Construction has officially begun on a new center in Carteret County for the North Carolina Coastal Federation.
The nonprofit organization hosted a groundbreaking Friday afternoon for its new Center for Coastal Protection and Restoration being built on Bogue Sound.
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The new facility is near Cape Carteret, just a few miles away from the organization’s existing headquarters on Highway 24. The new center should take about 18 months to build. A grand opening will be planned for the fall of 2026.
The new center will include a public education and event center, coastal habitat demonstrations, nature trails, and the organization’s future headquarters. Once the facility is open, the event center that can hold 450 guests standing or 150 guests for a seated meeting will be available for public use by reservation.
“We are pleased to be underway with establishing this new coastal center, which will significantly expand the Federation’s ability to serve our coastal communities. Once open, the Center will offer a suite of community programs and amenities and serve as a resource for people of all ages,” Executive Director Braxton Davis said in the announcement.
The Center for Coastal Protection and Restoration was designed by Bowman, Murray, Hemingway Architects designed the center being constructed by Chambliss and Rabil Construction Co.
The Coastal Federation acquired this property as part of a larger land purchase in partnership with Carteret County in 2020. As part of the land acquisition, the organization and county placed a conservation easement on more than 24 acres and established nature trails to showcase the coastal habitats in the area.
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“This property was slated to become a residential development, so it’s wonderful to see it being transformed into a resource for our coastal communities,“ said Charles Meeker, Board Member with the Coastal Federation and Chair of the Capital Campaign Cabinet raising funds to establish the new facility.
The Coastal Federation has raised 90% of the funds needed to complete this new community resource through foundations, and private and corporate donors. To learn more about the center, visit nccoast.org/CoastalCenter.
