A Community Reborn

Issue 10.11

March 22, 2024

THIS WEEK IN DOVER

Today wrapped up another week of session for the General Assembly, who only has one week left before spring recess begins. They will return to session on Tuesday, April 16th, following the recess. There have been developments in the status of several bills in which the Delaware State Chamber is following. Read more >

A COMMUNITY REBORN

HOW THE WILMINGTON LAND BANK IS RESTORING HOPE AND HOMEOWNERSHIP IN LOWER HILLTOP NEIGHBORHOOD

By Jim Donahue

Norman Mercado has lived in Wilmington’s Lower Hilltop community—an eight-square-block area between the busy 4th Street corridor to the north, Pleasant Street to the south, and Van Buren and Franklin Streets to the east and west—for 45 years. In that time, he’s seen many of the neighborhood’s early 20th century row homes abandoned by owners or their descendants, left to the elements by absentee landlords, boarded up by the city for back taxes, or targeted by squatters for criminal activity. ...

But that was then. Today, Mercado says things are looking up in Lower Hilltop, a majority-Hispanic and African American community. And he credits the Wilmington Neighborhood Conservancy Land Bank and its Lower Hilltop Affordable Housing Initiative for the progress. Read more >

FROM RESIDENTS TO REDEVELOPERS

Embarking on the journey of real estate development can be a daunting task, especially for new developers. Yet, in the northern reaches of Delaware, a renewed energy is pulsating through communities, thanks to the Jumpstart Wilmington program.

Cinnaire’s Jumpstart Wilmington provides aspiring developers who live in Wilmington communities and people committed to revitalizing Wilmington with the skills, knowledge, and support they need to rehabilitate key properties, one at a time. Read more >

A NEW VISION FOR DOWNTOWN DOVER

In an ambitious move set to redefine the urban landscape of Delaware’s capital, Bernardon has been working alongside the Downtown Dover Partnership and a coalition of planners and developers, including Mosaic Development Partners and Kimley-Horn, to introduce the Capital City 2030 plan.

With a primary objective to inject vibrancy and economic vitality into Downtown Dover, Capital City 2030 exemplifies the synergy of collaborative design, planning, and community engagement. Read more >

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Demographic numbers are among the most telling statistics and probably the easiest to understand. However, adjusting policy to meet these realities is never easy. For example, according to U.S. Census Data, Delaware ranks as the fourth oldest state in the country. Interestingly, 5.2% of our population, or 51,230 people, are kids under 5 years old. For ages 5 to 17, we rank 38^thout of the 50 states and have around 15.7% of our population in that age range. Read more >

In Case You Missed It