Big Construction Projects Change the Face of Elizabeth City, NC
Construction is a key contributor to Elizabeth City’s economy, as evidenced by all the recent development projects happening in the region.
One major project wrapping up is the new Sentara Albemarle Medical Center, which opened in August 2025. Sentara Health built the 90-bed hospital next to its adjoining medical office building. The health system will also add a Pasquotank-Camden EMS headquarters building as part of its overall 135-acre Sentara Albemarle Regional Health Campus, which totaled an overall investment of $278 million.
“We have room for expansion whenever the need arises,” says Teresa Watson, who serves as president of Sentara Albemarle Medical Center. “This modern facility is important because we serve seven counties throughout northeastern North Carolina.”
The new 235,000-square-foot hospital is a welcome addition for Sentara Health, which had previously occupied an aging building on North Road Street that dates to the 1960s. The new four-story hospital is at the corner of Halstead Boulevard Extended and Thunder Road.
“Sentara Albemarle Medical Center employs about 650 people who live in this area,” Watson says. “I’m glad construction is finished. We can finally be on the new campus with all our providers.”
Happenings at ECSU
Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) is also involved in construction initiatives, including a new residence hall and dining hall, both scheduled to open in late 2025. The projects are needed because ECSU has experienced enrollment climbs for the past eight years, causing the university’s housing to be at 100% capacity.
The residence hall will feature 300 beds in semi-suite rooms, and there will be study lounges, common areas and technology spaces. The dining hall will be centrally located on campus and replace the long-time Bedell Hall Cafeteria.
The year 2025 also saw ECSU open an Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) drone classroom, which trains students for future drone-based careers in homeland security, disaster response, public safety and more. Federal Aviation Administration statistics state that more than 170,000 UAS jobs in the U.S. will be created throughout 2025.
In addition, there has been explosive growth in the overall aviation science curriculum at ECSU in recent years. In fact, the university uses Elizabeth City Regional Airport to store its own fleet of airplanes.
“The university owns 19 planes that are parked at the airport,” says Scott Hinton, director of Elizabeth City Regional Airport. “ECSU uses their planes to train students to become commercial pilots. The university will have more than 200 students flying in the fall 2025 semester, with about 60 training operations occurring each day at the airport.”
Spreading Their Wings
To accommodate all the university’s academic activity at the airport, Hinton says the ECSU aviation science program has moved into the existing airport terminal. Meanwhile, other airport operations have moved into a temporary triple-wide building.
“We have also requested money from the North Carolina General Assembly to build ECSU a hangar for their fleet,” Hinton says. “It’s an exciting time. The university currently has 371 students enrolled in its aviation science program, and another 317 freshmen applied for the fall 2025 semester.”
Meanwhile, the airport itself has experienced construction initiatives in recent times, including a ramp rehabilitation project as well as adding a second ramp to park more aircraft on the outdoor grounds. There are plans to build a large terminal and five hangars, and other projects are in the planning stage.
“We are the gateway into Elizabeth City and Pasquotank County,” Hinton says. “We are a general aviation facility and are important to the military, especially since our two runways are used by Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City.”
Hinton adds that Elizabeth City Regional Airport is a major contributor to the area’s economy and quality of life.
“A recent aviation study found that this airport provides an economic impact of about $500 million annually to Elizabeth City and Pasquotank County,” Hinton says. “The study also reports that about 3,600 jobs in this region are connected in some way to Elizabeth City Regional Airport.”
Board Determining Future of Vacated Hospital
Opportunity is knocking to develop 75 acres of vacated property on North Road Street that formerly housed a Sentara Health hospital.
Since 2014, Sentara Health has occupied the old hospital building that was constructed in the 1960s, but the health system moved in August 2025 to the new Sentara Albemarle Medical Center at Halstead Boulevard Extended and Thunder Road. So, what happens to the vacated hospital and property on North Road Street?
“The building and property are owned by Pasquotank County, and the Pasquotank County Board of Commissioners is now assessing what to do with that property,” says Scott Hinton, director of the Elizabeth City-Pasquotank County Economic Development Commission. “This is an opportunity to have a major impact on the north side of Elizabeth City.”
Hinton says the commissioners have many redevelopment options.
“For example, they must decide whether to tear down the hospital, transform the building into apartments or townhomes, make it a mixed-use area, sell all the property to real estate developers, or many other choices,” he says.
Hinton adds that the property is even more desirable because a portion is along the Pasquotank River, offering waterfront views.
“The commissioners will take the correct amount of time to determine what makes the most sense for that land,” he says. “It’s all about doing