mosby Barclay West, a 290-unit apartment community.

Mosby is expected to deliver its first units in July 2026 with anticipated completion in January 2027, Middleburg officials said in an email.

“Wilmington’s economic success and population inflows over the years have resulted in robust demand for high-quality rental communities like Mosby Barclay West,” said Spencer Merritt, development partner for the North Carolina region at Middleburg in the announcement early this year.

Pulte Homes is working on Barclay Townes at The Pointe, a townhome project coming to Independence and Gallery Park boulevards next to The Pointe at Barclay. Pulte plans to build 72 three-story townhomes, offering two different floor plans, each about 1,940 square feet, said Eric Korsten, president of Pulte’s East Carolina Division.

For Pulte, midtown Wilmington is an ideal spot for its residential offerings, he said.

“The Pointe at Barclay offers exceptional access to lifestyle with retail, restaurants and a movie theater, in a premier area of Wilmington. The proximity to downtown Wilmington adds to the quality of the location, being within only 15 minutes of everything that downtown Wilmington has to offer,” Korsten said.

Townhomes have been a popular residential type in the plans submitted by developers in recent years, in midtown and elsewhere, particularly for smaller, undeveloped pockets.

“Our high-quality, consumer-inspired townhomes offer a stress-free, low-maintenance lifestyle that we believe resonates with our customers,” Korsten said. “Additionally, highly sought-after infill locations are becoming increasingly rare. The Barclay Townes at The Pointe allow us to serve that consumer who values location and proximity to lifestyle.”