M o d e r n M a s c u l i n e
home of distinction
Living
Outdoors
One week after a young, local developer closed
on his Pelican Drive property in September 2018,
a hurricane roared through Wrightsville Beach.
BY Marimar McNaughton
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Michael Blevins/MB Productions NC
A slow, nocturnal cruise around Harbor Island brings
boaters past this three-story Lees Cut home, one of
several that represents a real estate renaissance along
Harbour Island’s Pelican Drive.
www.wrightsvillebeachmagazine.com
THE vintage Pelican Drive home was modest
by Wrightsville Beach standards, about
2,300 square feet. Built in 1967, it had been
improved over time and palm trees planted
long ago had matured, adding a layer of privacy to the
two-story dwelling.
“I had planned to live in the house for a couple years,”
reminisces the buyer.
The massive storm made landfall at Wrightsville
Beach on Sept. 14, 2018, and hovered. Faced with
mandatory evacuation, the homeowner had retreated
to the St. Regis Aspen Resort, Colorado until Wrights-ville
officials opened the town back up to residents.
When the storm damages were assessed 2 to 3 feet of
water had entered the ground floor and the house was
condemned by Town of Wrightsville Beach planning
and zoning officials. The structure was razed, and the
process was begun for a new home, beginning with lot
improvements. The homeowner added over 20 loads of
dirt and a second retaining wall to protect against that
type of water inundation ever happening again.
The architectural plan started out simple, then
morphed into something bigger.
“It started out a little more of a beach house and we
ended up a little more contemporary,” says architect
Blair Goodrich. “The contemporary beach style layout
was well thought out.”
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WBM