The four new retail buildings near Eastwood Road and Military Cutoff Road look finished, so why are the windows still dark? Because the shells are done but the interiors aren't, and Center Point's first tenants are expected to open in early spring 2027. By late 2027, the North Carolina Department of Transportation expects to start converting that same intersection into a grade-separated interchange, with construction lasting until late 2031.
That means the corner's new shops and restaurants will have only a few months of ordinary traffic before a four-year construction project starts around them. For anyone whose errands run through Eastwood and Military Cutoff, the order of these two projects matters more than either one alone.
Finished Shells, Dark Windows Until Spring
Center Point has taken a long time. The StarNews reported this fall that the $500 million mixed-use development is finally taking shape, more than eight years after its zoning was approved. The project is a joint venture between Wilmington-based Swain & Associates and The Beach Company, a Charleston developer. David Swain first eyed the site more than a decade ago and bought the land in 2019 for $13 million, according to WilmingtonBiz.
The homes came first. Residents began moving into The Sterling, the project's 265-unit apartment building, in mid-September. The four retail shell buildings, which add up to more than 32,000 square feet, were handed to tenants in early October so they could start interior build-outs, WilmingtonBiz reported on October 6. Interior build-outs take months, so the buildings will look finished well before anyone can walk in. Morgan Bentivegna, development manager at The Beach Company, told the paper she expects the first tenants to open in early spring 2027.
Most of the space is already spoken for. As of early October, signed leases covered about 65% of the phase one retail space, and nearly 90% once letters of intent were included.
Who Is Moving In
The tenant list mixes local shops that are moving or combining with chains making their first Wilmington appearance. No individual opening dates or suite assignments have been published yet.
| Business | What it is | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Burtons Grill & Bar | Restaurant serving scratch-made American classics | Known for an extensive gluten-free menu |
| Nest Interiors + Blended Shoes + Apparel | Two locally owned shops sharing one store | Curated home and apparel collections under one roof |
| Thompson's of Wilmington | Upscale men's clothing | Premium casual wear, tailored garments and custom apparel |
| Jeff's Bagel Run | Bagel and coffee chain | Its first Wilmington location |
| Self Skin Studio | Med spa | An existing Wilmington business moving into a larger space |
| SWTHZ | Wellness studio | Appointment-based infrared saunas, cold plunges and vitamin C showers |
Al's Burger Shack also announced a Center Point location in August, its first in Wilmington after its Leland restaurant. The StarNews reported that the owners were aiming to open at the beginning of 2027, with hand-pattied burgers, locally sourced ingredients, house-made toppings and the Bobo Chili Cheeseburger.
The developers are leasing slowly on purpose. Bentivegna described the approach to WilmingtonBiz this way:
"Rather than building 100,000 square feet of retail all at once and trying to build it up, we're trying to be really strategic about who the users are and making sure that we've got a strong little pocket here."
The next piece is already planned. Roads and landscaping are going in on the southern part of the property. Phase two's first building has a 15,000-square-foot footprint, with retail on the ground floor and offices upstairs. It's in design now and expected to be finished in 2028. Bentivegna said office workers now want to be able to walk across the street for coffee or lunch, and that idea runs through the whole plan.
The Same Corner Becomes a Work Zone Late Next Year
Two Center Point dates fall during the construction window. The first shops open in spring 2027, and the phase two office building is due in 2028. Both sit right next to NCDOT project U-5710, an $81.4 million rebuild of the Military Cutoff and Eastwood intersection.
The NCDOT project page describes replacing today's at-grade intersection with a grade-separated quadrant intersection. Left turns move onto a separate roadway, out of the main intersection. The department rates the intersection at Level of Service E, the second-worst grade on its scale, based on its 2022 forecast. It expects daily traffic to grow from 75,000 vehicles to 100,000 by 2045.
Here is the sequence as it stands in fall 2026:
- Right-of-way: In September, NCDOT told WECT that property acquisition was complete.
- Utilities: Utility relocation had already started, WWAY reported on September 23.
- Retail opening: Center Point's first tenants are expected in early spring 2027.
- Construction start: Construction is scheduled to begin in late 2027 and run about four years.
- Phase two building: Center Point's retail and office building is expected in 2028.
- Completion: NCDOT lists completion for fall or winter 2031.
So spring through fall of 2027 is the stretch when Bagel Run mornings and Burtons dinners happen with the intersection working as it does today. After that, the corner's newest businesses spend their first several years open beside an active highway project.
NCDOT has said it plans to keep that manageable. Its project FAQ says access to businesses will be maintained with temporary lanes, peak-hour lane closures will be restricted, and the public will get notice before temporary or overnight closures.
Where the Bridge Fits In
The overpass work isn't the only big road project on Wilmington's east side. In June, an NCDOT spokesperson told WHQR that the interchange schedule may overlap with the Wrightsville Beach bridge work. The spokesperson said the two work zones themselves won't overlap and that the department has protocols to prevent conflicting lane closures.
Residents have been raising the same concern at the Wilmington Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization. During public comment at the August 26 meeting, speakers asked the board to press NCDOT for answers and to delay U-5710 until the bridge work is done. The minutes record those requests as public comments. NCDOT Division 3 told the board in July that it would start sharing updates on high-profile projects like this one more often. The latest public schedule is the one above, with construction starting in late 2027.
This Season, the Corner's Holiday Shopping Is Still at Mayfaire
With Center Point's storefronts still being built out, Mayfaire Town Center is where holiday errands near Eastwood and Military Cutoff happen this year. The center has added several stores over the past year. Ben & Jerry's took over the former Cold Stone Creamery space at 951 International Drive in March, Port City Daily reported. Lovesac at 6858 Main Street and Flip Flop Shops at 917 Town Center Drive were both open by late May.
Mayfaire's events calendar lists these dates for the rest of the year:
- Santa's $3,000 Stocking Giveaway, through December 22. Each week features a different gift card: Altar'd State November 13 to 19, Anthropologie November 27 to December 3, Harris Teeter December 4 to 10, and Pottery Barn December 11 to 22.
- Pet Photos with Santa, Mondays from November 30 through December 14, at the Element by Westin Hotel.
- "Transformation: From Seed to Bloom," through January 10.
- David Yurman Holiday Event at REEDS Jewelers, December 17, 4 to 8 p.m.
By the next holiday season, the corner should have a bagel shop, a burger stand, a men's clothier and a gluten-friendly grill a short drive down Military Cutoff, with the overpass work starting soon after.
We're following Center Point's openings and the Eastwood overpass schedule because they'll change everyday trips near Landfall for years. If you're thinking about how that intersection fits into your plans for the next few years, the team at Thirty4 North Properties Group is happy to talk it through. Contact Us.
