School Plans New Gym on College Road

Wilmington Christian Academy has submitted plans to New Hanover County for a 10,833-square-foot gymnasium on its campus.

Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Home Renovation

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Wilmington Christian Academy submitted plans to New Hanover County for a new gymnasium with a gross floor area of 10,833 square feet. The project will affect two acres of the school's 42-acre property at 1401 N College Road.

Why it matters

The project adds an accessory athletic structure on a long-established campus without increasing seating in the school or church, and county permits state that no parking lots or driveways will be added. For Wilmington residents, it signals continued investment in private school facilities in the region.

The county permit application lists a 10,833-square-foot gross floor area on two of the school's 42 acres, with an assessed property value of $14,956,000. The stub does not indicate whether the county has acted on the application or when work would start.

The players

Wilmington Christian Academy

A private school located at 1401 N College Road in Wilmington, serving approximately 1,218 students in the region.

Grace Baptist Church

The church that has owned the school's land since 1973 and holds the property on which the proposed gym would be built.

New Hanover County

The county government that received the application and reviews building permits for the proposed gymnasium.

The details

The gymnasium would be an accessory structure and would not increase seat counts at the school or church. The school opened in 1969 and serves 1,218 students and 73 faculty and administration members, and its existing gym reopened in January 2020 after a 70-week closure following Hurricane Florence.

1969: Wilmington Christian Academy opened.
January 2020: The existing gym reopened after Hurricane Florence damage.
Fall 2024: A 4,661-square-foot modular classroom was constructed on site.
February 2026: A second new gym was proposed in northern New Hanover County.
November 2026: Plans for the gymnasium were submitted to New Hanover County.

Roadmap

Private schools across Southeastern North Carolina have been expanding athletic and classroom space on existing campuses rather than relocating. This gymnasium follows a similar pattern of incremental on-site construction after the school's 2020 recovery from Hurricane Florence.

Residents near the campus may see construction activity on the two-acre site once work begins. Because the county permits state no new parking or driveways will be added, traffic changes for drivers in the area are not expected to be significant.

The takeaway

Campus expansions like this one often proceed as accessory projects that avoid new traffic infrastructure, which can make them easier for neighbors to absorb. Families tracking school facilities in the Wilmington area can watch county permit records for updates on approval and timing.