Wilmington Development News [Archive] - Page 6

Coldspring

January 15th, 2010, 03:48 PM

Another plan, which I like more, was to make the peninsula a national park, which would be Delaware's first. It would combine Old Swedes Church, The Rocks, and Fort Christina Park with the parkland to create a Swedish history park. I like it because it's unique (What other place was a Swedish colony? Just Philadelphia and Salem NJ, but Wilmington was the capital of the colony), and it would fit a unique piece of land. A casino is underwhelming for that site, although it is clearly an improvement over a few businesses and some abandoned storage yards.

A city within a city would be a good idea as well. It would be isolated, so it would probably be a little quieter than other parts of the city, which I'm sure some people would like. It would also have a lot of waterfront views, which is obviously a good thing if you're the ones building and selling the units.

Maybe there could be some balance.. land allocated for a state park and some for development... I can see the benefits of having both...It just seems like in the case of a city like Wilmington (16 sq. mi. ?) they would want to continue to find ways to populate the city and raise the tax base given the restrictions/problems with annexation etc. THough I imagine that many of the current developments received some type of tax break now? I dont know what the property tax rate is in Wilmington.. but in Baltimore it is EXTREMELY high..I have read articles that have accused the city of giving tax breaks to most of the high end developments downtown and balancing the budgets on the backs of middle and upper income residents...while providing poor services. Granted.. I think that the development downtown Bmo is great and does bring in sales tax dollars and will EVENTUALLY bring in property tax dollars.. there just needs to be some balance. Dont know if this is the case in Wilmington or not...

Nexis

January 16th, 2010, 02:57 AM

I heard Wilmington , might be getting a Light Rail line or Streetcar network?

HOME in D-ware

January 26th, 2010, 01:08 AM

I wasn’t searching for info on Wilmington development projects, but stumbled onto this construction update page for Wilmington Hospital. Looks like the new additions will take shape over the next two years.

Wilmington Hospital expansion (http://www.christianacare.org/body.cfm?id=2735&fr=true)
Christiana Care : www.christianacare.org

xzmattzx

January 26th, 2010, 03:27 AM

I heard Wilmington , might be getting a Light Rail line or Streetcar network?

I haven't heard anything. The mayor mentioned it just to throw it out there and see if it stuck, but that was maybe 5 years ago. His plan was pretty bold; he suggested demolishing several city blocks to keep streets as they are, so maybe that's why it never stuck.

I wasn’t searching for info on Wilmington development projects, but stumbled onto this construction update page for Wilmington Hospital. Looks like the new additions will take shape over the next two years.

Wilmington Hospital expansion (http://www.christianacare.org/body.cfm?id=2735&fr=true)
Christiana Care : www.christianacare.org

Nice find. I was wondering what would go on with that. I hadn't seen any work since they announced it.

xzmattzx

January 26th, 2010, 03:55 AM

From yesterday's paper:

Kids' place rises on Riverfront
The Delaware Children's Museum is on target for an April opening

The Delaware Children's Museum is steeling itself for its April 25th opening.

And it's a lot of steel.

Walk into what used to be the cavernous space inhabited by Kahunaville, and you'll find a forest of gleaming steel studs marking off hallways, rooms and doors for what will be a lobby, offices, studio and six exhibits designed to get kids moving and thinking, all while having fun.

Some wallboard is beginning to go up, most notably in the entrance -- where the three-story Saturn-shaped Stratosphere climbing exhibit will welcome guests. Beyond that, it's hard to guess what's going to be where.

The painters, plumbers, electricians and other contractors and exhibit-makers have 90 days to finish.

"The best news of all is that we remain on schedule and on budget," says Julie Van Blarcom, the museum's executive director. "I'm amazed that everybody keeps saying, 'Are you sure that you're opening April 24?' But we will be open on April 24 for our first full day of business."

Outside, the $11 million dollar museum will glow a brilliant yellow -- a color named "cheerful" -- that Van Blarcom and her staff expect to be highly visible from nearby I-95, if not from Mars. The staff hopes to use the steel scaffolding that once held Kahunaville's foam volcano as a base for its new signage.

Devoted to the idea that a child's job is to learn through playing, the museum will target kids ages 1 through 12. Organizers expect about 135,000 visitors a year at about $10 a head. An economic impact study says the museum could contribute more than $5 million a year to the economy.

The Children's Museum will join the Delaware Center for Contemporary Art and the just-opened DuPont Environmental Education Center as family attractions on the banks of the Christina River.

Bill Smith, vice president of the museum's board, says he's more than pleased with the progress of construction.

"I am overjoyed," says Smith, who is president of Environmental Alliance Inc., a Wilmington consulting company. "The amount of progress that's been made in the last 18 months in fundraising and response from the community, and watching the ideas that were started 10 years ago coming into existence has been phenomenal."

Just shy of its original $11 million fundraising goal, the board will make up the difference with supplemental contributions earmarked for operating expenses. "But we're pretty much on target with our fundraising goals and our spending," he says.

By mid-February, the museum staff expects to have chunks of various exhibits installed. Lots of pieces already have been built, including the two sculls that will allow kids in "The Power of Me" to row along Digiwalls showing images of the Christina River moving by.

"Oh, they're starting to build out now," Van Blarcom exclaims as she looks around "The Power of Me" space, where a partial wall extends at an angle from the back wall. She points out where exhibits will be.

A huge rounded soffit of wallboard already hangs 10 feet above the floor where the Stratosphere will be installed. Even now, it's easy to picture the climbing structure that will fill the space when it's finished by Tom Luckey, a Connecticut architect-sculptor who was paralyzed from the waist down in a fall about five years ago. The Delaware structure will be the first he's built designed to be accessible to kids of all abilities.

Down the hall will be "Bank On It," a nod to the state's banking and financial industry. Visitors will enter it through a vault that's just taking shape now. Across the hall from "Bank On It" is ECOnnect, which will be anchored by a house built by Delaware's Challenge Program. That program is designed to provide construction job training and placement among low-income youths and foster children aging out the system. They are taught construction math, safety and basic construction theory.

The ECOhouse will be built using "green" techniques to increase a structure's efficiency. They may include energy-saving technology, low-flow plumbing fixtures and recycled or sustainable materials. The museum house will be built out of recycled wood, a lot of which was collected by the trainees on the riverfront. It will include a garden area, living area and kitchen.

The house's construction will be paid for by a $206,000 grant from New Castle Pride, through Community Services Block Grant and American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds.

Behind the house will be a water table that will simulate the waterways in Delaware, including the Roth bridge and its yellow sails over the C&D Canal. Behind that, a lighthouse will stand where planners once considered placing a tree.

The ECOhouse may have a national story to tell, Van Blarcom says. It's believed to be the only exhibit of its kind, and certainly the only one built by a charity devoted to helping young people find "green" jobs in the construction industry.

"And we're just getting started," Van Blarcom says.

"We haven't even touched the surface of the opportunities out there. We're just beginning to focus on ways in which we can have creative partnerships with our colleagues in the community, nonprofit and for profit."

http://cmsimg.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=BL&Date=20100124&Category=LIFE&ArtNo=1240321&Ref=AR&Profile=1005&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0

http://cmsimg.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=BL&Date=20100124&Category=LIFE&ArtNo=1240321&Ref=V2&Profile=1005&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0
This space at the Delaware Children’s Museum will be home to the three-story Stratosphere, a climbing structure intended for kids of all abilities, built by Tom Luckey, a Connecticut architect-sculptor.

http://cmsimg.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=BL&Date=20100124&Category=LIFE&ArtNo=1240321&Ref=H3&Profile=1005&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0
The Delaware Children's Museum is looking for a name for its new tugboat and hopes some Delaware child can create it.

http://cmsimg.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=BL&Date=20100124&Category=LIFE&ArtNo=1240321&Ref=V4&Profile=1005&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0

http://cmsimg.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=BL&Date=20100124&Category=LIFE&ArtNo=1240321&Ref=H5&Profile=1005&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0
Among the exhibits will be the water table, which will simulate the state’s waterway.

http://cmsimg.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=BL&Date=20100124&Category=LIFE&ArtNo=1240321&Ref=V6&Profile=1005&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0
The sculls will allow kids to row along a Digiwall.

http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20100124/LIFE/1240321/1005/LIFE/Kids--place-rises-on-Riverfront

xzmattzx

January 26th, 2010, 05:55 AM

A casino on the 7th Street Peninsula is back on the drawing board again.

Gambling in Delaware: Developer revives casino proposal
Wilmington site first mentioned in 2005

Armed with a market analysis that says the development of a casino on Wilmington's Seventh Street Peninsula would add significant tax dollars to the state's coffers, gaming developers are pushing forward with a roughly $200 million casino project for the site.

F&M Peninsula LLC said Thursday it has moved to strengthen the project's team by adding two partners with experience in casino operations and major construction. In addition, it will begin distributing a fresh market survey to lawmakers this week that shows a gaming outlet on the peninsula could boost overall gaming revenues by as much as 24 percent.

Any additional gaming venues in Delaware would require new legislation, because the 1994 law that legalized slot machines restricted gambling to the state's three horse-racing tracks.

To round out the team's expertise, F&M brought in gaming veteran Leonard DeAngelo of Palm Beach, Fla., formerly senior vice president of Asian operations at Las Vegas Sands Corp., and Daniel J. Keating III, head of the Keating Group in Philadelphia, said Larry Tarabicos, the company's Wilmington attorney. DeAngelo also was an executive vice president of operations at Penn National Gaming Inc. from 2003 to 2008. A Keating company served as construction manager for the Mohegan Sun casino at Pocono Downs in Wilkes Barre, Pa., among other casino projects.

F&M's other partners are Kevin Flynn of Philadelphia and George Miller of Atlantic City, who masterminded the $429 million Harrah's Chester Casino & Racetrack in Chester, Pa.

The addition of DeAngelo and Keating indicates the developer is undaunted in pursuing its proposal to build a casino on the forlorn urban industrial site bounded by the Christina River and the Brandywine, an idea that has been talked about for five years.

Earlier this month, the state Sports and Video Lottery Commission sent lawmakers a separate gaming study commissioned by the state that carried a footnote saying the commission opposed the study's recommendation for two additional gaming outlets.

Study touts revenues

The F&M analysis bolsters the findings of the state-commissioned study that adding two casinos would increase tax revenues and save the state from losing significant market share to increasing regional competition, Tarabicos said. He said he thinks the vast majority of lawmakers will place a lot of weight on the study done for the state by TMG Consulting of New Orleans.

"Obviously, in the end the legislators are going to do what's right for the taxpayer," Tarabicos said.

F&M is a newcomer among developers jockeying to build a casino on Wilmington's waterfront. The company agreed in November to buy 20 acres on the peninsula from a group of Delaware businessmen that had proposed a casino for the site in 2005.

"We identified the fact that our group doesn't have the experience to build and operate a casino, so we went to the market and found some extremely qualified people who we believe create the best opportunity for Delaware," said landowner Andrew Aerenson, a Wilmington lawyer who was part of the earlier group, which planned to build a $300 million entertainment complex on the site. "Experience matters."

Flynn, a real estate developer, said the deal with Aerenson is contingent on the passage of state legislation to allow additional gaming venues and development approvals.

Gambling in Delaware is currently limited to the horse-racing tracks in Dover, Harrington and Stanton. Until last summer, gambling at those venues was limited to slot machines and electronic versions of table games. The General Assembly legalized sports betting and is in the process of approving live table games. Some legislators also are championing adding casinos in New Castle and Sussex counties.

In December, F&M commissioned a market analysis by Morowitz Gaming Advisors LLC of Galloway, N.J. According to the study, the first phase of the project would include 1,500 "gaming positions" at a combination of slots and table games, a combination food court, coffee shop or a buffet. An entertainment-bar area could offer live entertainment. It would open by 2012.

Phase II would expand the casino to 2,000 slots or table games, and add retail, dining and entertainment. The final phase would increase capacity to 2,600 slots and table games and possibly add a hotel.

According to the Morowitz analysis, which assumes table games will be legalized, a new casino in Wilmington could increase state gambling revenues from 13 percent to 24 percent for the year 2012, compared with projected revenues from the three existing casinos. The increase would depend on the size of the Wilmington facility, the study says.

Assessing the impact

Morowitz' study also forecasts that the addition of 1,500 tables and slots at the proposed casino would result in a 10 percent decline in projected 2012 revenues at Delaware Park Racing, Slots & Golf, the Delaware casino closest to Wilmington.

Earlier this month, a state-commissioned market study predicted that gambling revenues in Delaware could rise 56.5 percent in 2013 with the addition of two outlets. But the study also said new casinos in the state would have a "severe negative impact on the existing gaming operators," with a projected decline of 12.4 percent in revenues at the existing racinos.

The state Sports and Video Lottery Commission sent the study to lawmakers with a footnote that said the commission "opposes the de facto finding in the report that would recommend two additional video lottery facilities, due to the potential job losses, notwithstanding any net job gains, the potential damage to the horse racing industry and destabilization of the three current video lottery facilities."

The study commissioned by F&M said in addition to adding revenues, its proposed casino would spur economic development in an "area of Wilmington that is most in need of investment."

The decision involving additional outlets now rests with lawmakers.

http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=20101220345

HOME in D-ware

January 31st, 2010, 06:44 PM

xzmattzx

February 2nd, 2010, 02:10 AM

The Wilmington Department of Planning has released an update to their 2004 document revealing progressive ideas for the future.

2030 Vision for Wilmington (http://www.wilmingtonde.gov/pdf/CoW-Mayors-Vision-Report-2009.pdf)
City of Wilmington : www.wilmingtonde.gov

Great find! Here's what I think of a few things:

Second Street Corridor: This is a bad idea that is reminiscent of demolishing a string of blocks to build I-95. The financial and social cost of demolishing entire city blocks does not equal the benefit of wider roads and light rail. Traffic is fine, since traffic lights are synchronized. Light rail should probably start where it would make the most sense, which to me is connecteding Center City with Trolley Square and surrounding neighborhoods, so that locals with nice houses and work in the office buildings downtown can use light rail instead of driving (creates congestion) or walking (too slow) or riding the bus (negative perceptions; not as much of a "city experience").

400 Block of Market Street: We finally see what is planned to go in that gap between the old buildings. I'm fine with it, now hopefully a developer sees potential and builds it.

Shipley Street Corridor: A good idea, but I don't see it working. The only way that Shipley Street will become a successful retail/commercial corridor is if Market Street literally overflows with businesses. Otherwise, the perception that it's too far away because it's not in the row of businesses like the other places will be too much to overcome. However, I think the parking lots along Shipley Street, Orange Street, etc should be eyed for midrises or some sort of different use (a sports facility like an aquatic center? A convention center? A hockey arena?).

7th Street Peninsula: If I had my way, this would be a National Park about the Swedes in Delaware, and it could be tied in with the Kalmar Nyckel (its shipyard is already there), Old Swedes, and The Rocks located in Christina Park.

Old Asbury: This is the first time that I've heard this idea, and it's probably overdue. This is potentially prime riverfront land to be developed. I'm not sure about the "Old Asbury" name, though? Where did it come? Why would someone call this area Old Asbury over simply considering it part of the Riverfront? Also, I wonder if anything down there is worth preserving. There's some nice brick buildings down there, and I think some should be renovated and re-used. I'll have to find my photothread on the Riverfront, I included this forgotten part of the neighborhood and you can see some of these interesting buildings.

Central Park/Wetlands (South Wilmington): Is this plan even on the table anymore? Obviously, the buildings envisioned where the Shop Rite is won't get built. I'm fine with the Shop Rite, but someone needs to update that picture.

Joe84323

February 2nd, 2010, 08:12 AM

That vision was kinda lame.

Traffic, on W. 2nd Street? WHERE?

Are they serious?

jaysonjaz

February 27th, 2010, 05:24 PM

Heard a cool rumor on suptonight.com

Our sources have told us that there is a "significant movie theater" in the works for Justison Landing.

The area is already "staked out" and will house 14 movie theaters. This is a huge development for a riverfront project that was struggling to land tenants. This movie theater will extend to what looks to be underneath the I-95 corridor.

Look for big things to happen at the riverfront this year with the new restaurant FIRESTONE that is taking the place of C.W. Harborside.

Man would that be awesome.. I hope it happens!

xzmattzx

February 28th, 2010, 04:10 AM

That sounds interesting. It sounds like it would make good use of the land under I-95; land underneath highways tends to become little more than dumpland.

HOME in D-ware

March 2nd, 2010, 02:00 AM

jaysonjaz

March 2nd, 2010, 03:54 PM

^^

Well, this must be the place. The web page is labeled "Penn Cinema Riverfront - Wilmington, DE" and that's how it was linked to Google.

http://penncinemariverfront.com
Penn Cinema : JKR Partners LLC

:banana:IMAX! Awesome.. there aren't any real IMAXs anywhere nearby That will be a great draw for the area:banana:

HOME in D-ware

March 12th, 2010, 01:45 AM

A proposed plant near Delaware City may replace the oil recycling plant positioned between the Christina River and S. Market Street in Wilmington. Therefore the industrial site, located across the street from Christina Crossing Shopping Center and across the river from Big Fish Grill, could become available for redevelopment.

Riverfront oil recycler could shut under plan
'Green' facility near Del. City would open

By JEFF MONTGOMERY • The News Journal • March 7, 2010

A recently troubled oil recycling plant on Wilmington's waterfront would shut down under a Baltimore-based company's plan to build a new, larger operation in a vacant factory north of Delaware City.

FCC Environmental notified the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control that the new, $40 million operation at the shuttered Kaneka Corp. site along River Road would replace the former International Petroleum Co. plant along the 500 block of S. Market St.

The current business stands along the the Christina River opposite Frawley Stadium.

DNREC is taking public comments through March 16 on the need for a Coastal Zone Act permit for the new operation. State law bans construction of new heavy industries inside a 275,000 acre tract along the Delaware River, Delaware Bay and Atlantic Coast.

In recent letters to DNREC, FCC said its used oil processing and recycling center would use a new process but would not qualify as a heavy industry. The new site would, however, handle about 24 million gallons of used oil and 30 million gallons of industrial wastewater annually at full production, collect used oils, antifreeze and oil filters by truck and rail car from Delaware and parts of surrounding states.

Fifty-eight above-ground storage tanks would be placed on the new site, totaling about 4 million gallons, compared with the two million gallon-plus storage tanks at the South Market Street operation.

"FCC's proposed facility at 1685 River Road would give Delaware a 'green,' sustainable recycling operation that only five other states in the country presently have," the company said in its application.

Closing the Wilmington plant "will reduce congestion and industrial activity in the urban areas of Wilmington and help the Christina Riverfront in Wilmington become a new center for leisure and conference activity," the company said. "The net impacts on the environment will be minimal."

Lorraine Fleming, a Delaware Nature Society member who served on a panel that drafted the regulations that now guide Coastal Zone decisions, said she wanted to review the proposal in detail.

"In this case, I'm afraid there might be a fine line between heavy industry and a recycling plant," Fleming said.

FCC's proposal notes that the company would use a new technology that would yield a "more sustainable" recycling operation. Its application lists tanks, distillation columns, chemical processing equipment and scrubbing towers among its equipment, all part of the inventory of manufacturing and heavy industry operations.

Company managers said the new plant would allow retention of 48 jobs now in Wilmington, and could hire another 25 workers. Failure to open the Delaware site could shift work to Pennsylvania, costing the Wilmington site 23 jobs.

International Petroleum, now Hydrocarbon Recovery Services, spilled 2,100 gallons of oil from a ruptured hose into the Christina in 2006. The spill affected 7.2 miles of the tidal Christina's shoreline and 1.5 miles of the Brandywine. DNREC early last year proposed a $194,011 environmental damage settlement for the mishap.
delawareonline
March 11, 2010
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/p...ID=20103070356

njwong

March 22nd, 2010, 11:01 PM

HOME in D-ware

March 26th, 2010, 03:24 AM

I wanted to let everyone know that my family and I are opening another Thai restaurant on 3rd and Market.

This is exciting news! People love Jeenwongs in the Riverfront Market.

That part of Market Street is really looking great these days and I can’t wait until World Café Live from the Queen (theatre) opens. Is Lincoln Square the new name for the building on the east side of the 300 block of N. Market, once known as the Lippincott Building?

Does anyone know if the Crosby Hill, LoMa, and Ships Tavern districts are all the same place, or does each block of lower N. Market Street have its own name?

njwong

March 26th, 2010, 11:02 PM

Does anyone know if the Crosby Hill, LoMa, and Ships Tavern districts are all the same place, or does each block of lower N. Market Street have its own name?

They want to call that part of Market 200 and 300 Lincoln Square/Loma District. They are trying to steer away all the negative thoughts of Market Street by changing the name. Also the Rebel might be reopen as an Italian bistro soon.

xzmattzx

March 27th, 2010, 05:36 AM

Hey Gang!

Sorry I've been out of the loop so long! It has been crazy busy for me. I wanted to let everyone know that my family and I are opening another Thai restaurant on 3rd and Market. Here's a link for my Facebook page. Hope to see everyone there in Sept.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wilmington-DE/Ubon-Thai-Cuisine-Restaurant-Lounge-and-Catering/348587534200

Sounds good. Is it in the Lippincott building?

They want to call that part of Market 200 and 300 Lincoln Square/Loma District. They are trying to steer away all the negative thoughts of Market Street by changing the name. Also the Rebel might be reopen as an Italian bistro soon.

So now they're throwing around a "Lincoln Square" name? None of these names will stick if they keep coming up with new ones every 3 to 5 years.

LoMa (what a phony name) = Ships Tavern (also a modern name, but unique and better in my opinion). Crosby Hill is farther north, LoMa and Crosby Hill overlap slightly (Ships Tavern is just up to 4th Street, LoMa goes to 6th Street maybe?). I just call all of it Market Street now.

njwong

April 13th, 2010, 04:40 AM

Sounds good. Is it in the Lippincott building?

Yes that's it.

xzmattzx

April 19th, 2010, 05:09 AM

The Children's Museum opened earlier in the month, but the structure still needs some work. I'm not sure what they plan on doing with the steel skeleton for the old volcano; apparently signage will go there but I haven't seen any renderings.

black/dahlia

April 30th, 2010, 03:51 AM

I haven't heard anything. The mayor mentioned it just to throw it out there and see if it stuck, but that was maybe 5 years ago. His plan was pretty bold; he suggested demolishing several city blocks to keep streets as they are, so maybe that's why it never stuck.

Nice find. I was wondering what would go on with that. I hadn't seen any work since they announced it.

They are going to build a new tower, and other expansions...

Probably will open up about 500-600 new jobs... (hopefully :ohno:)

*fingas crossed*:cheers:

xzmattzx

May 6th, 2010, 06:32 AM

A European-style gambling club in Wilmington? That would definitely put the city on the national map for rich people if it happened.

By the way, does this mean that the Aloft Hotel project has stalled?

Gambling in Delaware: Gaming club proposed for downtown Wilmington
Exclusive venue would have no slots, $10,000 fee

An exclusive, members-only club with gambling, a hefty annual membership fee and a posh restaurant is being pitched for Wilmington's Market Street.

A group of investors wants the General Assembly to grant them a special gambling license, one they say would allow them to open an exclusive club targeting wealthy executives and help revitalize the downtown area.

Delaware Development Associates, the group behind the project, has signed a letter of intent to purchase the building at 838 N. Market St., which formerly housed the main office of WSFS Bank.

The Bank, as it would be called, would offer high-stakes gaming, including table games and sports betting, a lounge, rooftop deck and nightclub, Karl Agne, an investor in the project, said. The venue would not offer slot machines.

Rep. John Viola, D-Newark, filed legislation Tuesday that would give Delaware Development Associates a special gaming license, provided that the club has fewer than 5,000 members and charges an annual membership fee of at least $10,000 a year.

While the proposal differs from other recent attempts to open new gambling venues, legislators have so far resisted any effort to allow gambling outside the three racetracks where it is now permitted.

"It's a good economic opportunity for the state and the city of Wilmington," said Viola, who has opposed other efforts to expand the number of casinos in the state.

Gambling would be limited to members, who would pay an annual fee of $10,000, Agne said. The general public would have access to a restaurant on the ground floor, he said.

The model melds European-style private gaming clubs with country clubs, Agne said, and would be unlike any other private club on the East Coast because of the gambling element.

"We've got a unique concept," Agne said.

Members would travel from large nearby cities to relax or make business deals, Agne said, adding that more than 100 people have already signed letters of intent to join the club.

Viola's bill would levy a $1 million one-time license fee and require the club to pay 6.75 percent of the revenue from table games in taxes, a smaller percentage than the state's racinos will pay when their table games begin. The bill also claims the project would create 150 permanent jobs.

Supporters hope the proposal will be considered apart from the push by other lawmakers for the approval of two new full-fledged casinos, one in Wilmington and another in Sussex County.

That legislation, House Bill 194, has stalled after a vote promised in March was cancelled when it became clear the bill didn't have enough support.
House Majority Leader Pete Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth Beach, said the new-casino legislation isn't dead yet, and that he continues to have conversations with people who oppose and support expanding gambling in the state every day.

http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20100505/NEWS02/5050336/1006/NEWS

doctorjef

May 6th, 2010, 01:33 PM

Oh yeah, I'd just love to see the sleaziest variety of capitalist and some "classy" mobsters contributing to our economy here. No thanks. :ohno:

xzmattzx

May 7th, 2010, 05:47 AM

I'm fine with it. It would bring an ounce to fame to Wilmington, and put it on the map in pop culture. I would think that a few famous people would be interested in joining this place. As far as their riches go, I don't have a problem with that either, since there are probably people that are poorer than me that would likewise complain about my opportunities to spend money on frivolous things a few times a year.

doctorjef

May 7th, 2010, 12:59 PM

It's not the frivolous spending that I find problematic. However, there are lots of people with the money to potentially join such a club and gamble there who aren't "famous" in the general popular culture. Some of them might have notoriety in the hardcore, high stakes gambling culture, but I hardly see how that would help Wilmington overall. This thing would be a kind of segregated cocoon that would not be helpful to Wilmington's economic development, apart from the temporary jobs to construct the complex and the mostly low paid jobs to staff it. I find it pathetic that people would worry themselves over things like the height and density of Wilmington's skyline, whether it has something "famous" or "famous", fluffy people coming here for some transient purpose. Sustained development proceeds organically, not as the result of some isolated bit of showiness. The proposed exclusive gambling club has about as much merit as Mayor Baker's idea of building a high-rise office and shopping complex on top of I-95. Try getting real!

xzmattzx

May 10th, 2010, 01:00 AM

Good point, and I wonder if it will help the rest of Market Street as well. I would hope that with the gaming club being so close to the opera house, that maybe you could have a one-block pocket of things that would cater to the rich. Hopefully the prospect of filling the potential demands of the members that can't be met with the club (live entertainment, tax-free upscale shopping, etc) will spread south down the street. Then, with such upscale places up the hill, you could possibly get businesses that cater to us regular people and try to leech onto the upscale atmosphere as much as possible. It's a long way to go towards renovating the entire street, but I see some possibility.

HOME in D-ware

May 11th, 2010, 07:26 PM

jaysonjaz

May 14th, 2010, 10:16 PM

that is GREAT news!! I'm so happy to see that this might just happen

jaysonjaz

May 14th, 2010, 10:21 PM

Anyone see the article about them wanting to put a casino in the city again?

http://www.wdel.com/story.php?id=231961476473
From WDEL
Plans for a Riverfront casino
By Peter MacArthur

Blueprints for a $100-million casino on Wilmington's riverfront are back on the table.

Deveoper Hunter Lott's plans inlcude a 120 room hotel and a 100,000 square foot casino on a piece of land his company owns at Walnut and A Streets in the city.

Lott says the plans also include three ways to get to the casino from I-95 and I-495 with distances from the exits of a mile or less.

Also in the proposal, a parking garage across the river that could hold 1800 cars. Lott says once up and running, the casino could accomodate three thousand people a day and would employ 800.

My thought is that casinos don't really bring prosperity or any real value to the communities. Its ok if they want to build something, but i'm much more excited about the IMAX than this thing.

jaysonjaz

May 14th, 2010, 10:46 PM

Webpage for the casino

http://www.riverwalkpartners.com/

njwong

May 15th, 2010, 02:01 AM

Anyone see the article about them wanting to put a casino in the city again?

[url]

My thought is that casinos don't really bring prosperity or any real value to the communities. Its ok if they want to build something, but i'm much more excited about the IMAX than this thing.

I really hope this doesn't pass. I agree I can't see it being prosperous for wilmington. I would rather them spend the money on an Aquarium! How great would that be for the city? We need more attraction down there not just restaurants and offices. Look at the start building! Sitting there empty for almost a year already.

xzmattzx

May 17th, 2010, 03:13 PM

Here's the News Journal article about the casino:

Gambling in Delaware: $100M Wilmington casino project revived
Developers anticipate expansion of gambling

A casino development proposed for Wilmington's waterfront that has been languishing on the drawing board since 2003 has been reborn as a $100 million gaming playground in anticipation of legislative action to expand casino gambling in Delaware.

This week, Riverwalk Partners LLC, which includes Wilmington real estate developers Hunter Lott and Denis O'Sullivan, released drawings for a 120-room hotel and a 100,000-square-foot casino at Walnut and A streets called Riverwalk.

"Riverwalk hotel and casino is a shovel-ready, quick-to-market $100 million economic development engine for Wilmington," Lott said.

The presentation was timed to encourage lawmakers who might be sitting on the fence about proposed legislation to add two gaming venues in the state, including one in the city of Wilmington, Lott said. The clock is ticking for passage of the bill during the current legislative session, but Lott said he and his partners are "optimistic" it will get through.

For 16 years, casino gambling in Delaware has been limited to the state's three horse-racing tracks, in Harrington, Dover and Stanton.

"We wanted to let them know we're for real," Lott said. "We've got our oar in the water big time."

To give the project credibility, Lott and O'Sullivan teamed up with KG Urban Enterprises of New York City. KG Urban, which specializes in urban casinos, developed the Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem, Pa., and is working on a casino project in New Bedford, Mass., said William Lee, director of KG Urban.

The Wilmington site makes sense for so-called "urban gaming" because of its proximity to the water, transportation hubs and Riverfront amenities such as its restaurants and riverside walk, Lee said.

"There are things to do other than play in a casino," Lee said. "While there are three casinos in Delaware, there are many casinos in the area. To compete, it really needs to be unique, a different experience."

Lee calls Riverwalk a "boutique" casino because it is not a "slots-in-a-box" located in a suburban "island." Plans call for 1,500 slot machines and 45 table games. The 12-acre parcel that extends 1,200 feet along the river would accommodate parking for 1,800 cars. The project would employ 800 people and draw an estimated 3,000 visitors a day, the developers said.

Competing plans
The Riverwalk proposal, which neighbors the Christina Landing residential development, is among several in Wilmington that would have to compete to win the prized gaming license if the legislation were to pass.

Other sites that have been proposed for the city include the Seventh Street Peninsula, the former NVF property at Maryland Avenue and Beech Street and a parcel in Southbridge.

Kevin Flynn Sr., a partner in F&M Peninsula LLC, which has an option on the Seventh Street land, said his group has done all its preparation and is still in the game.

"The only thing we're waiting for is to see if additional venues would be approved. It would be nice to get started," Flynn said. I wish the [lawmakers] would make up their minds and tell us yes or no. People are spending a lot of money."

Jerome Heisler Jr., one of the owners of the NVF site, said he hasn't lost interest in a casino development. But he had no other comment about his project.

Gregory Pettinaro of Pettinaro Enterprises in Newark said his roughly 22-acre parcel on A Street in Southbridge is still in play, but lawmakers "haven't done anything yet."

Area could expand

One of a handful of amendments to the proposed legislation on the table would broaden the area of eligibility in northern Delaware to all of New Castle County, and there has been behind-the-scenes discussion that that amendment could give the bill some momentum.

One site that's been mentioned as a potential site for a casino is just outside the city near the Delaware River. Frank Acierno, who owns land on Governor Printz Boulevard across from his Merchants Square shopping center property, said he's "absolutely" interested in doing a casino project if legislation passes. Acierno called his 17-acre site -- where a long-vacant movie theater now stands -- "perfect" for a gambling outlet.

"I'm working with a major casino company as an operating partner," Acierno said.

Another tract in the county that developers consider eligible is the Tri-State Mall on Naamans Road in Claymont. But Joseph Maguire, president of the Rosen Organization in Boca Raton, Fla., which owns the mall, said his company is not considering a casino for the property.

The developers of Riverwalk have put together a 36-page report on urban gaming in the United States that they have shared with some lawmakers, Lee said.

"The Riverwalk site is ideal for the development of a true urban casino in an authentic urban environment," the report reads.

Lee said he's confident the project could secure financing.

Should the law be passed, Lott said, his group is ready to move. Construction could be completed within 18 months to two years from the day the bill is signed, according to Michael Kostow, an architect with Kostow Greenwood, which is handling the design.

Meanwhile, all the developers are watching the action in Dover.

"I think it's a clearly a challenge, but we are optimistic that the sponsors will get it passed in the House and through the Senate by June 30," said Dave Press, a lobbyist for Riverwalk Partners.

http://cmsimg.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=BL&Date=20100514&Category=NEWS02&ArtNo=5140343&Ref=AR&Profile=1007&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0
View facing southeast

http://cmsimg.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=BL&Date=20100514&Category=NEWS02&ArtNo=5140343&Ref=V2&Profile=1007&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0
The Riverwalk at Walnut and A streets would include a 120-room hotel and 100,000-square-foot casino.

http://cmsimg.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=BL&Date=20100514&Category=NEWS02&ArtNo=5140343&Ref=H3&Profile=1007&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0
Placing the hotel and casino on Wilmington's waterfront makes sense because "there are things to do other than play in a casino," said William Lee of KG Urban Enterprises, a New York City casino developer.

http://cmsimg.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=BL&Date=20100514&Category=NEWS02&ArtNo=5140343&Ref=V4&Profile=1007&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0

http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=20105140343

jaysonjaz

May 17th, 2010, 05:27 PM

Just as an aside

Seeing this picture
http://cmsimg.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=BL&Date=20100514&Category=NEWS02&ArtNo=5140343&Ref=AR&Profile=1007&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0

makes me wonder if anyone will ever do anything with that old factory on the top left of the picture.. i've seen it from the water and it is a VERY impressive looking structure.. It has to be reused for SOMETHING! :)

Huntde93

May 19th, 2010, 10:09 PM

So heres a question for you guys.. what is it like to live in Wilimington? Do any of you actually live in Wilmington or just the surrounding area? Are there any nice neighborhoods in the city that are akin to Federal Hill, Fells Point, or Canton in Baltimore..

I've driven through parts that look like nice urban neighborhoods and wondered what it was like to live there..

For high school kids like me it's nothing special....
I hardly ever go into the actual city of Wilmington because I have no reason to, but I do live very close (within walking distance) to the I-95 entrance in the picture above your post. Everything in Wilmington is businesses and banks and everything worth going to is in the burbs of downtown ex. Concord Mall, Harmony Grange, etc. With the exception of the Farley Stadium if anyone even cares about the Blue Rocks because that's in the actual city...... :\

jaysonjaz

May 20th, 2010, 04:02 PM

For high school kids like me it's nothing special....
I hardly ever go into the actual city of Wilmington because I have no reason to, but I do live very close (within walking distance) to the I-95 entrance in the picture above your post. Everything in Wilmington is businesses and banks and everything worth going to is in the burbs of downtown ex. Concord Mall, Harmony Grange, etc. With the exception of the Farley Stadium if anyone even cares about the Blue Rocks because that's in the actual city...... :\

Ha! Thats funny that you responded back to that question. I wrote that one 5 years ago when I was living in Baltimore and didn't know too much about this city... Now my wife and I are living here in the Ninth Ward and we totally in love Wilmington. :)

Wilmores

May 21st, 2010, 03:26 PM

Ha! Thats funny that you responded back to that question. I wrote that one 5 years ago when I was living in Baltimore and didn't know too much about this city... Now my wife and I are living here in the Ninth Ward and we totally in love Wilmington. :)

I live in the Little Italy neighborhood. Between Little Italy and Trolley Square there over 10 bars and restaurants within walking distance of my house. I love it. Not only that but access to I-95, other major cities, and attractions in the suburbs are just a short drive away. I think Wilmington is a great place to live.

jaysonjaz

May 21st, 2010, 04:14 PM

Wilmores

May 22nd, 2010, 06:09 AM

I was just in Trolley this morning. I had breakfast at Eeffoc's cafe.. it was great, but it got me thinking about why does Trolley Square do so well, while many of the restaurants downtown struggle. Where is the breakdown that keeps downtown from being a great place for night life as well?

My observation is that in the Trolley Square area you have a large "live in" population that has expendable income. Meaning, there are a lot of people living around there that like to go out and can afford to.

Downtown does not have the same dynamic. There are very few people with expendable income living near Market St.

Furthermore, Trolley Square has established itself as a middle income - low crime place for a long period of time, whereas downtown (Market St.) has established itself as a low income, crime ridden area for a long time.

I feel safe walking to all places in Trolley Square and Little Italy at all times. For me to go downtown I'd have to pass through some neighborhoods that are the usual locations of many of WIlmington's shootings and drug deals.

Trolley Square has what people are looking for and Market St. does not. As long as you have to worry about walking a block away from Market St. if you are there it will never have the same draw as Trolley Square, imo.

HOME in D-ware

May 28th, 2010, 02:55 PM

I haven’t seen or heard much about the cinema proposed for ‘Parcel 7’ located along the realigned S Madison Street between Harlan Blvd and Beech Street. We are likely to learn more within the next couple of months.

The only public rendering of Penn Cinema Riverfront. www.penncinemariverfront.com

http://penncinemariverfront.com/main_image.png

The theatre is already listed on the IMAX website as “New Theatre Opening Soon” along with the IMAX addition to the original Penn Cinema. www.imax.com/theatres/showtimes/Penn_Cinema_Wilmington/ (search Wilmington, DE for location)

Penn Cinema is an independently owned theatre near Lititz, PA. It is named after the owner, Penn Ketchum. The theatre is very popular in Lancaster County because of its customer friendly and community-rooted atmosphere. It’s not your typical chain theater as the management responds regularly to customer feedback. In addition to all the latest blockbusters, they show a wide selection of classics chosen by fans as well as LIVE events like NYC opera, the World Series & Super Bowl, and popular concerts.

Checkout the following article, review, and videos for a look at Penn Cinema.

http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/252885

http://monsoonmartin.squarespace.com/journal/2008/5/27/monsoons-penn-cinema-review.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIEBHieJkZw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDtDnZhlbaA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgPtxehpmfk

The latest info on the Penn Cinema Riverfront project:

from JKR Partners LLC
http://www.jkrpartners.com/news/index.html
2 New Penn Cinema Projects

JKR Partners is currently designing two new construction Penn Cinema theater projects in Lititz, Pennsylvania and Wilmington, Delaware. The Lititz project will feature a 425-seat IMAX theater in a 20,000-square-foot-complex located near the existing Penn Cinema 14-screen multiplex. The new building that also includes two 5,000-square-foot restaurants will be separated from the existing theater by a courtyard. The $5 million project is designed to complement the massing and materiality of the existing building. One design objective for the exterior of the theater was to express the unique profile of the IMAX by emphasizing the angles of the stadium seating and sloped ceiling. The interior design combines industrial elements such as concrete floors and exposed roof structure, with more refined and whimsical elements such as sophisticated lighting and painted graphics, creating an overall balance that feels casual, fun and fresh. Construction is set to begin this summer with the grand opening scheduled for this November.

The second project, Penn Cinema Riverfront will be located in the downtown riverfront area of Wilmington, Delaware. This theater will have 15-full stadium seating auditoriums along with a full IMAX. The state-of-the-art theater will fit in contextually with the surrounding entertainment district by incorporating the industrial feel but with a flair for the dramatic that is consistent with a cinema. The large scale of the building along with dramatic lighting and timeless finishes will serve as an anchor for the development.

Construction is scheduled to start this fall with the theater’s opening Memorial Day 2011.
May 28, 2010

xzmattzx

May 28th, 2010, 04:28 PM

jaysonjaz

May 28th, 2010, 07:26 PM

You guys are doign good on finding information on this theater. I haven't seen a single thing in the News Journal on it.

I'm wondering how industrial architecture is going to pair up with theatrical flair. It sounds like on the surface it's going to be a clash of styles.

I think it will look pretty good.. I'm interested to see how it articulates with 95... supposedly its going to go under the interstate :)

jaysonjaz

June 1st, 2010, 12:23 AM

Drove by this the other day.. Looks pretty good

http://www.wdel.com/story.php?id=479845776487

Friday, May 28, 2010 - 3:24pm
H.B. du Pont Plaza gets facelift
By Amy Cherry

Updated Saturday, May 29, 2010 - 2:40am

WDEL's Amy Cherry checked it out.
The H-B du Pont Plaza in downtown Wilmington gets a $375,000 facelift.

The small triangle oasis at the intersection of West and 11th Streets and Delaware Avenue is a peaceful palce for people to get away from the hustle and bustle of a busy work day. Mayor Jim Baker also has big plans for this plaza.

"People are getting married here. There are lot of weddings coming up here. We hope that the business community will appreciate it. We also want to use it as a performing arts place."

Hilde Bachtel's late husband designed this space in 1975, and she says he'd be proud of its renaissance.

"This is something that my husband would have been very, very pleased to see. It's the way a park should look."

The plaza has a new centerpiece fountain, benches, and solar-powered trash cans.

xzmattzx

June 1st, 2010, 06:47 PM

Thanks for the article. HB DuPont Park is a great pocket park (probably my favorite). Hopefully the veteran's memorial isn't overshadowed by the fountain.

I wonder what the mayor means by using the park as a performing arts center. It's a pretty small place...

jaysonjaz

June 2nd, 2010, 06:40 PM

I wonder what the mayor means by using the park as a performing arts center. It's a pretty small place...

Sounds like political gobbidy gook :)
Even if you have street performers there, it would hardly qualify as a "performing arts center"

jaysonjaz

June 12th, 2010, 04:09 AM

Just heard a blurb about this on WDEL tonight.

http://www.wdel.com/story.php?id=619764776501

The City of Wilmington breaks ground on a new $8 million housing community as part their overall goal to strengthen inner-city neighborhoods.

This space at Cedar and Coleman Streets in the city's Browntown section was once a mulch pit. Then, it was going to house a community center, and now, finally, this long vacant space will be a place 40 families can call home.

Mayor Baker says, "This is a huge piece of ground, which is really just an industrial property. So to make it into a very useful community is very,very important to the City, and also it connects closer and closer to the riverfront."

The Christina Overlook is the city's latest effort to revitalize neighborhoods.

Browntown residents say they're excited about the changes coming to their community. "This project will really help Browntown. We don't need any more rundown houses."

Most of the homes at Christina Overlook will be sold at market rate, but seven units will be designated as income restricted to preserve income diversity in the neighborhood.

Coldspring

June 15th, 2010, 03:19 PM

Drove by this the other day.. Looks pretty good

http://www.wdel.com/story.php?id=479845776487

Solar Powered Trash Cans??? What do they do.. compact the trash?

Do they offer cruises from Wilmington?? I guess the City wouldnt be competative with Philly and Baltimore nearby?If that casino ever gets built and there was a cruise terminal with it.. it seems like it could be a real boost for the City. Even if the major cruise lines avoid the City.. maybe a chesapeake or Delaware River Cruise (south) could be profitable on much smaller ships

jaysonjaz

June 15th, 2010, 11:00 PM

Solar Powered Trash Cans??? What do they do.. compact the trash?

Yup.. they have them around the Inner Harbor in Bmore

Do they offer cruises from Wilmington?? I guess the City wouldnt be competative with Philly and Baltimore nearby?If that casino ever gets built and there was a cruise terminal with it.. it seems like it could be a real boost for the City. Even if the major cruise lines avoid the City.. maybe a chesapeake or Delaware River Cruise (south) could be profitable on much smaller ships

I know they don't offer Cruises out of Wilmington, but my father in law has told me stories about Cruises that went out of Philly and came down the C+D Canal. So I know it could be done

jaysonjaz

June 16th, 2010, 03:25 AM

Founds some pics of Christina Overlook on the city's website

http://www.wilmingtonde.gov/newsroom/2010/0611_browntown_housing_community.html

http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/7227/christinaoverlookrender.th.jpg (http://img15.imageshack.us/i/christinaoverlookrender.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)
http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/5940/brownstoneschristinaove.th.jpg (http://img36.imageshack.us/i/brownstoneschristinaove.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

jaysonjaz

June 22nd, 2010, 05:02 AM

Saw the signs for Ubon Thai on Market Street had been taken down. Any idea if they're still going through with the plans for the place?

aquasax

August 16th, 2010, 04:17 PM

I used to love coming here and reading updates that people have posted. I can never seem to find the articles in the NJ that are posted, with interesting happenings in Wilmo.

Anyone out there?

Any info on the riverfront cinema or hotel?

Where'd everyone go? :?

xzmattzx

August 18th, 2010, 02:45 AM

Not much going on in Wilmington, hence not much discussion. I haven't seen much going on at the Riverfront.

Work has started at Wilmington General Hospital. Actually, I have a picture of the construction, and I'll have to add it to my construction photo thread soon.

aquasax

August 18th, 2010, 05:12 PM

Yeah. I ate dinner at Domanie Hudson about a month ago and I couldn't believe what the hospital looked like.

One point of interest (and I'm not 100% sure it's technically Wilmington or not) is the Merchant's Square shopping center on Gov. Printz. They tore down the old strawbridges and have erected something new, though at this point I can't tell what. It doesnt match up with the drawing in on thier website. (http://www.alliedretailprop.com/alliedretailproperties05/05operatingproperties/merchants_sq/MRSQ_01.htm) My only guess is that it may be the supermarket. Still praying it's not a Food Lion. I also noticed yesterday that they've also started tearing up the parking lot closest to edgemoor rd.

jaysonjaz

August 19th, 2010, 05:17 AM

Why not a food lion? I live in the 9th ward and I'll take any decent grocery store in the area

Yeah. I ate dinner at Domanie Hudson about a month ago and I couldn't believe what the hospital looked like.

One point of interest (and I'm not 100% sure it's technically Wilmington or not) is the Merchant's Square shopping center on Gov. Printz. They tore down the old strawbridges and have erected something new, though at this point I can't tell what. It doesnt match up with the drawing in on thier website. (http://www.alliedretailprop.com/alliedretailproperties05/05operatingproperties/merchants_sq/MRSQ_01.htm) My only guess is that it may be the supermarket. Still praying it's not a Food Lion. I also noticed yesterday that they've also started tearing up the parking lot closest to edgemoor rd.

Huntde93

August 20th, 2010, 05:12 AM

I live in the Little Italy neighborhood. Between Little Italy and Trolley Square there over 10 bars and restaurants within walking distance of my house. I love it. Not only that but access to I-95, other major cities, and attractions in the suburbs are just a short drive away. I think Wilmington is a great place to live.

Right now I have little complaints about Delaware other than I wish we had a bigger music scene so maybe we'd have a big theater for concerts and not another crappy Dramatic Arts/Play Theater. Idk maybe I'd like DE more if we had a bigger music venue. I'd love to see The Queen Theater do concerts especially Metal being that DE has a decent Heavy Metal/Hardcore scene. FYI I'm very avid in that scene so sorry if it gets annoying hearing me talk about our "Metal Scene" and "Music Venues". Also being that I'm 16 I can't go to bars nor do I have a real interest to. I will say though that when passing Downtown Wilmington on I-95 our skyline is very nice. Maybe add some 300-500 footers in the empty spots and we'd be in business.

Huntde93

August 20th, 2010, 05:15 AM

jaysonjaz

August 22nd, 2010, 09:46 PM

This is the first i've seen about this Barley Mill Project. Its right on the Wilmington Border. If Greenville doesn't want it, I say Wilmington should annex it.

http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20100822/NEWS02/8220362/1225/COMMUNITIES

http://cmsimg.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=BL&Date=20100822&Category=NEWS02&ArtNo=8220362&Ref=V1&Profile=1225&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0

xzmattzx

August 23rd, 2010, 05:55 AM

Annexation is very unlikely. Adding city taxes into the mix of owning the land for developers would not help the cause of developing it. Wouldn't the county also have to approve the annexation? I doubt that the county is going to let a big chunk of land that will generate a lot of property taxes and other taxes slip away so easily.

I'm going to post all of the articles tomorrow when I have time (albeit in the Delaware thread, as that encompasses everything outside of Wilmington).

I mentioned this before, but the only realistic place to annex land, in my opinion, is down along Route 13 from the Riverfront to I-495. Right around that railroad bridge is where the city limits are. All of that area is junk land, though. If a comprehensive plan was put together (envisioned already) and it looked like it would begin in the next decade, then you could get the land while it's largely unwanted and not really used.

jaysonjaz

August 23rd, 2010, 06:13 AM

xzmattzx

August 24th, 2010, 04:36 AM

You're likely right.. I just don't understand opposition to this.. It sits on the Wilmington side corner of 2 four lane highways. It may be technically Greenville, but most people would likely consider it Wilmington since it would run behind Pathmark and Feeby's and all that.

Opposition is understandable because something like this will get the ball rolling on deteriorating Kennett Pike, Lancaster Pike, and Barley Mill Road. People like that those areas aren't really developed like Concord Pike was (it used to be like Kennett Pike until development came in the 1950s) and Limestone Road was (also rural until around 1980).

jaysonjaz

August 25th, 2010, 08:26 PM

Opposition is understandable because something like this will get the ball rolling on deteriorating Kennett Pike, Lancaster Pike, and Barley Mill Road. People like that those areas aren't really developed like Concord Pike was (it used to be like Kennett Pike until development came in the 1950s) and Limestone Road was (also rural until around 1980).

True, but you can't stop the suburbs right :-P

September 2nd, 2010, 05:23 AM

Found this http://www.fcdevelopmentgroup.com/Documents/Wilmington.pdf for development on the riverfront. I don't understand why this is in the form of a suburban development. It is on prime realestate that can be developed into a nice mixed-use area.

xzmattzx

September 3rd, 2010, 04:36 AM

While it isn't prime land right now, that would be a waste of land if the other side is eventually going to be built up. Where are the nearest Best Buy stores et al? Concord Pike and Kirkwood Highway? Maybe the develoer is looking to secure the city and the New Castle markets?

AndrewJM3D

September 5th, 2010, 08:23 AM

First off that rendering is beautiful, I'd love to see that be built exactly like it. The "Popular concerts" part also intrigues me depending on what they consider "Popular".

Really? It looks like a suburban big box development.

September 7th, 2010, 04:59 AM

Found Another development on Homsey Architects webpage (same architects being used for the Queen). This is the Wilmington International Hotel. http://www.homsey.com/wilmingtonhotel.html
And another. The First State Area/ Delaware State Civic Center, although this has a date of 2000, it is still on their page. http://www.homsey.com/civiccenter.html

JamesDel

September 11th, 2010, 06:32 AM

Hey everyone this is my first post. I've lived in Wilmington since 2008. I have lived in Cool Springs since March of this year and I love it. But keeping on subject, I drove down market street tonight and noticed a place called "Chelsea Tavern". There was a lot of people sitting outside and from the pictures I've seen, it looks like a really nice place. Anyone been to this place?

xzmattzx

September 12th, 2010, 03:03 AM

I never heard of it. Was it busy at night, or in the evening, or in the day? Where on Market Street is it?

JamesDel

September 12th, 2010, 03:52 AM

I never heard of it. Was it busy at night, or in the evening, or in the day? Where on Market Street is it?

It's across from the oprea house. It caught me off guard cause I was on market st. just a few days ago and didn't see it. I went by it around 12:00 am. If you build it, they will come. Like someone posted before, if there was more bars and cafes on market st, market st. could be a really big hit. Can you imagine having a street car going down market to the water front?

aquasax

September 13th, 2010, 03:01 PM

The Chelsea Tavern opend a few months ago. I want to say I went there in March or April. It had just opened at that point, and was pretty good. They occupy the old 821 Restaurant.

My first impression was that they were having trouble deciding if they wanted to be an upscale restaurant or a tavern. Items on the menu ranged from $8 sandwiches to $35 entrees. (with lots in-between). Really good beer selection. Definitely worth checking out.

If you go, check to see what's going on at the Grand, they get a lot of pre-event traffic. If somehting is starting at 7, show up at 7:10.

xzmattzx

September 14th, 2010, 03:59 AM

I'll have to check it out. Public House has been open for a while a block away and I've heard good things about it (nice young crowd, etc) but have not had a chance to have a few beers there. Between Chelsea Tavern and Public House, and the Tapas restaurant down the hill, we might finally be seeing Market Street come back.

xzmattzx

September 22nd, 2010, 04:25 AM

I drove by the Chelsea Tavern on Sunday evening. The place was pretty dead, but there were a couple people outside on the little deck. Public House had some people milling around as well. Between the two, the crowd wasn't too bad for a Sunday during the NFL season in an area trying to develop as a bar/restaurant scene.

Anyone been farther down the hill on Market Street? Some stuff is going on down there as well. The Fry Korner building is being rehabilitated and looks pretty nice so far. A place called Shenanigan's opened up on Market Street at 2nd Street in the building next to the whale mural building. In the first building in Ships Tavern Mews at 2nd & Market Street, a place called Extreme Burger is going to open.

Could Market Street be turning a corner and actually become a metro destination in the next year or two? The tapas bar is already open and people are slowly finding out about it. I wonder if these bars are going to pull together and try to get on the Halloween Loop or something to get some good exposure.

JamesDel

September 22nd, 2010, 08:44 PM

I think down the hill on market st. there is a pizza place going to open too. I'll have to check out that extreme burger when it opens. Hopefully it's a lot like five guys

njwong

October 13th, 2010, 05:59 AM

Hey Guys sorry for not updating earlier, but we are not moving to 3rd and mkt. Basically the building we were trying to move in to didn't pass ADA inspection. Right now we are looking to acquire a building on Union Street.

xzmattzx

October 15th, 2010, 05:04 PM

Here's the News Journal article on the Riverfront cinema, which we all knew abut months ago thanks to Home in D-Ware.

Delaware business: 14-screen theater planned at Riverfront
Hearing Tuesday on selling DelDOT land for proposed complex

When "Happy Feet 2" comes out in November 2011, thousands of Delawareans could be watching the animated penguins at a new multiplex theater on the city's Christina Riverfront.

The complex would have 14 screens, one of which would be a four-story IMAX theater.

But before Penn Cinema, a Lancaster, Pa.-area company, can start on the $25 million project, it needs to acquire 4.6 acres from the Delaware Department of Transportation. The property at 401 S. Madison St. was recently appraised at around $5 million, DelDOT Secretary Carolann Wicks said.

A public hearing on the proposed sale will take place Tuesday in Wilmington.

The city hasn't had a conventional movie theater since 1982. Theater N at Nemours, which opened downtown in 2002, shows independent films.

Penn Ketchum, the company's owner, estimates the complex would draw 700,000 viewers a year -- nearly 2,000 a day.

"It's incredible that so many people live in that area and it doesn't have a multiplex theater," Ketchum said. "To say the area is underserved is an understatement."

Technically, DelDOT would sell the property to the Riverfront Development Corporation, the state-assisted agency that has been in charge of revitalizing the Riverfront for more than a decade. The corporation would then sell the tract to Penn Cinema for the same price, agency Executive Director Mike Purzycki said.

"DelDOT isn't equipped or interested in negotiating the terms of the deal," he said. "We are the proper mechanism to do economic development deals on the Riverfront. If the deal doesn't work out because we can't agree on all the terms, we would simply return the property to DelDOT."

The cinema would be a big addition for the area, which has seen a wildlife refuge open in 2009 and a children's museum open earlier this year.

Purzycki said he has been trying to get a theater on the Riverfront for years. It's been difficult, because there's generally such a high demand for them that the companies get the property at a discount, which wasn't possible here. Penn thinks it can make a go of it in Wilmington, even while paying full price for the land, because of the area's need for a theater.

"We think this will drive patrons to the Riverfront in tremendous numbers," Purzycki said. "Approximately 700,000 a year is a huge number of people to service by the restaurants and other activities."

Mayor James M. Baker also said it would help revitalize the area.

"It fits in well as another entertainment venue," he said. "It's a great amenity that all great cities have."

The theater would have large lobbies; high-definition feeds for live events such as pro football, opera and concerts; and digital 3D screens, Ketchum said.

Penn has an identical complex in Lititz, 10 miles north of Lancaster, its only other operation. There are 13 screens there, and an IMAX theater is scheduled to open soon. That facility is on pace to seat more than 600,000 people this year, and it's in a less-populated area than Wilmington.

Ketchum learned of the Wilmington site because his partner is family friends with Rob and Chris Buccini of Buccini/Pollin Group Inc., the Riverfront's dominant developer.

"They heard about our success in Pennsylvania and urged us to take a look at Wilmington," Ketchum said. "We think it's an incredible opportunity and a natural fit for us."

Buccini-Pollin would be the construction manager for the project and is considering investing in it as a minority partner, company Senior Vice President Mike Hare said.

Much of the public investment in the area has been from the state, Purzycki said. That is how DelDOT came to own the property that Penn wants. It spent more than $13 million in 2006 to purchase two tracts, owned by Delmarva Power and one by DuPont Co., to create new roads and parking space for Buccini/Pollin's Justison Landing residential development and other Riverfront attractions.

The $5 million tract is left over from that purchase and has been declared as surplus by DelDOT, Wicks said. It also was a brownfield and was cleaned up using state money shortly after it was purchased in 2006.

A state report that year faulted DelDOT for spending about $6.5 million on the Riverfront for work not approved by the General Assembly. Former DelDOT Secretary Nathan Hayward, a proponent of the area's revitalization, signed $76 million in contracts for Riverfront improvements.

On Thursday, Wicks and Purzycki said it's important that Penn Cinema pay a market-rate price for the property.

"I'm in no position to be that generous," Wicks said, citing declining DelDOT budgets that has the department focused on core services, such as safety improvements, repaving and snow plowing.

Venu Gaddamidi, owner of Veritas Wine and Spirits, near the proposed theater, said he's all for the new theater, but is uneasy about potential vehicle congestion and crime issues.

"We've been waiting for it and we're definitely all for it, as long as the city and the developer realize they need to have adequate parking and security," he said. "I could definitely use the increased business."

Ed Osborne, who owns an auto-repair shop on the Riverfront, said he hopes the theater could help realize his longtime dream for the area.

"I want an Olive Garden, T.G.I. Friday's, Red Lobster and Lone Star Steakhouse on pads down here all right next to each other," he said.

The theater would be in the district of City Councilman Kevin Kelley, who said it is long overdue.

"Maybe we can get some young people in the city some jobs there," he said.

The sale is subject to approval by the state controller general, as well as the directors of the state's Office of Management and Budget and the Economic Development Office. Economic Development Director Alan Levin said he will decide after he hears from the community at Tuesday's public hearing.

"I'm looking at this with an open mind, but am reserving judgment until I hear Penn Cinema's proposal and, most importantly, input from the community," Levin said.

http://cmsimg.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=BL&Date=20101015&Category=BUSINESS&ArtNo=10150369&Ref=AR&Profile=1003&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0
A hearing is Tuesday on the sale of 4.6 acres on Madison Street for a multiplex (rendering above). DelDOT says the land is worth around $5 million.

http://cmsimg.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=BL&Date=20101015&Category=BUSINESS&ArtNo=10150369&Ref=V2&Profile=1003&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0
The multiplex is proposed for this 4.6-acre Riverfront parcel, now owned by the Delaware Department of Transportation.

http://cmsimg.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=BL&Date=20101015&Category=BUSINESS&ArtNo=10150369&Ref=V3&Profile=1003&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0

http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20101015/BUSINESS/10150369/14-screen-theater-planned-at-Riverfront

jaysonjaz

November 3rd, 2010, 04:03 AM

njwong

November 4th, 2010, 10:51 PM

thats crazy.. its a newly renovated building. How could they not build it to ADA code?

Somebody's pockets were lined well I guess.

xzmattzx

November 5th, 2010, 04:01 AM

Was this at the Lippincott Building?

njwong

November 5th, 2010, 04:49 AM

yes

xzmattzx

November 5th, 2010, 05:03 AM

That's surprising. I wonder why that environmental dry cleaner is allowed in that building.

xzmattzx

November 10th, 2010, 06:07 AM

Some murals were uncovered at the Queen Theatre:

http://cmsimg.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=BL&Date=20101109&Category=LIFE&ArtNo=11090301&Ref=AR&Profile=1005&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0
One of the three murals celebrates music. The murals, uncovered during demolition work on the Queen Theatre, in Wilmington, were in excellent condition, considering the building's state of disrepair. The murals will be lightly washed and left as is, with new plaster framing them. They will be illuminated during events.

http://cmsimg.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=BL&Date=20101109&Category=LIFE&ArtNo=11090301&Ref=V2&Profile=1005&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0

Full article here (http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20101109/LIFE/11090301)

njwong

December 2nd, 2010, 04:00 AM

Here's an article by WHYY about the 10 year anniversary of the Riverfront Market!
http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/delaware/item/8301-wilmington-marketplace-celebrates-ten-years-on-the-riverfront

njwong

December 25th, 2010, 05:06 PM

Happy Holidays!

xzmattzx

December 26th, 2010, 04:57 AM

Merry Christmas!

jwjon1

January 5th, 2011, 03:25 PM

Did not see this posted. From http://www.wgmd.com/?p=13097

State approves Wilmington land transfer of surplus propertyThe state has approved the transfer of just over 4.5 acres of surplus property to the Riverfront Development Corporation in Wilmington for 2-million dollars. The property will be sold for the same price to Penna Cinema for a 14-screen theater to be built at South Madison Street. The deal includes that Penn Cinema will be required to use local Delaware contractors on 75 percent of the construction work.

NEWS RELEASE: State Officials Approve Land Sale for Future Multiplex Theater Project to Boost Local and State Economy

DOVER, Del. (Nov. 19, 2010) – The Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the Secretary of the Economic Development Office and the Controller General for the state of Delaware today approved the transfer of 4.57 acres of surplus property identified as tax parcel 26.042.00-003, located at 401 S. Madison Street, in Wilmington, by the Delaware Department of Transportation to the Riverfront Development Corporation for $2 million. RDC will sell the property to Penn Cinema Group, a Lancaster, Pa.-area company, for the same price to build a 14-screen theater, including an IMAX theater, on the site.

The decision follows a public meeting on Oct. 19, which provided the public and
government officials with the details of the proposed property transfer to the RDC, the RDC’s intended use of the property, and the transfer’s possible effects on economic development in the Riverfront district.

“My colleagues and I reached this decision after careful consideration of depressed nature of the property, the potential economic impact to the region, and the complementary nature of the endeavor to the other venues located at the Riverfront,” said DEDO Secretary Alan Levin. “The multiplex theater will create new jobs and attract tourists to the area who will dine in local restaurants, shop in area retail stores and visit the city’s museums,” said DEDO Secretary Alan Levin. “The sale of the property supports our commitment to grow the local and state economy, while contributing additional quality of life value to a vibrant arts and entertainment community.”

Penn Cinema will be required to use local Delaware contractors on 75 percent of the construction work. Of that percentage, it is the goal that 25 percent of those contractors will be certified Disadvantaged Business Enterprise companies. In addition, Penn Cinema must be in full operation within two years of the date of transfer to the RDC. DelDOT will have the right to repurchase the property if the company fails to establish operations within that time.

The total 4.57 acre property was appraised for $5.9 million in May, 2010 by Douglas L. Nickel, MAI, FRICS. Also in May, 2010 the 2.236 acre proposed theater footprint was appraised by The Reynolds Appraisal Company for a lower value of $1.75 million. The theater project will require an estimated $25 million capital investment.

According to the agreement, RDC will also transfer to DelDOT a 6.23 acre parcel, located at 707 S. Market Street to be used in conjunction with a future bridge project. This property is valued at $1.4 million.

“DelDOT is pleased with the decision to sell the property to Penn Cinema in the hopes of spurring greater economic activity for the Riverfront area. We are also pleased with openness, transparency and timeliness of the process,” said DelDOT Secretary Carolann Wicks.

jwjon1

January 5th, 2011, 03:28 PM

Tymere1980

January 7th, 2011, 12:17 AM

I have high anticipatory expectations for this Imax theatre. I live in Wilmington and dont frequent the movies often because I am reluctant to drive 30 minutes.

Wilmington may not be the safest according to some but I will frequent this theatre on convenience alone, even if it requires me to wear bullet proof gear.lol.

xzmattzx

January 10th, 2011, 02:42 AM

I think the cinema will be big, as long as IMAX screens are a big deal no matter what city you're in. I honestly am not a movie person, so someone will have to inform me on what the big deal about IMAXs are.

Nexis

January 10th, 2011, 05:13 AM

njwong

January 11th, 2011, 04:03 AM

KennyDE302

January 11th, 2011, 05:11 AM

What do you think of this plan for Wilmington , Delaware and Eastern Shore of MD....

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=215312482559953359515.000497f18c6299b311b08&ll=38.993572,-74.619141&spn=2.271258,4.938354&t=p&z=8
i've always thought tram would be a great idea for the greater wilmington area. IMO I think it should be a tram running up 202 as well. But I like the rail idea for downstate. Delaware lacks that, I wish DART would start its own rail with major stops in Claymont, Wilmington, Newark, New Castle, Middletown, Dover, Milford, Georgetown, Dewey, and Rehobeth with a couple smaller minor stops.

njwong

January 30th, 2011, 10:38 PM

Today's Article on the Queen.
http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20110130/NEWS02/101300357

xzmattzx

January 31st, 2011, 04:31 AM

Today's Article on the Queen.
http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20110130/NEWS02/101300357

Delaware cities: Wilmington pins its hopes on The Queen
Officials say the $25 million project will be a game-changer for Market Street's image, but that's if the theater can thrive

Leonard Simon has worked on Market Street for nearly four decades.

The owner of men's clothier Wright & Simon, he's seen young entrepreneurs come and go. When a new restaurant opens, he wishes them luck, but understands the risks.

He watched city leaders convert Market Street into a pedestrian mall in 1974, to compete with suburban shopping malls, and he watched them demolish the mall and reopen the street to cars about 30 years later.

So, he's been more than a casual observer as demolition experts and craftsmen ripped the hulking Queen Theatre down to the facade, and then reconstructed a 45,000-square-foot musical beacon in a building that evokes both the Beaux-Arts style and Classical Revival.

Like most, he wonders if the grand opening of the World Cafe Live at the Queen is the key to lifting Wilmington out of its economic malaise, or if the latest dream of a vibrant downtown will crumble like the pedestrian mall.
"It would be a huge hit if something like that didn't work, but I don't want to think that," says Simon, whose business has been five blocks from the Queen since 1952. "This has a lot more potential than anybody can possibly think of. I don't have enough dreams in my mind where this could go from here."

As workers at the nearly 100-year-old former movie house hit the homestretch of a $25 million renovation project, many in the city and state are hoping a thriving Queen can be the economic and cultural game-changer for downtown Wilmington.

Spillover energy is already apparent. The owners of Chelsea Tavern, Extreme Pizza and Shenanigans Irish Pub and Grill all say the Queen was a factor in their decisions to open on Market Street. Chelsea Tavern's owners also plan a spring opening for Muddy's Smokestack BBQ at Eighth and Market to take advantage of new feet on the sidewalks that connect the music venue to shops and restaurants.

The unveiling of World Cafe Live at the Queen means another 100 full- and part-time jobs, nearly all filled by Delawareans. Neil Sulkes, general manager of World Cafe Live, expects workers to mirror the Philadelphia staff by being involved in the local arts scene.

...

http://cmsimg.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=BL&Date=20110130&Category=NEWS02&ArtNo=101300357&Ref=AR&Profile=1007&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0
Buccini/Pollin Group project manager Vicki Price goes over details with Greg Walters, of World Cafe Live, last week at the Queen Theatre on Market Street. The venue is set to reopen in April.

http://cmsimg.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=BL&Date=20110130&Category=NEWS02&ArtNo=101300357&Ref=V2&Profile=1007&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0
The Queen sits in the middle of Wilmington's central business district and the Christina Riverfront. If the venue thrives, it would secure a safe corridor of residences and businesses.

http://cmsimg.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=BL&Date=20110130&Category=NEWS02&ArtNo=101300357&Ref=H3&Profile=1007&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0
World Cafe Live at the Queen is a Philadelphia spin-off.

http://cmsimg.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=BL&Date=20110130&Category=NEWS02&ArtNo=101300357&Ref=V4&Profile=1007&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0
An artist's rendering of the completed building.

http://cmsimg.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=BL&Date=20110130&Category=NEWS02&ArtNo=101300357&Ref=H5&Profile=1007&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0
Sound and lighting systems were installed last week as the Queen Theatre moves toward completion. The foundation is still seeking $3.5 million to meet its $25 million goal.

There's also a nice map of the compilation of projects in the last 6 or 7 years.

http://cmsimg.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=BL&Date=20110130&Category=NEWS02&ArtNo=101300357&Ref=V6&Profile=1007&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0

njwong

February 1st, 2011, 04:48 AM

Have any of you guys read any of the comments about this article? It's so sad how many people are negative about the city.

xzmattzx

February 1st, 2011, 05:45 AM

Have any of you guys read any of the comments about this article? It's so sad how many people are negative about the city.

I look at it two ways. On one hand, responses to newspaper articles are always going to be negative. People that are just content with how things are aren't going to log in and say that they are satisfied. But people who have problems with an issue (not just the city, but a political party, a sports trade, and numerous other things) are going to make their opinions known.

On the other hand, I see criticism, even ignorant criticism, as valid. After all, a place can be great, but if the general public have a different view, then it will be hard to find success. This is obviously an uphill battle for Wilmington and countless other cities. But it can be overcome. Basically, "word of mouth" and general impressions need to be positive, and this will snowball into more and more positive outlooks by the people being targeted.

sakai

February 10th, 2011, 05:39 AM

Have any of you guys read any of the comments about this article? It's so sad how many people are negative about the city.

seems like a lot of them get big in the comments section because they won't get their faces stomped in... or just have no idea what they're talking about

njwong

February 11th, 2011, 04:20 AM

seems like a lot of them get big in the comments section because they won't get their faces stomped in... or just have no idea what they're talking about

lol i know right... I favorite comment "You don't see crime in Towsend!" lol

xzmattzx

February 11th, 2011, 04:42 AM

I noticed a lamppost banner on Walnut Street by 14th Street for "The New East Side". Is there some revitalization going on or something?

xpetex

February 15th, 2011, 03:55 PM

njwong

February 16th, 2011, 06:18 AM

"My only criticism is that so much focus is on the Christina Riverfront, as it's rather disjoint from the rest of the city. It's not integrated into the urban fabric and city grid, which will limit the spillover effects, esp with it being so car-centric."

The Riverfront is the new "hot" trend that doesn't have a negative vibe like the rest of the city. It has ample parking, a contemporary look, and good security. All it needs is an off ramp to really have it take off. One way to connect the Queen to the Riverfront is by adding a pedestrian bridge to from the corner Market st and Martin Luther King to Water Street. Kind of what Vegas and Baltimore has. Once that connection is made, maybe Wilmo Wagon will get enough funding to connect Trolley Square, Market Street, and the Riverfront all together. I feel that will give the city good backbone and then they can spread from there.

Here are some pics below of what I was thinking. I have been trying to talk to some city council and other small businesses on Market Street to see how we can get this funding together. Basic infrastructures like this can really grow the city.

http://www.access-board.gov/prowac/comments/kaihla2.jpg
http://www.zombiezodiac.com/rob/ped/w2w3/pedestrian%20bridge.JPG
http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT3ZaL6SP_bIYrAVsJ4rIOwGWFn8PLeY0lUxn1cRD_ETNFXsT51&t=1

http://www.publicartinla.com/CivicCenter/bridge.jpeg

xzmattzx

February 16th, 2011, 04:29 PM

njwong

February 16th, 2011, 08:10 PM

The problem with a bridge, whether for pedestrian traffic or vehicular traffic, over the Christina connecting the Riverfront with the Christina Landing developments and South Wilmington is that it has to be able to let ships pass under. So, a minimum height of 40 feet of clearance is necessary. A bridge that high is thought to not connect the two that much, as big ramps would be needed.

I'm looking to connect it going north. From the Whale Building to the Riverfront Market side. Since I have been at the here at Market, going on 11 years, I constantly hear patrons complain how hard it to cross MLK to the Riverfront and vice versa when they want to venture up to market street.

http://cbk2.google.com/cbk?output=thumbnail&cb_client=maps_sv&thumb=2&thumbfov=120&ll=39.738572,-75.554210&cbll=39.738577,-75.554187&thumbpegman=1&w=298&h=118

xpetex

February 17th, 2011, 02:25 AM

The Riverfront is the new "hot" trend that doesn't have a negative vibe like the rest of the city.

Hey njwong. What's causing the negative vibe? I haven't picked up on it the handful of places I've been the past couple years. Felt far from the beat-down vibe I remember from long ago. But maybe I was in the wrong (right:banana:) places.

Looks like there have been lots of ped-friendly enhancements with well marked crosswalks and curb extensions, but yeah MLK is still a sea of traffic lanes. And then there are the railroad tracks, surface lots, etc, that make it an even bigger barrier. I'm usually for making the street level more ped friendly, but your idea for a ped bridge here is interesting.

If the pace of these residential projects keeps up-- seems like all this will eventually connect and fill in one way or another. Hard to believe there are tapas & wine bars, fancy pizza places, etc downtown. (Hope to check out your restaurant some time, btw.)

Tymere1980

February 17th, 2011, 09:38 PM

xzmattzx

February 18th, 2011, 08:27 PM

I'm looking to connect it going north. From the Whale Building to the Riverfront Market side. Since I have been at the here at Market, going on 11 years, I constantly hear patrons complain how hard it to cross MLK to the Riverfront and vice versa when they want to venture up to market street.

http://cbk2.google.com/cbk?output=thumbnail&cb_client=maps_sv&thumb=2&thumbfov=120&ll=39.738572,-75.554210&cbll=39.738577,-75.554187&thumbpegman=1&w=298&h=118

Okay, I see what you mean now. That would probably be a good idea. Would it go over MLK Boulevard and then under the train tracks, or over both? Having that elevated viaduct in between MLK Boulevard and Water Street could raise some problems, since you would either have a steep descent (or a staircase) before you get to the train tracks, or the same on the other side of the train tracks since the Riverfront buildings are right on the other side.

Some would argue that MLK Boulevard should be more pedestrianized but I think that keeping the flow of traffic is good for those entering/leaving Center City. It's not like there will be stores or other buildings lining both sides of the street.

xzmattzx

February 21st, 2011, 06:12 AM

Hi guys, good thread, has gotten me caught up on Wilm. Grew up there in the 80s, and get back occasionally. The Queen--wow. Cool to see so much happening, especially the mixed use / residential projects- the map in the article about the Queen is great.

My only criticism is that so much focus is on the Christina Riverfront, as it's rather disjoint from the rest of the city. It's not integrated into the urban fabric and city grid, which will limit the spillover effects, esp with it being so car-centric.

Seems to me the areas west of downtown (Trinity and Cool Spring and a bit south of them) should really get a lot more of the attention. This would connect thriving neighborhoods (40 acres/Trolley Sq and Little Italy) with downtown. That'd spur more development/restoration and make the city seem a lot safer without this gaping hole between healthier areas.

But, as I said, I'm not there so often, so curious to hear what current residents think. And, please keep the project updates coming. :)

The Riverfron feels disconnected from the rest of the city because it is disconnected, due to I-95 and the elevated rail viaduct. It's just the way things go, as getting rid of either wouldn't make any sense. The way to connect the Riverfront to the city is at Water Street and towards the train station. Obviously I can't speak from experience, but when heavy industry was along the Christina in the area of Water Street and Front Street (before MLK Blvd but after the building of the elevated train tracks), there are some more connectivity. NJWong's idea is one worth exploring to provide a connection.

I don't know if Trinity Vicinity and Cool Spring deserve much attention as far as revitalization go. Your vision makes sense, but both are quiet residential areas. Bringing the neighborhoods to life doesn't really require commercial streets or anything. They are fairly successful already (especially Cool Spring) and their role, to me, is to provide a desirable living area between the commercial poles that you mentioned. Aside from buildings things on Pennsylvania Avenue between the two neighborhoods, which is a short stretch of road ans has happened already with apartment buildings, the Children's Theatre, etc, not much needs to be done.

Better places to funnel growth would be along other arteries. Connecting Trolley Square with Little Italy and eventually Union Park Gardens (which is slowly becoming a desirable place) via Union Street and Lincoln Street would be a good idea. Then maybe completing the "square" by connecting the end of the Union/Lincoln Street Development to the Riverfront and MLK Boulevard via Lancaster Avenue or maybe 4th Street.

Two neighborhoods that I'd like to see make a comeback (and thus fall into your vision) are Quaker Hill and Brandywine Village. Both are near Downtown and both have some nice history and historic buildings to go along with it. Quaker Hill could see investment if the streets that parallel Market Street to the west fill in, like what has begun with the Shipley Lofts.

njwong

February 22nd, 2011, 04:55 AM

Hey njwong. What's causing the negative vibe? I haven't picked up on it the handful of places I've been the past couple years. Felt far from the beat-down vibe I remember from long ago. But maybe I was in the wrong (right:banana:) places.

Bad media and negative people!

Back to the pedestrian bridge!
The ramp elevation will be similar to Penn's landing bridge to south street.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/58971051@N08/5470777063/
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l592/Wit_Milburn/scan0001-001.jpg

If we can get enough people behind this I would like to approach BPG to see if they can help the city fund this project. I hope they can see that this will also help the Queen/World Cafe Live's traffic, since there's little parking right now.

P.S. I'm in no way shape or form an architect or artist!

njwong

February 22nd, 2011, 05:00 AM

Better places to funnel growth would be along other arteries. Connecting Trolley Square with Little Italy and eventually Union Park Gardens (which is slowly becoming a desirable place) via Union Street and Lincoln Street would be a good idea. Then maybe completing the "square" by connecting the end of the Union/Lincoln Street Development to the Riverfront and MLK Boulevard via Lancaster Avenue or maybe 4th Street.

This would be a great idea! I always imagine turning 4th street into a China Town! Most major cities have some type of Asian town.

xpetex

March 13th, 2011, 02:57 PM

The Riverfron feels disconnected from the rest of the city because it is disconnected, due to I-95 and the elevated rail viaduct. It's just the way things go, as getting rid of either wouldn't make any sense. The way to connect the Riverfront to the city is at Water Street and towards the train station. Obviously I can't speak from experience, but when heavy industry was along the Christina in the area of Water Street and Front Street (before MLK Blvd but after the building of the elevated train tracks), there are some more connectivity. NJWong's idea is one worth exploring to provide a connection.

I don't know if Trinity Vicinity and Cool Spring deserve much attention as far as revitalization go. Your vision makes sense, but both are quiet residential areas. Bringing the neighborhoods to life doesn't really require commercial streets or anything. They are fairly successful already (especially Cool Spring) and their role, to me, is to provide a desirable living area between the commercial poles that you mentioned. Aside from buildings things on Pennsylvania Avenue between the two neighborhoods, which is a short stretch of road ans has happened already with apartment buildings, the Children's Theatre, etc, not much needs to be done.

Better places to funnel growth would be along other arteries. Connecting Trolley Square with Little Italy and eventually Union Park Gardens (which is slowly becoming a desirable place) via Union Street and Lincoln Street would be a good idea. Then maybe completing the "square" by connecting the end of the Union/Lincoln Street Development to the Riverfront and MLK Boulevard via Lancaster Avenue or maybe 4th Street.

Two neighborhoods that I'd like to see make a comeback (and thus fall into your vision) are Quaker Hill and Brandywine Village. Both are near Downtown and both have some nice history and historic buildings to go along with it. Quaker Hill could see investment if the streets that parallel Market Street to the west fill in, like what has begun with the Shipley Lofts.

Hi, delayed response-- thought I was subscribed to this thread, but wasn't..

Yeah, the Riverfront is really disconnected-- that's why I find it an odd place to invest so much money and effort, since little will spill over into areas that need it. And it hurts the new development at the Riverfront not to have existing residential and commercial areas connected to it. There's a network effect in cities in walkable, connected areas. Development that doesn't build on that is a poor investment IMO.

A ped bridge may help some, but that's a barrier itself. It's probably less of a barrier than crossing a 10-lane street:), but still a barrier as it makes people leave the sidewalk level and hike across a stretch without much of interest.

Similarly, though Trolley Sq and downtown are close in proximity, the stretch along Pennsylvania Ave is a big barrier. It's not a fun walk, with I-95 and the big cemetery creating a barrier, and not much of interest along the sidewalk for a few blocks. The new set-back CVS is about the worst thing that could have gone there. Even just 2 or 3 blocks can make a big separation.

So Trinity Vicinity and Cool Spring may offer an alternate, more human-scale route. I haven't been through them in a long time-- if they're pretty successful already, maybe they're evolving into more of a connector. I'm thinking of Penn. Ave as a part of that effort too.

I agree on connecting Trolley Sq and Little Italy, though I'd make that secondary to first making downtown well connected to a couple surrounding areas. Quaker Hill makes a ton of sense too, and I love your idea of ultimately connecting a big square.

Bummed by the latest census figures which show that Wilm lost people over the decade. :(

xpetex

March 13th, 2011, 03:01 PM

Bad media and negative people!
Back to the pedestrian bridge!
The ramp elevation will be similar to Penn's landing bridge to south street.

...

If we can get enough people behind this I would like to approach BPG to see if they can help the city fund this project. I hope they can see that this will also help the Queen/World Cafe Live's traffic, since there's little parking right now.

P.S. I'm in no way shape or form an architect or artist!

But, since the Riverfront development is well underway, may as well try to connect it as best it can. Barring shrinking MLK and Front St (my first choice:)) this seems like a really interesting idea.

Nexis

March 21st, 2011, 07:57 AM

Does anybody have pictures of the recently renovated Wilmington Station?

xzmattzx

March 25th, 2011, 05:05 AM

Bad media and negative people!

Back to the pedestrian bridge!
The ramp elevation will be similar to Penn's landing bridge to south street.

I missed this picture the first time around, for some reason. Anyway, I am under the impression that we talked about connecting Market Street with the Riverfront. But your diagram does not address crossing the train tracks. That elevated viaduct is as much of an barrier to pedestrians as MLK Boulevard. Would you envison just walking underneath it? Or would you try to find a way to go over it?

xzmattzx

March 25th, 2011, 05:06 AM

Does anybody have pictures of the recently renovated Wilmington Station?

Here's a picture that I took a few months ago.

http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/3862/img1940xx.jpg

njwong

March 25th, 2011, 10:49 PM

I missed this picture the first time around, for some reason. Anyway, I am under the impression that we talked about connecting Market Street with the Riverfront. But your diagram does not address crossing the train tracks. That elevated viaduct is as much of an barrier to pedestrians as MLK Boulevard. Would you envison just walking underneath it? Or would you try to find a way to go over it?

After talking to deldot you would not be able to go over the rail and if it did you're probably looking at extreme heights to allow clearance for trains, so answer the question; yes you would have to go under the rail once you're back on the ground. To rebuttal about this being addition barrier to pedestrians as MLK, I would have to disagree with you on that one. At least this option this allows a safe passage way over the crazy intersections so families would not mind walking to the riverfront and vice vesa.

Just put yourself in this position for second. You're leaving Al's your hungry, so you want to head to the Riverfront Market or Harry's. You cross 2nd street with no problem and now you have reached Font St. and MLK Blvd. Cars are everyone all the walking lights are red hands flashing etc. Now you're stuck. If you could just walk over this mess, drop down, then scoot underneath the railroad would you?

aquasax

March 28th, 2011, 03:21 PM

Since the Queen theater has brought Market Street to the forefront these days, I wanted to revisit exactly what Market Street is, and what it's future could be.

My wife and drove up market street last Friday evening after dinner at Harry's Seafood Grill to see the Queen, only to discover Market street pretty dead. Granted, I don't get down there as much as I'd like. I live in Brandywine Hundred, work in Philadelphia, and have a 10 month old. Regardless, I would love to see more things on market street. It seems so disjointed already. You've got Shenanigans, Extreme Pizza and the Coffee shop on the south end, then a large break before you get to the Queen, and then you hit the top portion with the Grand, and some of the restaurants. I'd love for it to be a continuous flow of shops, restaurants, etc. In a perfect world, I'd like to see a return to the walking mall of market street. I liken it to Charlottesville, VA's Downtown mall. http://www.downtowncharlottesville.net/

I don't know how many of you have ever been there, but it's so nice to be able to walk around downtown on a friday evening and have people milling about. Stores open, a few street vendors, restaurants galore (with outdoor seating in the warmer months), ice cream shops etc. I guess another place I could compare it to (without closing traffic to the street) would be Alexandria, VA.

That's my wish for market street. Once that's thriving, then I would worry about connecting it to the riverfront. (which I have completely different dream for).

Thanks for reading.

sakai

April 1st, 2011, 08:18 AM

Joe84323

April 9th, 2011, 04:15 AM

I would love the Chinatown bus stop on 4th street to be the beginning of a thriving Chinatown in Wilmington.

sakai

April 9th, 2011, 08:00 PM

I would love the Chinatown bus stop on 4th street to be the beginning of a thriving Chinatown in Wilmington.

but theres not that many chinese people

they're all in newark

aquasax

May 2nd, 2011, 10:52 PM

Well that went downhill fast. This forum used to be a great place to exchange ideas.

xzmattzx

May 3rd, 2011, 07:04 AM

Well that went downhill fast. This forum used to be a great place to exchange ideas.

Things are slow, and I have not been in this thread much die to other stuff.

I'm not sure if the pedestrian mall is a good idea. What makes a pedestrian mall great in Charlottesville is that it's a smaller place and walking around all over Downtown is simple. There aren't really many residential areas near Market Street to provide a customer base. Compare that to Trolley Square. For argument's sake, let's say that Delaware Avenue between Scott Street and Clayton Street was a pedestrian area. It would likely do better since people walk around to do things anyway. (Incidentally, once I started using this example, it reminded me of an idea that the Delaware Avenue & Dupont Street intersection should be closed off to traffic during the Halloween Loop and St. Patrick's Day Loop and made into a designated drinking area, similar to how on Bourbon Street in New Orleans you can buy your drinks at a bar and then walk outside with it.)

xzmattzx

May 21st, 2011, 07:20 AM

So, Allentown is using eminent domain to build an arena for the Adirondack Phantoms. They are having trouble buying all of the properties Downtown and it looks like some property owners will go to court to fight the eminent domain. A move of the Phantoms to Allentown won't happen until 2013-2014 at the earliest, it looks like (remember that they played in Phildelphia until 2009).

It's too bad that no one ever made a move to build an arena in Wilmington. The Riverfront is an obvious location. On top of hosting minor league hockey (the top affiliate of the Flyers, which might attract people from Pennsylvania to come down here), the arena could host concerts that hold 10,000 people or more, something that no indoor venue in Delaware can do right now (correct me if I'm wrong). I would've loved an arena in Wilmington.

jaysonjaz

June 7th, 2011, 05:13 PM

Looks like they're finally moving ahead with the Wilmington Dry Goods project.. after having the street fenced off for a long time, theyve finally begun some site work. Very exciting :)

http://www.pi-inc.net/
http://www.inwilmingtonde.us/about-wilmington/development-projects/#the-dry-goods

OSJ825

June 15th, 2011, 05:26 PM

Here are some pics of the Dry Goods project under constuction on Market Street:

http://wilmopics.snapfish.com/snapfish

:banana:

jaysonjaz

June 15th, 2011, 05:39 PM

awesome.. thanks for posting pics.. I'm planning on stopping by LOMA coffee today, so I hope to see it for myself :cheers:

OSJ825

June 15th, 2011, 05:48 PM

jaysonjaz

June 16th, 2011, 09:12 PM

Wilmington made the "New York Times"!! Here is the online articale May 17, 2011 about the Queen Theater:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/18/realestate/commercial/queen-theater-a-sign-of-life-in-wilmington-del.html

Great to get some positive press outside of the state!! Maybe it will attract some more investors from out of town to push the development even more :)

njwong

June 21st, 2011, 12:06 AM

Great to get some positive press outside of the state!! Maybe it will attract some more investors from out of town to push the development even more :)

We def need this push!!! Who else wants an Apple store downtown??!!!! Thanks Os for the pics.

jaysonjaz

June 21st, 2011, 03:20 PM

We def need this push!!! Who else wants an Apple store downtown??!!!! Thanks Os for the pics.

ohh ohh!! I do! I do!! :)

KennyDE302

June 22nd, 2011, 07:00 AM

We def need this push!!! Who else wants an Apple store downtown??!!!! Thanks Os for the pics.Even though I'm not a apple fan (team android) that would be awesome for business. It would draw a younger crowd into the city, the only problem is the city doesn't know how to market itself. I think the parking lot at 8th and Orange would be a great spot for a tech center.

jaysonjaz

June 22nd, 2011, 03:46 PM

Even though I'm not a apple fan (team android) that would be awesome for business. It would draw a younger crowd into the city, the only problem is the city doesn't know how to market itself. I think the parking lot at 8th and Orange would be a great spot for a tech center.

that would be a lovely spot for something like that. Lets go Wilmo!

xzmattzx

June 22nd, 2011, 04:11 PM

Agreed, that parking lot would be a good spot for just about anything.

xzmattzx

June 24th, 2011, 03:35 AM

It's been discussed ad nauseam, but another little area that could be put to better use is Orangee Street between 11th & 12th Streets. On the east side is a parking lot, used by the Presbyterian Church and Hotel DuPont. On the west side is a 4- or 5-story garage with ground floor retail, and another garage with 2 stories.

njwong

July 5th, 2011, 11:46 PM

Cool Article about the Riverfront and what's coming. Thanks OS for showing me this today.
http://issuu.com/outandabout/docs/july2011

http://issuu.com/outandabout/docs/july2011

jaysonjaz

July 6th, 2011, 03:52 PM

Cool Article about the Riverfront and what's coming. Thanks OS for showing me this today.
http://issuu.com/outandabout/docs/july2011

http://issuu.com/outandabout/docs/july2011

Great! Thanks for sharing. I'm curious to hear more about that hotel that is coming down there. I thought I had heard a while back that they were working on something that would go in the parking lot near the Chase Center.

xzmattzx

July 7th, 2011, 03:24 AM

Nice article. The Riverfront still has a long way to go, though, as evidenced by that aerial.

njwong

July 14th, 2011, 11:01 PM

Links about the new Christina Crossing bridge
http://www.wilmapco.org/wilmington-initiatives/
http://www.deldot.gov/information/projects/crb/

xzmattzx

July 15th, 2011, 05:03 AM

Nice find. It looks like the options are to put it south of the Shipyard Shops, or extend Beech Street east in between the children's museum and Joe's Crab Shack.

OSJ825

July 20th, 2011, 02:32 PM

WDEL 1150 Video News today 7/20/11:
"Riverfront hotel one step closer to reality"

In an effort to further develop the Wilmington riverfront, a hotel is being proposed as an addition to the Chase Center.

http://www.wdel.com/story.php?id=36230 Thanks NJ

Tuesday, July 19, 2011 - 8:25pm
Riverfront hotel one step closer to reality
By LeAnne Matlach

Updated Tuesday, July 19, 2011 - 8:28pm

Full interview with Bill Montgomery
In an effort to further develop the Wilmington riverfront, a hotel is being proposed as an addition to the Chase Center.

WDEL's LeAnne Matlach has more.

To bolster business at the Chase Center and the surrounding Riverfront a hotel is being added to the area.

The City Planning Commission approved several resolutions Tuesday night that put the plan on the path to construction. Bill Montgomery with the city says the Riverfront Development Corporation has been working for years to bring a hotel to the area.

"This sets the stage to get the hotel moving and I know they're anxious to get it under construction before this year is out if possible," he said.

The 175 room hotel is expect to generate more than 150 construction jobs.

There are still zoning issues that need to be worked out and they will be addressed at a planning commission meeting on July 27th.

njwong

July 20th, 2011, 09:05 PM

http://www.wdel.com/story.php?id=36230 Here ya go OJ

njwong

August 15th, 2011, 06:34 PM

A little article about the new place
http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20110815/NEWS/108150335/Feeding-success

xzmattzx

August 16th, 2011, 05:58 AM

A little article about the new place
http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20110815/NEWS/108150335/Feeding-success

This is your restaurant?

njwong

September 7th, 2011, 08:33 PM

This is your restaurant?

Yes it is.

P.S. We need your help!
http://wilmapcotip.uservoice.com/forums/38117-general

New Intermodal Transit Center

As someone who has researched and written about the possibility of an Intermodal Transportation Center in the City of Wilmington, I believe that the long-term viability of public transportation in the state of Delaware is directly connect to making the correct infrastructure investments today. The correct solution is an "Intermodal Transit Center". They are facilities designed to provide public transportation users with a variety of transit options under one roof. Done correctly, these centers are hubs for local and national bus services, are easily accessible to local train services, ferry services, airport shuttle services and other modes of transportation. That is why I believe that the state own parking lot on the river side of the Amtrak train station is the perfect location for Wilmington's transit center.

PS: It can be done as an Anonymous vote

Nexis

September 18th, 2011, 09:54 PM

How long does it take from Center City to Wilmington by Train?

OSJ825

September 18th, 2011, 10:55 PM

How long does it take from Center City to Wilmington by Train?
Assuming you are taking SEPTA into Wilmington... with all of the stops about 35 to 45 minutes… It might take a little longer during rush hour.

xzmattzx

October 6th, 2011, 03:26 PM

OSJ825

October 9th, 2011, 04:35 PM

The hotel at the Riverfront is now planned for across the street from the Chase Center. It will be a Westin. Here's an article from yesterday about funding.

link (http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011110050326)

Here is a pic of the hotel from today's Journal (Source: The News Journal):
http://cmsimg.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=BL&Date=20111210&Category=NEWS&ArtNo=112100326&Ref=AR&MaxW=640&Border=0&Grant-

Note: It is not across the street from the Chase Center.. It is connected at what is now the front entrance of the building.

October 10th, 2011, 07:43 AM

What they should do is renovate the outside of the Chase Convention Center to something more eye-popping and mix the hotel in with that. That rendering looks terrible to me, it looks like they legitimately just tossed a hotel in front of the old building with no tie in. Something more attractive should be built, especially for a Westin, that hotel looks like it could be anywhere which is a major problem.

xzmattzx

October 19th, 2011, 06:20 AM

There's controversy brewing about taxpayers paying for a new hotel and taking on the risk.

Answers wanted on Riverfront hotel deal
State lodging association calls for disclosure of taxpayer support for project in Wilmington

A state hotel industry group has called for "full disclosure" of potential state support for a 10-story hotel proposed for Wilmington's struggling Riverfront redevelopment zone, saying that public backing could give the venture an unfair advantage in an already battered market.

The Riverfront Development Corp., a taxpayer-supported organization charged with redeveloping the Christina River waterfront, confirmed earlier this month that it is working with a private real estate developer on a hotel project adjacent to the Center on the Riverfront. The proposed venture with Buccini/Pollin Group Inc. of Wilmington calls for a new, full-service Westin Hotel on a parcel of RDC-owned land in front of the center's current entrance.

Details remain sketchy, but officials have estimated the cost for the 180-room hotel at $39 million. RDC Executive Director Michael Purzycki said earlier this month that there may be only "very modest" public involvement, and possibly no direct cash investment.

see link for more...

http://cmsimg.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=BL&Date=20111018&Category=NEWS&ArtNo=110180329&Ref=AR&MaxW=640&Border=0&Answers-wanted-Riverfront-hotel-deal

http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20111018/NEWS/110180329/Answers-wanted-Riverfront-hotel-deal?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Home|p

Harley11

October 19th, 2011, 08:18 AM

Hi, i am looking for some investment in real estate, can you tell me the whole situation about Wilmington and tell the what's the development in real estate in Wilmington, if i invest the i get a maximum profit or not...?

OSJ825

October 20th, 2011, 12:09 AM

The RDC's response in the opinion section of the News Journal under "Delaware Voice":

***

The proposed project is a 180-room, full-service, privately owned Westin Hotel virtually attached to the existing Chase Center. Our desire in trying to bring a hotel of this quality to the Riverfront is a) to increase usage of the Chase Center by attracting conferences and trade shows, corporate meetings, and small conventions, all of which require an adjacent hotel, b) to establish the Riverfront as a visitor destination for those who choose to visit northern Delaware and c) to allow the RDC to reduce its annual subsidy from the state.

The articles, however, leave a number of inaccurate impressions about the proposed project. First, it was implied that the project was in some way analogous to the many large convention center and hotel projects whose sole purpose is to revitalize economically moribund downtowns by attracting large conventions.

This in no way describes our hotel proposal. While still growing, the Riverfront no longer needs revitalization. It generates tens of millions of dollars annually for the state and city. It has nine thriving restaurants and 5,000 people who work and live there. And even while not operating to capacity, the Chase Center has become a state treasure in being able to afford to our residents the kind of event space not usually available to cities the size of Wilmington.

The argument was also made that publicly owned hotels rarely meet expectations. Perhaps true, but there is no plan for a publicly owned hotel and no one ever suggested there should be.

Any request for public support will be modest and will have to be justified by the economic return to the state. And unlike the controversial convention hotel model, this project can stand on its own economic merits. Lastly, the scale of some of the projects referenced for comparison was not relevant. A $276 million St. Louis foreclosure should concern taxpayers, but bear in mind that our hotel project is a fraction of this size. The privately owned Riverfront hotel has a total proposed budget of $39 million with a relatively small mortgage of $20 million.

*** Link to the full article****

http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20111013/OPINION07/110130325/Riverfront-hotel-would-only-add-great-success-story

WilmingtonRocks

October 29th, 2011, 06:15 AM

I think the hotel looks ok, not spectacular, but ok. At least it matches the Chase Center. I would recommend that the developer attatch the hotel to the west side of the center facing the Blue Rocks stadium. That way, the hotel patrons can watch the baseball games from their window instead of looking at the Delmarva Power water tower. An even better location would be across the street in the Timothys parking lot.

OSJ825

November 15th, 2011, 07:48 PM

More Riverfront Wilmington Development News:

http://cmsimg.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=BL&Date=20111115&Category=NEWS&ArtNo=111115041&Ref=AR&MaxW=640&Border=0&Developer-start-luxury-Riverfront-apartments-spring
Wilmington Riverfront developer Buccini/Pollin Group said today it will start work in the spring on a $17 million luxury apartment building at its Justison Landing project, the latest step in a recession-challenged city-and state-backed redevelopment effort along the Christina River.

Robert Buccini, Buccini/Pollin co-president, said the 116-apartment building, located to the west of an existing waterfront building that houses the Kooma Restaurant & Lounge Bar, will be ready for occupancy by the spring of 2013.

Buccini described the five-story building as “Phase II” of Justison Landing, a nearly decade-long redevelopment of 11 acres of former public land located on the Christina River. About 340 units, along with retail shops and restaurants, are planned for the $100 million overall project.

Buccini/Pollin won the right to buy and develop the Justison Landing properties in 2006, after the Riverfront Development Corp. sought proposals for the site in 2004. That project overlapped construction of the nearby $189 million Christina Landing town house, apartment and condominium development between S. Market and S. Walnut streets and the Christina Crossing shopping center at the Market Street-Walnut Street split in south Wilmington.

“To us, this is about seeing Wilmington continuing to grow into its potential,” Buccini said in printed remarks. “We remain confident in our hometown and we’ll continue to build on the city’s strong foundation for growth.”

Buccini said the company’s other apartment building at Justison Landing is about 95 percent occupied and adjacent condominium building has done well.
http://cmsimg.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=BL&Date=20111115&Category=NEWS&ArtNo=111115041&Ref=V1&MaxW=300&Border=0&Developer-start-luxury-Riverfront-apartments-spring

njwong

November 15th, 2011, 10:27 PM

You beat me too it! Looks like Imax is locked in too!

More Riverfront Wilmington Development News:

http://cmsimg.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=BL&Date=20111115&Category=NEWS&ArtNo=111115041&Ref=AR&MaxW=640&Border=0&Developer-start-luxury-Riverfront-apartments-spring
Wilmington Riverfront developer Buccini/Pollin Group said today it will start work in the spring on a $17 million luxury apartment building at its Justison Landing project, the latest step in a recession-challenged city-and state-backed redevelopment effort along the Christina River.

Robert Buccini, Buccini/Pollin co-president, said the 116-apartment building, located to the west of an existing waterfront building that houses the Kooma Restaurant & Lounge Bar, will be ready for occupancy by the spring of 2013.

Buccini described the five-story building as “Phase II” of Justison Landing, a nearly decade-long redevelopment of 11 acres of former public land located on the Christina River. About 340 units, along with retail shops and restaurants, are planned for the $100 million overall project.

Buccini/Pollin won the right to buy and develop the Justison Landing properties in 2006, after the Riverfront Development Corp. sought proposals for the site in 2004. That project overlapped construction of the nearby $189 million Christina Landing town house, apartment and condominium development between S. Market and S. Walnut streets and the Christina Crossing shopping center at the Market Street-Walnut Street split in south Wilmington.

“To us, this is about seeing Wilmington continuing to grow into its potential,” Buccini said in printed remarks. “We remain confident in our hometown and we’ll continue to build on the city’s strong foundation for growth.”

Buccini said the company’s other apartment building at Justison Landing is about 95 percent occupied and adjacent condominium building has done well.
http://cmsimg.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=BL&Date=20111115&Category=NEWS&ArtNo=111115041&Ref=V1&MaxW=300&Border=0&Developer-start-luxury-Riverfront-apartments-spring

xzmattzx

November 17th, 2011, 08:01 AM

Nice find! Good to hear that they're going to build on that vacant lot right in the middle of there. What about the big grassy lawn? I thought that was going to be developed as well.

njwong

November 17th, 2011, 04:10 PM

The residents fought to keep it a park for recreation. BPG agreed to keep it that way for now. Once the economy gets better and if housing is needed I can see BPG developing it then.

Nice find! Good to hear that they're going to build on that vacant lot right in the middle of there. What about the big grassy lawn? I thought that was going to be developed as well.

njwong

December 9th, 2011, 04:43 AM

http://blogs.delawareonline.com/secondhelpings/2011/12/08/chelsea-tavern-owners-opening-new-taproom-in-former-public-house-space/

OSJ825

December 9th, 2011, 07:14 PM

That is a great find njwong!

http://blogs.delawareonline.com/secondhelpings/2011/12/08/chelsea-tavern-owners-opening-new-taproom-in-former-public-house-space/
Source: The News Journal
Here is the full article:
http://blogs.delawareonline.com/secondhelpings/files/2011/12/publichouse.jpg
Restaurateur Scott Morrison, owner of Chelsea Tavern in downtown Wilmington, has taken over the Market Street site recently vacated by the Public House.

His new eatery will be known as Ernest & Scott Taproom.

General manager Joe Van Horn says they’re hoping to have the restaurant open sometime during the week of Dec. 19.

Morrison, who also owns Nectar restaurant in Berwyn, Pa., says Ernest & Scott will adopt The Brewers Association’s definition of a craft brewery to determine which beers can make it onto their beer list.

It will include Delaware and national brews as well as cask-conditioned beers.

Dogfish Head founder Sam Calagione has consulted on the craft beer offerings and food pairings. The menu will have a “modern beer garden” slant.

Some of the dishes chef Kevin Torpey, formerly of Harvest in Glen Mills, Pa., plans to offer include warm hummus with organic butter and house flatbread ($6), cold water lobster rolls ($9), hot roast beef beer sandwiches($4) as well as steaks and chops.

The 902 North Market St. location, formerly the Delaware Trust bank, was home to the Public House from 2009 until it closed on Nov. 23.

The name of new taproom, Ernest & Scott, was inspired by the friendship between writers Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald recently celebrated in Woody Allen’s movie, “Midnight in Paris.”

OSJ825

December 9th, 2011, 07:24 PM

Wilmington Restaurant row adds Mexican
Source: The News Journal

-- The Wilmington Riverfront's growing "restaurant row" will add another player next summer with the arrival of a New Hampshire-based Mexican chain called Margaritas.

Pic of the New Jersey Margaritas:
http://www.margs.com/assets/images/new_locations/locations/livingston/livingston_0000_Layer%204.jpg

The Pettinaro real estate company, which owns several properties on the Riverfront, has signed a lease with a local franchisee to open the restaurant on the pad site between Iron Hill Brewery and Big Fish Grill.

The arrival of Margaritas, probably by June or July, will continue to broaden the dining and entertainment options in the Riverfront redevelopment area, which not too many years ago was a forlorn post-industrial zone where few ventured.

Today, the area boasts nearly a dozen restaurants on and around the Christiana River. It was that vibrancy that convinced franchisee Craig W. Colby, a 48-year-old University of Delaware graduate, to take his chances there.

"I've been balking at putting a restaurant on the Riverfront for the last two years, but things seem to be going well down there now," said Colby, who operates Delaware's three Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and three Cosi sandwich shops. "When they approached me, I took a shot at it."

Colby at first considered opening a Red Robin on the site, but was persuaded to consider Mexican cuisine by Riverfront Development Corp. Director Michael S. Purzycki. The city currently has few options when it comes to sit-down, full-service Mexican food, Colby said.

"I went out looking for the best Mexican franchise I could find, and I feel that I found that in Margaritas," Colby said. "I think you're getting a great combination of an energetic bar atmosphere with authentic Mexican cuisine."

Of the 23 Margaritas locations opened since 1985, 22 are in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine and Connecticut. The chain's first franchised location in New Jersey opened earlier this year.

Colby said Delaware will see more Margaritas in time -- his deal calls for four more in the next five years. A 20-year veteran of restaurant franchises, he started with Burger Kings in Delaware and southern New Jersey. His franchise deal with Margaritas -- as with Cosi and Red Robin -- gives him the rights to the entire state of Delaware.

Before committing to the Riverfront location at 640 Justison St., Colby talked with other restaurant owners in the area, and he came away convinced the area was doing well and time was running out to get in.

"I just know it's my last shot" to open on the Riverfront, he said. "If I want it, I have to grab it now."

It was the second restaurant deal in recent months for Pettinaro, which also recently leased space in the nearby Shipyard Center to Ubon Thai Cuisine. The company now owns properties occupied by six restaurants on the Riverfront.

Rob Stenta, Pettinaro's director of real estate, said Margaritas seemed the perfect fit for the space.

"It's really hard to make something like that not do well," he said. "If you go into Iron Hill or Big Fish Grill at lunchtime, it's always packed with businesspeople from the city. It's hard imagining that not happening with Margaritas."

OSJ825

December 12th, 2011, 04:53 PM

Great food at the Ubon Thai Cuisine at Riverfront Wilmington!
https://s-external.ak.fbcdn.net/safe_image.php?d=AQDhp61dP-ci6DEr&w=120&h=100&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcmsimg.delawareonline.com%2Fapps%2Fpbcsi.dll%2Fbilde%3FSite%3DBL%26Date%3D20111211%26Category%3DENTERTAINMENT0302%26ArtNo%3D112110305%26Ref%3DV2

Source: The News Journal (Link to the complete article below)
http://blogs.delawareonline.com/secondhelpings/?p=8053

It was a cold, dreary winter day and I looked as bad as I felt.

As I approached the counter of Jeenwong Thai Cuisine at Wilmington’s Riverfront Market, co-owner Norrawit J. Milburn took one look at my runny nose and watery eyes and instead of backing away, he kindly took pity on me.

Milburn, a friendly, familiar face at the market for the past four years, said he had just the thing to help clear my stuffy head and then whipped up an off-the-menu bowl of steamy chicken soup.

It was so good and packed with just enough, but not too much, spicy heat, that I returned the next day for more of his therapeutic Thai-style penicillin.

When I heard Milburn and his family planned a sit-down Thai restaurant further down on the Riverfront, I looked forward to what this people pleaser had to offer.

Milburn, known as Wit, had worked for years with his grandmother and mother at Jeenwong’s Thai Cuisine in Boothwyn, Pa., and obviously developed a passion for cooking.

The family sold the restaurant and opened a booth in 2000 at the Riverfront Market. Milburn has been working there since 2007.

In October, the doors of their Ubon Thai Cuisine restaurant swung open. The 3,800-square-foot restaurant is tucked along the Riverwalk on the Christina waterfront, next to Timothy’s Riverfront Grill, in what had been known as the Shipyard Shops.

xzmattzx

December 14th, 2011, 04:16 AM

Good to hear that the Shipyard Shops and S. Madison is developing into some sort of concentration of industry. OSJ, how is your restaurant doing?

OSJ825

December 14th, 2011, 05:30 AM

Good to hear that the Shipyard Shops and S. Madison is developing into some sort of concentration of industry. OSJ, how is your restaurant doing?

Hi xzmattzx,
I don't own a restaurant but I did eat at Ubon last Saturday with friends and everyone thought the food was excellent.. The restaurant was packed!

OSJ825

January 6th, 2012, 11:30 PM

This following is on the agenda for the City Zoning Board of Adjustment Meeting (1/11/2012):

AGENDA

Case # 1.1.12 Application of Penn Cinema Management Co. LLC requesting permission to vary the off street parking requirement to allow construction of a 78,400 sq. ft. movie theater complex at 401 South Madison Street.

Image: JKR Partners
http://www.jkrpartners.com/portfolio/entertainment/penn/media/detail3.jpg

http://www.jkrpartners.com/portfolio/entertainment/penn/media/detail4.jpg

OSJ825

January 11th, 2012, 03:23 PM

Source: The News Journal
Link to full article: http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20120111/NEWS/201110327/Wilmington-asked-1-million-loan-guarantee?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Home

Backers of a proposed $36 million hotel on Wilmington's Christina River waterfront are seeking to put city taxpayers on the hook for $1 million should developers fail to make loan payments on a proposed Westin Hotel on the Riverfront.

Altogether, the developers need to obtain a total of $6 million in loan guarantees if they are to secure financing, said those familiar with the deal.

Michael Purzycki, executive director of taxpayer-supported Riverfront Development Corp., confirmed his agency and the hotel's private real estate developer, BPG Hotel Partners XXI LLC, are asking the city to provide $1 million of the proposed loan guarantees.

Owners of BPG Hotel Partners are Robert Buccini of Chadds Ford, Pa., David Pollin of Washington, D.C., and Christopher Buccini of Greenville.

According to Purzycki, the mortgage lender on the hotel wants third-party guarantees in the form of a letter of credit, a document that would obligate payment in the event the developer defaults. The development corporation, on behalf of the developers, is actively looking to secure loan guarantees from both private and public sources, Purzycki said. He declined to reveal the dollar amount the lender is requiring in loan guarantees.

"Lenders are looking to limit their exposure," he said. "As everyone who is financing real estate understands, this is a very difficult banking environment and it takes creativity to put transactions like this one together."

Under the proposed arrangement with the city, the primary lender for the Westin Wilmington Riverfront would have the ability draw on the $1 million in funds if the hotel developer could not make its debt payments, William S. Montgomery, chief of staff for Mayor James M. Baker, said in a statement.

Once the hotel becomes stable in about four to five years, the city would no longer guarantee payment and the letter of credit would be released, Montgomery said. In the event the developer defaulted, the city would "pursue its legal remedies" against the developer, he said.
http://cmsimg.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=BL&Date=20120111&Category=NEWS&ArtNo=201110327&Ref=V2&MaxW=300&Border=0&Wilmington-asked-1-million-loan-guarantee

xzmattzx

January 13th, 2012, 04:17 AM

OSJ825

January 13th, 2012, 03:14 PM

Thanks for posting that. I saw it in the paper but I am fairly busy at work lately and posting every article isn't something I can necessarily do anymore.

I think it mentioned the IMAX theater in there, as well.

Yes, page 4 of the article has the following:

Theater has 'issues'

Another Riverfront project with Buccini/Pollin, a 14-screen movie theater that includes a four-story IMAX theater, is also facing some "issues," Purzycki said.

"There are no financial issues, there are just some issues that relate to parking that we've got to work out," Purzycki said.

He declined to say what the issues are. Last year, Purzycki and Buccini said work on the theater would begin in February, but Purzycki said Tuesday that date could be delayed. Buccini/Pollin is a minority partner in the venture, Buccini said last year.

"We're moving ahead as if to go forward but there are issues to deal with," Purzycki said.
http://www.jkrpartners.com/portfolio/entertainment/penn/media/detail3.jpg

OSJ825

January 13th, 2012, 11:13 PM

http://cmsimg.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=BL&Date=20120113&Category=NEWS&ArtNo=120113043&Ref=AR&MaxW=640&Border=0&Delaware-College-Art-Design-buying-hotel-building-house-students

Source: The News Journal
The Delaware College of Art and Design said today it had acquired the Brandywine Suites Hotel as part of a $4.2 million expansion of student housing and campus services.

Delaware College of Art and Design President Stuart Baron said the school has experienced significant growth in the past few years and needs to continue to grow in order to meet student and curriculum demands.

Baron said in the fall of 2011, 198 of the college’s 254 students requested on-campus housing, resulting in the largest residential student population the city of Wilmington and the school have seen to date.

“This expansion is perfect for our needs,” Baron said in a press release. “We’ll be able to bring our students into one location and provide additional services to our students.”

While first-year DCAD students live in The Saville on Market Street, which the college owns, it has leased other living space from downtown property owners for second-year students. Once renovations are made to the former hotel property, located at 707 N. King St., the school will be able to offer second-year students housing in one building.

Baron said the former Brandywine Suites will be converted to a campus residential facility with 49 rooms that will accommodate 95 students. The expansion plan also includes new office and meeting space as well as a dining area so the college can offer a student meal plan, something the school has never been able to offer. In addition, Baron said the project includes commercial retail space on the first floor of the facility which opens onto Market Street.

Wilmington Mayor James M. Baker today thanked Baron and the college’s board of directors for its continuing commitment to the city and hailed the project as another boost for the city’s future.

“DCAD’s staff, students and their families provide a lot of energy and excitement that have added to our city’s overall arts, cultural and entertainment scene in recent years,” Baker said. “We’ve been supportive of DCAD since its inception. Our city’s other financial investments in this wonderful institution have paid off handsomely and have helped to bring us to today’s expansion announcement.”

Baker Chief of Staff William S. Montgomery said the city will provide a $500,000 loan from the city’s capital budget to support the expansion. Montgomery said this type of funding can only be used for capital improvements to support the city’s economic development goals. He said if the college meets pre-determined deadlines for completion of the project, the loan will convert to a grant eliminating the need for the school to repay the loan.

Baron said the Buccini/Pollin Group will renovate the building and the college is finishing discussions with ING Direct regarding funding. The college purchased the Brandywine Suites Hotel on Nov. 8 at sheriff’s sale.

“This project is helping us fulfill our mission to our students and to our community,” Baron said. “It is a community investment.”

The college opened in 1997 at 600 N. Market St. with 50 students. Currently it serves more than 240 full-time degree students and about 500 continuing education students per year.

King Street Student Housing Entrance:
http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/cecilwhig.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/1/c9/1c9238f8-3ecc-11e1-a7a3-001871e3ce6c/4f11ac0927374.image.jpg
Image by Digsau

OSJ825

January 15th, 2012, 09:36 PM

Source: The News Journal
DelDOT is tentatively planning to go back to the public in March with fresh plans and schedules for a new two-lane highway and pedestrian bridge over the Christina River between South Market Street and the still-growing Riverfront.

Federal aid will cover 80 percent of the estimated $42 million in right-of-way and construction costs, with Delaware picking up another $1.3 million for design and engineering work.

State project engineer Raymond A. Petrucci said a required environmental assessment should be completed by the end of this month, a few months later than forecast during a public meeting in May. Officials at that time said construction could start by fall 2013, with the bridge opened to traffic about two years later.

Still pending, however, are crucial property deals.

"As part of the agreement with the Riverfront Development Corp., we're getting paid $2 million for the property where Penn Cinema is going to go. We're also getting a piece of property that will help with the alignment of the bridge just north of James Court."

RDC director Michael Purzycki said recently that schedules and settlement dates are still unsettled for the proposed new IMAX multiplex theater in the Riverfront area. Buccini/Pollin Group interests will be involved in both the development and construction of the cinema, to be operated by a Lancaster County, Pa.-based theater company.

Also pending is a state acquisition of riverside land just north of James Court and a cluster of businesses and buildings on the Market Street side of the waterway. DelDOT needs the land to skirt the industrial buildings and minimize the length of an already-angled crossing of the river.

Without the property transfers and $2 million from the state land sale, Petrucci said, "we'd have to go back to the drawing table."

As planned, the design would provide small vessels passing underneath a clearance of at least 12 feet at high tide and would include a lane for pedestrians and a lane for bicyclists, in addition to two travel lanes. The riverfront side of the bridge would pass just south of the southernmost edge of the Shipyard Shops, skirting most parking areas and running west of Daniel S. Frawley Stadium to a connection with Beech Street.

DelDOT planners said the bridge would improve regional circulation and redevelopment opportunities, allowing better access to Riverfront attractions and the Center on the Riverfront.

WILMAPCO, northern Delaware's regional transportation planning agency, said in a transportation plan released last year that the success of Wilmington's Riverfront redevelopment hinges partly on improved car, pedestrian and transit connections.

The bridge would be the sixth crossing of the Christina between the Delaware River and the I-95 viaduct, including a no-longer-used railroad swing bridge at the city's southern edge west of U.S. 13

xzmattzx

January 17th, 2012, 05:09 PM

OSJ825

January 17th, 2012, 08:11 PM

I wonder if there are commercial plans for the ground floor of the Brandywine Suites. Having seemingly half of the street be residences for college students is nice, but isn't going to bring in outsiders.

It’s my understanding that they are planning to lease the Market Street side to a commercial business. I believe that they (DCAD) have already talked with an Art Supply business about locating a store in the retail space.

xzmattzx

February 29th, 2012, 06:26 AM

$5 million in public loan guarantees sought for Wilmington Riverfront hotel
Lawmakers question need for allotment

A top Riverfront Development Corp. official called for $5 million in public loan guarantees to help private developers build a $36 million, 180-room hotel adjacent to the Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington, in a pitch to lawmakers Monday that created as many questions as it answered.

The proposal would include a $2 million letter of credit issued by the state, a $1 million guarantee from the city of Wilmington and a $2 million commitment of unspecified "assets" from the taxpayer-funded RDC.

...

http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20120228/NEWS02/202280340/-5-million-public-loan-guarantees-sought-Wilmington-Riverfront-hotel-?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Home|p&nclick_check=1

fafafooey

March 16th, 2012, 08:23 PM

It’s my understanding that they are planning to lease the Market Street side to a commercial business. I believe that they (DCAD) have already talked with an Art Supply business about locating a store in the retail space.

That's pretty cool. I work downtown, and have spent most of my life here, so anything new for Market Street is a good thing.

This building in particular is especially interesting; it was the headquarters of Braunstein's, which in its day, was the women's retailer for the region.

I just walked past there earlier and the interior is stripped down to the frames.

OSJ825

March 17th, 2012, 03:19 AM

From The Mayor's Budget Address:

Our latest investment opportunity is a new hotel on the riverfront that will produce benefits for
not only Wilmington, but for all of Delaware. Wilmington is preparing to commit to a $1 million
letter of credit to assist the hotel project in achieving full bank financing. We are currently
reviewing protections that would be included in the agreement to enable the City to recover its
money if any portion of the letter of credit is ever needed for this project. It is important to
note that a letter of credit is not a grant, but a type of loan guarantee or “insurance policy” that
encumbers City funds for a defined period of time. The funds will eventually become
unencumbered, and the City will have the money available for other economic development
projects. A letter of credit would be backed by the City’s Economic Development Strategic
Fund, which was established by the Administration and Council soon after I took office in 2001.
This letter of credit does not affect operating budget dollars that support daily government
programs, services and personnel. A riverfront hotel will be another great addition to
Wilmington’s rise in recent years as a regional destination for tourism supported by an everexpanding
array of restaurants and entertainment venues. Wilmington is the commerce capital
of the State. What’s good for Wilmington is good for all Delawareans. Wilmington should be

proud to support another project that will produce 167 immediate construction jobs, $435,000
in building permits, $60,000 in construction phase wage taxes, 120 full‐time jobs, and future
City wage tax and head tax revenue. All of these benefits will help our City as we also are
supporting new tourism opportunities and improving our City’s and State’s image as class
destinations.

http://cmsimg.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Avis=BL&Dato=20120305&Kategori=NEWS02&Lopenr=203050316&Ref=TS&NewTbl=1&MaxW=140&Border=0&q=30&Lawmakers-balking-subsidies-Wilmington-Riverfront-hotel?

Note: Scroll to the bottom and click the link for the full budget address:
http://www.wilmingtonde.gov/news/news.php?newsID=385

OSJ825

March 18th, 2012, 01:44 PM

http://cmsimg.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=BL&Date=20120318&Category=NEWS&ArtNo=203180367&Ref=AR&MaxW=640&Border=0&Money-land-disputes-tangle-cinema-proposal

Money, land disputes tangle cinema proposal
Source: Sunday News Journal

Advocates for development of Wilmington's Riverfront have long maintained that a multiplex theater complex and nearby hotel could be the crowning attraction to make the area a true commercial success.

While officials from the city and the Riverfront Development Corp. are pursuing funding to complete the hotel project, the movie theater has suffered a series of delays involving a dispute over more than $472,000 the Delaware Department of Transportation says the developer owes it and whether taxpayers would be properly reimbursed for a sale and transfer of publicly owned land necessary to the deal.

DelDOT officials say they want to resurrect the deal with the Riverfront Development Corp., which is in turn working with Penn Cinema and Penn Riverfront LLC, a limited liability company that lists Buccini/Pollin Group President Robert E. Buccini as its registered agent. The contract for the land deal expired in mid-January.

Key to the deal is that DelDOT sell the RDC a tract of land on which the theater complex would be built. The RDC would then convey the land to Penn Riverfront, although no financial details have been revealed. RDC would act as a middleman so that DelDOT could bypass a state prohibition on its selling public land to private interests at below-market rates.

In return, DelDOT would get land from the RDC that the highway agency could use to complete a bridge across the Christina River. The crossing would connect U.S. 13 at the Market and Walnut streets split to the redeveloped commercial, residential and entertainment centers on the other side of the river.

Documents obtained under the state Freedom of Information Act show that cracks began appearing in the project last year, when former DelDOT Secretary Carolann Wicks demanded that Buccini/Pollin settle a debt to taxpayers, currently estimated by DelDOT at $472,184, as one condition for the discount-price sale of public land needed to complete the deal.

Wicks said in an email to her acting successor, Cleon Cauley, that Buccini's companies had already "significantly" benefited from massive DelDOT spending to support company projects along the Christina River, including Justison Landing, Wilmington's largest recent redevelopment initiative. DelDOT's share included costs for roads, utility relocations and open space that exceed $40 million, with more bills to come.

Link to Full Article:
http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20120318/NEWS/203180367/Money-land-disputes-tangle-cinema-proposal?nclick_check=1

OSJ825

March 24th, 2012, 01:09 PM

Source: Today's News Journal

Proposed movie multiplex closer after mortgage vote

Wilmington's Riverfront Development Corp. on Friday removed one of the last major hurdles blocking construction of a planned $15 million-to-$20 million IMAX cinema multiplex near the Christina waterfront, voting to pay off a mortgage on corporation-owned land needed to seal the deal.

DelDOT had refused to accept the $450,000 debt as part of a land swap needed for release of the nearly 5-acre Penn Riverfront theater site, now a vacant, state-owned industrial lot north of Frawley Stadium, at South Madison and Beech streets.

That threatened to derail a draft agreement calling for the publicly supported RDC to pay DelDOT $2 million for the cinema site. As part of the deal, DelDOT also would receive at no cost a 6-acre parcel that the RDC owns along the river on South Market Street that the agency wants for a new bridge and gateway to the Riverfront.

"Their position is, funding being what it is, that they're not in a position to pay for it," RDC Executive Director Michael Purzycki said. "It makes things snug for us," financially, "but we can make it work."

A previous contract for the cinema land deal expired in January after DelDOT and the RDC were unable to agree on payments, and after DelDOT objected to what it said are unpaid bills for transportation-related work at the Riverfront owed by Buccini/Pollin Group, the city's largest developer.

DelDOT spokesman Geoff Sundstrom said the RDC decision was "a positive development" that will help work on an overall settlement. Resolution of BPG's debt, he said, is now considered a separate issue that would not affect the cinema pact.

Penn Riverfront president Jonathan Byler said late Friday that final agreements need to be signed and construction needs to start by May 1 to allow opening of the 2,800-seat complex by the weekend before Thanksgiving, in time for the important holiday movie-going season. He also said that developers are optimistic that the theater will be built and opened.

"I don't see anything wrong with doing it, even if we have to use our line of credit," Wilmington Mayor James M. Baker, an RDC board member, said before a unanimous vote to approve the payoff plan. "I think it's critical to get that development going and have it in place. I understand that DelDOT is sensitive about making land deals."

DelDOT has come under heavy scrutiny in recent years after revelations about questionable land sales and leases and loosely documented land-lease agreements with influential developers to keep land open for controversial road projects.

The Penn Riverfront venture generated its own controversy recently, after the release of a year-old call from a former DelDOT secretary for payments by Riverfront developer Buccini/Pollin Group on balances for past DelDOT work. Claimed debts to the state include nearly $292,000 for state construction of a side street that Buccini said was not yet needed.

Penn Riverfront lists BPG President Robert E. Buccini as its registered agent.

The company would acquire the South Madison land from the RDC and develop a 15-screen cinema complex under terms not yet made public. DelDOT would fill and pave some surrounding land for parking, making the spaces available for cinema use under a 99-year lease.

State officials set up the two-step transfer to avoid a conflict over the sales price. Delaware law generally bars a sale of surplus property for less than 85 percent of appraised value, and one state appraisal pegged the price of the cinema tract at more than $5 million. Although RDC and city officials disputed the appraisal, negotiators opted to transfer the land first to the RDC under less-restrictive provisions for economic development projects.

Former DelDOT Secretary Carolann Wicks agreed to the approach last year, according to documents released to The News Journal. But Wicks also supported efforts to link the Riverfront cinema pact to settlement of BPG's debts. Wicks said the balance "should not be tolerated" in light of heavy taxpayer-financed spending to support BPG's Riverfront projects -- spending she said "contributed to the funding problems we have today."

Buccini said last week that his company was working with DelDOT to settle the matter, and pointed out that BPG believes DelDOT owes the company money as well.

Highway officials plan to use the South Market Street property for approaches to a new bridge linking the Riverfront development area to the U.S. 13 split at South Market and South Walnut streets.

The project includes a new road that would cross the Christina, hug the south edge of the Shipyard Shops and Riverfront development zone before threading between the stadium and Interstate 95, ending at a link with Beech Street at the new multiplex.

RDC officials consider the movie theater and a proposed Westin Hotel, to be developed by BPG, as crucial amenities for the Riverfront.

Penn Riverfront would serve an estimated 750,000 patrons yearly, creating traffic for surrounding restaurants and businesses.

Purzycki said the full-service Westin would make the Center on the Riverfront more attractive as a convention site. Baker already has said that he would support a $1 million city letter of credit to guarantee a portion of the $36 million project.

Purzycki has asked lawmakers to consider a $2 million guarantee for the hotel, and has said the RDC would back another $2 million.

sakai

April 5th, 2012, 03:42 AM

hope it goes through im sick of going to kop to watch imax

xzmattzx

April 9th, 2012, 06:53 AM

Where exactly is the theater site? South of Beech Street or west of Madison Street?

njwong

April 10th, 2012, 02:56 AM

Where exactly is the theater site? South of Beech Street or west of Madison Street?

They are stating the corner of beech and madison.

http://www.jkrpartners.com/portfolio/entertainment/penn/media/detail1.jpg

OSJ825

April 28th, 2012, 03:12 PM

A $76 million wave of construction could break across Wilmington's struggling Riverfront redevelopment area in coming weeks, but key decisions about the public's role in two of three big building ventures have yet to be settled.

Buccini/Pollin Group leads all three projects: a $36 million proposed Westin Wilmington Riverfront hotel; a $20 million, 3,218-seat, 15-screen Penn Cinema Riverfront multiplex that will include an IMAX auditorium; and a $20 million, 116-unit apartment building in BPG's Justison Landing redevelopment.

"Issues remain parking for the cinema and financing for the hotel," Riverfront Development Corporation Executive Director Michael Purzycki said late Friday. "Nothing new to report but I remain very optimistic."

The 10-story Westin hotel was last reported to need an additional $4 million in public loan guarantees, including $2 million from the state, after securing Wilmington Mayor James M. Baker's publicly declared backing for a $1 million commitment from the city.

Baker this week called on critics of the public hotel subsidies to "shut up," and suggested that hotel industry opponents simply wanted to avoid new competition.

Purzycki has said the RDC will offer $2 million in as-yet unspecified assets to back the hotel, which would rise on a 0.73-acre lot trimmed from the Center on the Riverfront's original nearly 6 acres. Terms for transfer of the land itself have yet to be made public.

State lawmakers and Gov. Jack Markell's administration have been less ready to provide a guarantee for the remaining $2 million, despite assurances that the arrangement would require a guarantee rather than an actual transfer of cash.

"We do not have a start date for the hotel as we have not finalized an agreement with RDC," BPG president Robert Buccini said earlier this month.

The multiplex picture is slightly clearer.

One partner in the cinema project said this week construction should start next month, although hopes for a May 1 kickoff date are fading fast despite reports that work needed to be under way by that time to assure capture of the end-of-year holiday movie season.

(Page 2 of 2)

"We think we'll be breaking ground in May. That certainly is our target at this point," said Jonathan Byler, a partner in the Penn Cinema Imax venture near Lancaster, Pa. "It's just a matter of things needing to be approved. We're ready to start."

Among the approvals is a land swap between DelDOT and the RDC, under an arrangement that filtered the cinema land through the riverfront agency to shield the deal from a potentially more-costly requirement for state land sales directly to the public.

The RDC's initial acquisition of the more-than 4 acres now owned by DelDOT at South Madison and Beech streets, adjacent to the Interstate 95 viaduct, also made the project eligible for up to $1 million in contamination cleanup subsidies. Private ventures are eligible for less than a quarter of that amount.

Less clear are final terms for the several hundred parking spots needed around the site. The RDC has pressed DelDOT to provide some of the parking on remaining public land adjacent to the cinema, as well as on land under the I-95 viaduct at Wilmington.

Wilmington Planning Director Peter Besecker said Friday that the city had received some plans needed to review the cinema project on Wednesday, and construction permit applications already are under study by the city's licenses and inspections department. Some permits for site work could be issued before some reviews are complete, officials said.

Buccini said timetables are less clear still for the apartment building, which would occupy one of the two largest remaining Justison Landing parcels.

"We are still hoping to break ground by late spring," Buccini said. "However, our focus has been on finalizing both the cinema and hotel projects."

OSJ825

May 19th, 2012, 02:35 AM

It looks like the Wilmington Riverfront is going to get the Hotel & the IMAX Movie Theater!!!

http://cmsimg.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=BL&Date=20120518&Category=NEWS&ArtNo=305180078&Ref=AR&MaxW=640&Border=0&Riverfront-hotel-gets-6-million-guarantees

Source: News Journal
After months of wrangling over public aid to private investors, Wilmington's Riverfront Development Corporation this morning approved a $6 million guarantee package for a proposed 10-story Westin hotel on land carved from the Center at the Riverfront.

Also approved were terms for the sale and use of public Riverfront land for a new IMAX cinema multiplex on land RDC will buy from DelDOT and sell to a development group that includes Buccini/Pollin Group. Final details are pending on an agreement with DelDOT for provision of needed additional parking on adjacent state land.

The hotel vote cleared the RDC board with 13 supporters and two absentions after a call for additional review by Secretary of State Jeffrey W. Bullock, one of the RDC's directors.

Bullock’s request for a brief review delay prompted warnings from others, including a representative of the hotel developer, that financing for the long-delayed deal could fall apart if the deal was postponed again.

RDC Executive Director Michael Purzycki said the two ventures would transform the long-struggling Wilmington waterfront, and produce enough Chase Center revenues and government tax receipts to offset taxpayer-covered Chase Center deficits now stubbornly hovering near $900,000 annually.

"All of a sudden, we add these two dimensions to the Riverfront and it changes us forever," Purzycki said.

Final details of the complex hotel aid plan will be reviewed by the RDC's executive committee if needed, the group agreed.

The RDC secured a $5 million share of a $37 million hotel venture designed by the hotel arm of Wilmington-based Buccini/Pollin Group, the riverfront's main developer. City of Wilmington officials already had pledged a $1 million letter of credit to help BPG secure financing for the deal.

Supporters of the hotel project said the recovering area along the Christina waterfront needs a hotel to draw more business, multi-day conferences and casual visits to the Chase Center and surrounding attractions. A summary released Friday estimated economic impact at $2.3 million.

(Page 2 of 2)

Critics, including some lawmakers and private hotel operators, argued that the government had taken too deep and cozy an approach, privately arranging public support with little public input and creating unfair competition for private operators.

David Pollin, a principal in BPG, said the developers are confident the hotel will succeed. Current occupancy rates and revenues for hotels in Wilmington already are higher than the levels needed for success.

“What we are talking about with this opportunity is helping to light up the Chase Center,” Pollin said, adding later, “We're not taking business away from X, Y or Z hotel, we’re supplementing what's already there.”

Details announced Friday included one previously undisclosed term for the hotel, involving a 10-year service contract with hospitality provider Sodexo Inc., which has handled Chase Center food service and related operations for more than a decade

Sodexo, the world's largest hospitality service provider, agreed to invest $2 million in the hotel project based on the service contract and growth agreements.

Riverfront Audio Visual, a company that also provides services at Chase, will put up $1 million, while private investors will put up $10 million in cash.

Final terms for Sodexo's management agreement and fees under the new agreement have yet to be set, Purzycki said

US Bank agreed to provide a $21 million mortgage, conditioned on a $6 million letter of credit through PNC, guaranteeing $6 million of the total.

The RDC's share included a $3 million second mortgage on the Chase Center as a portion of a letter of credit for project financing and a $2 million loan if required from Barclays, guaranteed by BPG.

Wilmington extended a $1 million guarantee.

In addition, the RDC agreed to sell a .75-acre section of the Chase Center land to BPG Hotel Partners XXXI LLC for $3 million, to be repaid at a minimum of $250,000 yearly for the first four years.

Payback for the remaining $2 million will be based on the success of the project, as much as half of the remaining $2 million of the remainder will be guaranteed by part of a $1.3 million cash reserve set aside by Starwood/Westin.

"We are betting that the project will work in order to get paid for three-quarters of an acre of land," Purzycki said.

Bullock said he supported the project, but said that board members had a responsibility to understand all details. He suggested less than a month for additional review.

“I’m suggesting that it would be a prudent course to take a little bit of time to see these documents completed,” Bullock said.

Wilmington Mayor James M. Baker immediately called for a vote, dismissing recent newspaper, hotel industry and public criticisms as “bullshit. You all know that.”