Latest news with #DanielSheehan
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Wilmington's new affordable housing complex is opening. Here's what it costs to live there
The opening of a workforce housing complex in New Hanover County gives a window into what is considered affordable in the Wilmington area. Starway Village, a 278-unit workforce housing complex finishing up construction at 2346 Carolina Beach Road, will provide housing for residents who make 60% or less of the area median income, or AMI, in New Hanover. When the project was in the planning stage in 2023, Mayor Bill Saffo said it was the largest affordable housing development to receive funding from both the city and the county. More StarNews: Accessing local journalism is even easier with the StarNews app The total cost of Starway Village was estimated to be $75 million. The project received over $2 million from New Hanover, $4.2 million from the city of Wilmington and $9 million from the North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency in Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funds. Two years later, applications for the first phase of Starway Village are now open. Much of the project is still under construction, but it is expected to be completed in July. The complex's amenities include a pool, dog park, community rooms, business center and an exercise room. Starway Village's one-bedroom units are priced at $1,047 per month. Two-bedroom apartments are $1,252 and three-bedroom units are $1,442. For a two-person household in New Hanover, 60% AMI amounts to $47,640, according to a housing needs assessment conducted by Root Policy Research. The affordable monthly housing cost at this income level is $1,191. Households that spend more than 30% of their gross income on housing are considered cost burdened. Roughly 35% of New Hanover residents fall into that category. While the assessment did not provide data for larger households, the average household in New Hanover has slightly more than two earners. There are roughly 106,000 households in the county. For middle income renters who earn between $35,000 and $49,999 in New Hanover, the percentage of households that are cost burdened jumped from 41% in 2018 to 74% in 2023. Typical asking rent rose 57% in that time, while median renter income increased by 45%. The median gross rent in New Hanover was $1,466 in 2023, higher than the maximum affordable rent at median renter income was $1,320. While building affordable housing at 60% AMI is necessary, it's not enough to meet the demand in New Hanover. To keep up with projected growth, the county would need to create an additional 4,700 units priced below 50% AMI in the next decade. Across income levels, New Hanover needs 21,200 more units in that timeframe to accommodate for the area's increasing population. In addition to the rent cap at Starway Village, the complex accepts subsidies from the Housing Choice Voucher Program, commonly known as Section 8. The program provides vouchers to low-income tenants, ensuring that they only pay between 30% and 40% of their adjusted monthly income. Daniel Sheehan covers the city of Wilmington and New Hanover County for the StarNews. Reach him at dsheehan@ This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Starway Village affordable housing opening in Wilmington, NC
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Yahoo
Joplin City Council hears details of city's Irish immigrants
Stories of three Irish immigrants who stand out in the history of Joplin's early days led off a Monday night meeting of the Joplin City Council. Chad Stebbins, retired Missouri Southern State University department chair and author, told about the men who settled here as a place where pioneers and capitalists came to enrich themselves in a lead and zinc bonanza. His remarks, along with those of community historian Brad Belk, were made to recognize Joplin's 152nd birthday on March 23. Belk detailed some of the past observances for the city's founding. 'Thousands of people flocked to Joplin in the latter part of the 19th century seeking their fortunes in the mining fields,' Stebbins said. 'They came from all over the United States but also from Great Britain, Ireland, Germany, Italy, Greece, Sweden and Eastern Europe. The immigrants from Ireland had the greatest impact on the new city.' Daniel Sheehan One whose story has been captured in Joplin's historical annals is that of Sgt. Daniel Sheehan, a Joplin police officer who local residents called 'Dad.' He was born in 1830 in Killarney, in County Kerry in southwest Ireland. 'We don't know when exactly he came to Joplin, but he did serve the city for eight years as a night watchman and a police officer. He broke up fights, he handled rowdy prisoners. He arrested men who were beating their wives and women who were involved in prostitution,' Stebbins said. 'He arrested those who drove their buggies too fast on Main Street. And, on one occasion ... he even had to shoot a rabid dog that was attacking a family.' Sheehan was shot and killed July 19, 1885, the first of Joplin's law officers to to die in the line of duty. He was shot as he and two other officers worked to arrest a man who was wanted for selling liquor without a license. 'The man was arrested and jailed. But at 2 o'clock the next morning, an angry mob used a battering ram and broke open the front door of the jail. The man was taken to Second and Main streets and lynched from a tree,' Stebbins said. Patrick Murphy Patrick Murphy, who would come to be regarded as the 'father of Joplin,' was born in 1839 in Ireland and first settled in Pennsylvania. He made his way to Carthage in 1866 and opened a store on the north side of the square, Stebbins said. After the discovery of lead on Joplin Creek, Murphy opened another store on the Carthage square and also made plans to establish his own town along with a business partner, W.P. Davis, called Murphysburg, west of Joplin Creek. At the same time, settler John C. Cox was laying out the town of Joplin to be located east of Joplin Creek. 'There was an intense rivalry' between the two towns, Stebbins said. For a number of years, Murphysburg overshadowed its rival community, Joplin, according to the Encyclopedia of the History of Missouri. In 1872, Murphysburg was the larger and wealthier town, containing several stores, a smelting works built by Murphy and Davis and others, and the only newspaper in the county. But a year later, the two towns were incorporated as Joplin. Murphy had built an elaborate home at what now is the southwest corner of Fourth Street and Wall Avenue. He opened a bank, which he called the Banking House of Patrick Murphy, about a block away. He later changed the name to Miner's Bank of Joplin. He had owned numerous businesses and made many investments over his life. 'When he died in 1900, the community mourned and businesses closed for the day. A procession stretched from his home at Fourth Street to Fairview Cemetery,' where he was buried, Stebbins said. Later, his remains were moved to Mount Hope Cemetery, a new cemetery in the early 1900s intended to become the final resting place of affluent Joplin and Webb City residents. Thomas Connor A third influential Irish immigrant has been known as Thomas Connor, but his actual surname was O'Connor, Stebbins said. In 1871, Connor came to Joplin, where he later opened a saloon on Broadway in what is now East Town. He was drawn into mine ownership after he and his wife took drives on Sundays to view the mines established in the Joplin area, Stebbins said. He started buying up land and ended up with 6,000 acres extending into the Galena, Kansas, area. He would lease land to miners. His earnings from that endeavor reached $10,000 a week from mining royalties. He soon bought the Joplin Hotel, which was located then at Fourth and Main streets. City leaders appealed to him to tear down the Joplin Hotel, which they considered old, and build another. He did so, but died before he got to see the hotel finished.
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Southern Living ranked the South's best cities. Here's where Wilmington stands
A popular lifestyle magazine named Wilmington among the best cities in the South. Wilmington is no stranger to 'top cities' lists. The Port City is the least likely U.S. city for you to catch a cold in, one of the best small cities for filmmakers and among U-Haul's top metro areas for growth. Wilmington holds the title for drunkest city in the state, ranking in the top 30 nationwide. Southern Living's 2025 'The South's Best Cities' has joined Wilmington's growing list of lists. The publication received over 10,000 responses to an online survey conducted by Proof Insights. The survey ran from July to August 2024 and asked readers to rate their favorite places across the South. Real estate in ILM: New Hanover's top 10 most expensive homes sold in 2024 Wilmington was voted the No. 13 city in the South. While it didn't earn the top spot, Wilmington was named Southern Living's No. 1 'City on the Rise' in 2024. The city also ranked higher than Birmingham, Alabama, where the magazine is based out of. Here's what Southern Living had to say about Wilmington: 'It's home to a lively riverfront and scenic historic district, beautiful gardens, and family-friendly attractions. Although there's plenty to see and do right in town, multiple beaches are just a short drive away.' The magazine recommends several well-trodden Wilmington staples, including the Riverwalk, Cargo District, and events such as the upcoming Azalea Festival. Southern Living also praised eateries including Indochine, Britt's Donut Shop and Seabird. Asheville was North Carolina's only other entry on the list, with Southern Living noting how residents and community leaders have banded together to help the city bounce back following the devastation of Hurricane Helene. For the ninth consecutive year, voters chose Charleston, South Carolina, as the best city in the South. Here are the cities that topped the list: Charleston, South Carolina Savannah, Georgia Asheville New Orleans Nashville, Tennessee Greenville, South Carolina, finished sixth, followed by St. Petersburg, Florida; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Atlanta; Lexington, Kentucky; Athens, Georgia; San Antonio; Wilmington; Franklin, Tennessee; Orlando, Florida; Birmingham, Alabama; Austin, Texas; Tampa, Florida; Huntsville, Alabama and Annapolis, Maryland. Daniel Sheehan covers New Hanover and Brunswick counties for the StarNews. Reach him at dsheehan@ This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Southern Living: Wilmington, NC, ranked among South's best cities
