Ed Etheridge This is Me

 Web References

1. 1. www.wilsondaily.com

   www.wilsondaily.com/Wil_region - [Cached]

   Published on: 4/7/2007   Last Visited: 4/14/2007

   Etheridge continues as major area developer
   
   By Laura Keeter Daily Times Staff Writer
   
   Ed Etheridge has long been one of the city's major developers, and he is continuing to live up to that reputation.
   
   At last week's Wilson Chamber Expo, The Daily Times got a chance to catch up with Etheridge at the Etheridge Associates booth and talk to him about the city, its development, and in particular what he has on the drawing board.
   
   Etheridge was showing the public two of the biggest local projects he's working on now: A new shopping area at the interchange of Interstate 95 and U.S. 264, and expanding the ever-developing Heritage Place shopping center into residential development.
   
   Coming soon are four new hotels, more retail and restaurants, connections of inner roads, and lots of new housing.
   
   Etheridge has led the development of the interchange of I-95 and U.S. 264, which now boasts restaurants such as Cracker Barrel, gas stations, and seven hotels.
   ...
   Two more hotels are planning to build at the Interchange within a year, Etheridge said. Both owners are working on site plans. The hotels will be located on the same area as Fairfield Inn.
   
   The interchange will next debut retail.
   
   To be built is Shoppes at Southern Village, a small strip center that will house about six shops and a restaurant. The center will be built behind Burger King.
   
   "You'll be able to see that building when you pull up the ramp," Etheridge said.
   
   Etheridge said he's "testing the waters" with this center, and if response is good, he plans to build more retail at the interchange.
   
   "We've been needing to get some retail out there. Hopefully this will start the retail trend."
   
   Etheridge is a partner in Lagniappe 95, the group developing the interchange that also includes attorney David Woodard and the Virginia Haynes family.
   ...
   Etheridge is also part of the partnerships that developing "Heritage Place," which is about 600 acres of former farm land reaching from Forest Hills Road to Airport Boulevard.
   ...
   Once that's done, the new connection will be the main entrance for Meadowmont, Etheridge said.
   
   Also, Heritage Drive will eventually connect through future development to N.C. 42, he said.
   
   The master plan for Heritage Place contains a mix of housing with a possible mix of multifamily and commercial.
   
   Etheridge estimates about half of the 600 acres is being worked on now, either with development or having plans drawn.
   
   "It's a long-term project still. It's coming together nicely," Etheridge said. "It's a lot of land."
   
   The Heritage Place partners, which include Etheridge, Woodard, attorney Allen Thomas, and the Adkins heirs, planned for a mixture of uses for the property because it was too much land for just commercial, Etheridge said. The Heritage Place partners, which include Etheridge, Woodard, attorney Allen Thomas, and the Adkins heirs, planned for a mixture of uses for the property because it was too much land for just commercial, Etheridge said.
   ...
   "It's obviously nice for people to live close to where they shop and also work," Etheridge said.
   ...
   Other deals are being worked on as the Wilson retail market is finally catching some eyes, Etheridge said.
   
   "I think the market was undervalued all these years," he said.

2. 2. www.wilsondaily.com

   www.wilsondaily.com/Wil_region - [Cached]

   Published on: 4/12/2007   Last Visited: 4/14/2007

   They agreed to invite Ed Etheridge, developer of the retail strip, to attend the next meeting.