New Castle area residents are getting a say in what to do with a building that has served Delaware for nearly 50 years.
The state’s Division of Motor Vehicles is building a new, more modern DMV facility in New Castle, but hasn’t decided what to do with the current New Castle DMV, which has been in use on Airport Road since the mid-1960s.
Residents can weigh in on the issue Tuesday at a public comment session at the Pleasantville Elementary School in New Castle. DMV will be offering details on potential uses, including possible floor plans.
Mike Williams, administrative policy and communications chief at the state Division of Motor Vehicles, says getting public input on a building that’s been a fixture of the community is a priority.
It’s a special site, it’s been there for a long time. Since the ‘60s it’s been part of the neighborhood," said Williams. "We wanted to be sure it was something people had the opportunity to share their opinions about.
Williams adds finding a public use for the building is the state's preferred option, otherwise the building will be sold for private use. The state Office of Management and Budget has the final say on what to do with the site, and has no firm timeline on making a decision.
The current DMV facility will close once the new building on Route 13 near Delaware City is completed.
"I cannot give you an exact date, we are not close enough to the completion of the construction yet. We are saying summer," said Williams.
Williams adds the new DMV building will be a major upgrade on the current space.
"It’s a new facility that will have 30 counter spaces. And it’s in a centralized location focused more to the shifting population of New Castle County to the southern part of the county," said Williams.
Tuesday night's public comment session begins at 6.