A LIVE, WORK, PLAY COMMUNITY

The Estuary is a proposed high-performance, walkable community investing directly into the heart of Elizabethtown, NC, and Bladen County. The project addresses critically needed housing for Bladen County’s workforce and enhances existing public infrastructure. In partnership with the Town of Elizabethtown and the State of North Carolina, this Live, Work, Play community will initially construct 284 units. The development will achieve Net-Zero Energy by utilizing rooftop solar and geothermal wells that will serve each unit.

The Problem: Housing and Job Creation

The high cost of debt stalls the creation of housing in communities with the potential for sustainable economic growth. In a county with a median household income of $44,528, housing costs must be reflective of the resident community. To this end, the project will be owned by North Carolina Sustainable Futures, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. This nonprofit ownership structure removes the economic incentive for rents to be raised annually above what is necessary to keep up with inflation and ensure the project meets its debt service coverage ratio. The high energy performance of these units will also reduce the overall monthly cost of housing to tenants.

Currently, nearly 74.9% (10,178 people) of the workforce in Bladen County commute from surrounding areas for work due to the lack of available housing. Additionally, 70.9% (8,192 people) of County residents are employed outside the county as employment has leaked to outside counties.

A historically bypassed area, Elizabethtown and Bladen County have potential for incoming business and job creation to turn the economic tide in their favor. The existing lack of housing and current interest rates jeopardize this future.

The Opportunity

Jobs

The proposed community is poised to bring substantial economic growth to Elizabethtown, with significant job creation on the horizon. An aviation manufacturing company, along with two additional aerospace and defense contracting firms, are expected to add 210 new jobs to the area over the next five years. Furthermore, a proposed hydroponics farm is anticipated to generate another 200 jobs, expanding the region’s economic base even further. These new ventures represent a tangible influx of economic opportunities and promise to transform Elizabethtown into a hub for innovation and industry. However, despite these promising developments, a critical challenge remains: the need for adequate housing solutions to support both current residents and the influx of newcomers. If local housing needs are not met, the community may struggle to retain the talent and workforce required to sustain this economic growth, and its efforts to revitalize the local economy could fall short.

Housing

“The Estuary” contains 284 two-, three-, and four-bedroom detached units. Each exceeds the US Department of Energy’s Zero Energy Ready Home criteria with an airtight building envelope, geothermal HVAC and sufficient Solar PV generation to achieve net zero energy. Each unit will have its own geothermal HVAC system with an annual projected load of 3,800 kWh. The projected average annual energy consumption per unit is 6000 kWh, or 50% that of a standard home. Solar PV panels will be located on the roofs of the homes and/or garages. This will ensure that each unit in the development achieves net-zero energy.

The combination of best building practices and sustainable technology is a prototype for durable, energy efficient, and widely accessible communities. Unit Construction Documents are finalized, civil engineering is complete, and construction is projected to begin in 2025.

The Town of Elizabethtown has already signed a 90-year ground lease with NC Sustainable Futures to support this project. Below-market interest rate financing is being sought for the project to ensure that rents in the community remain attainable to Bladen County’s residents. Additional grant funding supporting the construction of infrastructure will be necessary to ensure the project’s success and that rents remain within reach of Bladen County’s residents.