Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Wilmington unveils details of Downtown Development District projects

Delaware Public Media

State and city officials highlighted ten Wilmington projects receiving a total of $4.7 million in grant funding through Gov. Jack Markell’s Downtown Development Districts program Friday.

The program is using state funds to reimburse investors for 20% of their construction costs on approved residential, commercial and mixed-use projects.

Delaware State Housing Authority director Anas Ben Addi says not only will the program help to stimulate projects in the early stages of their work, “but also to incentivize developers who have projects in the pipeline or are thinking about it."

"To hopefully start the process, go to construction closing because they know the subsidy is in place,” he said.

Ben Addi added that he believes investing less than $6 million in state funds in almost $115 million worth of projects in this first round of grants will help attract further private investment.

Mayor Dennis Williams is counting on that detail. He says he’s optimistic that will happen - and will pay off  as new businesses and residents come to Wilmington.

“A city where you see construction booming, renovation of small business coming; the city’s on the move," said the Mayor.

Williams is convinced that the program can help improve the city. "We have a natural waterway, we’re surrounded by major highways, great train station, good people in this city and we’re going to prevail. And I mean that, we really are.”

Wilmington project highlights include a nearly $30 million rehab of existing mixed-use buildings on the 800 block of Market Street; a new parking garage one block over on Orange Street; affordable senior housing on the East Side; and aesthetic infrastructure improvements to the Delaware History Museum connecting it to Old Town Hall via a glass enclosure.

See details of the Wilmington projects below.


Credit Karl Malgiero/Delaware Public Media
A map of project locations in downtown Wilmington and the East Side. (click to enlarge)

A Summary of Wilmington projects receiving funding from the Delaware Downtown Development Districts Grant Program

608 Market Street, LLC, 608 N. Market St.

$528,000

$7,698,809

June, 2015

Mixed-use, ground-up construction project that will provide 24 market rate, one-bedroom apartments and 2,811 square feet of ground floor retail.

627 Market Street, LLC, 627 N. Market St.

$585,000

$11,851,171

August, 2015

Mixed-use, rehabilitation project that will offer 46 market rate studio, one and two bedroom apartments and 4,470 square feet of ground floor retail.

Connections CSP,  822, 816 and 708?710 West St.

$311,506

$3,874,784

Jan/Feb 2017

Renovation of three (3) properties along the West Street corridor; updating HVAC, windows, doors and new roofs; expansion of permanent housing for individuals with special needs.

Delmar Affordable Housing Partners, 225 W. 4th Street

$400,977

$6,310,671

January, 2017

Renovation and restructuring of Quaker Village Apartments with new heating systems, flooring, cabinets, appliances, etc., enclosed stairwells, laundry room and tot lot.

Historical Society of Delaware, 504 N. Market Street

$362,302

$6,800,000

February, 2016

Construction of a physical glass connector between Old Town Hall and the Delaware History Museum; replacement of existing mechanical systems, addition of technological capacity and other improvements, and repurposing of spaces to support mission-related changing exhibits, education programs and performances as well as creating multipurpose meeting, performance and event spaces.

Site improvements to enliven the street presence of the buildings and create a new green space out of an unsightly parking lot.

Market Street Village, LLC, 838 & 839 N. Market Street, 6 E.
3rd St.

$757,000

$29,122,842

August, 2015

Historic mixed-use rehabilitation project. Buildings that were once used for commercial purposes will be adapted and used for residential and commercial purposes. Investment will result in a total of 76 studio and one-bedroom apartments across the three properties, with shared amenities housed in one central location, which serves the function of the Community Center.

Midtown Parking, LLC, 820 N. Orange St.

$1,000,000

$25,922,644

December, 2015

New construction, subterranean parking structure that will be constructed at 820 N. Orange Street in the City of Wilmington.

The 3-level, parking garage provide 150 parking spaces for Midtown Apartment residents and an additional 355 spaces to the general public in the form of monthly passes and hourly rates.

Sacred Heart Village II, Inc., 625 E. 10th Street

$557,000

$8,071,166

March, 2016

New construction of a three-story, four level building that will offer 25 independent living apartments for very-low-income seniors (50% AMI or below) and one unit for a live-in manager.

STM II, LLC, 215 N. Market Street (Lofts &
Shops at 2nd & LOMA)

$60,441

$327,205

June, 2015

Equipment purchase and installation of an upgraded fire suppression system to create safer housing in a historic building that is comprised of 86 residential units and 20 commercial units.

Wilmington Housing Partnership, 802, 806, 808, 810, 812, 828, 830, 832
Bennett Street

$243,911

$1,934,219

March, 2016

Undersized homes will be demolished and parcels will be combined for the new construction of seven larger and more functional, modern-homes for families. Homes will be sold to homebuyers with incomes at 120% AMI or below.

Related Content