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- Development Corp. highlights Riverfront East in hearing Details of the planned development of Riverfront East in Wilmington were spelled out Wednesday to a state committee that oversees capital projects. Megan McGlinchey, executive director of the Riverfront Development Corp., told the Bond Committee during a budget hearing that the effort to repeat the success of Riverfront West on the opposite side of the Christina River now is focusing on infrastructure and property acquisition. She said she hoped it would end up being as successful as the 25-year development of the West side of the river, which has generated $616 million in revenue on $495 million in state investments since 1996. McGlinchey noted that a University of Delaware study found that in the past five years, the state invested $105 million there and received $169 million in revenue. In the past year, she said, the state had received $33 million from that area and the city $8.5 million. “As we enter our 27th year of operation, the RTC has never felt better about the progress that we’ve made along the riverfront and the results that we’ve achieved for the state,” McGlinchey said. The west project turned a polluted industrial playground into a place for people to live and play. Gov. John Carney’s proposed fiscal year 2024 budget recommends $6.5 million for the Riverfront Development Corp. That does not include money that will be spent on roads by the Delaware Department of Transportation. Riverfront East plans The RDC announced in 2021, that it would spend $100 million for an 86-acre expansion of the riverfront project on the east side. It is expected to have 1.9 million square feet of office space, more than 4,000 residential units, 350,000 square feet of retail space, 9,000 parking spaces and 650 on-street parking spaces. McGlinchey said the RDC was happy to have the move of a Salvation Army warehouse and 78 bed rehabilitation building to South Walnut Street completed in the last year. The corporation has divided the east project into three sections. It’s buying property in all three, but has focused most work on area 1, which hugs the curve of the river. A $30 million project set to start this year will put in roads, signs, sidewalks and utilities. Moving utilities will be a massive job. RELATED STORY: DelTech asks state for $24.8 million for ‘critical’ projects One of the key projects there will be creating a central green for that side. The two-acre park will sit in the middle of development, and the RDC hopes to get started with design this year, which cannot be paid for by DelDOT. About a dozen investors are interested in helping develop the area, she said. McGlinchey also said Wednesday: The RDC’s inaugural holiday light display brought in 109,000 visitors, a 21% increase from the previous year, with 20% of the visitors from out of town. Two apartment complexes now under development, will add to the fortunes of the area. They include the Luxor, which will be a 193-unit building north of the ShopRite on South Market Street, expected to be finished in early 2024. The Riverhouse apartment, situated on the waterfront, is a 300-unit complex expected to open by fall of this year. Both are being built by out-of-state developers. A new mixed use development on Beech Street at the intersection of Justison is a partnership of the Big Fish Restaurant Group and the Onyx group. They developed the Hyatt Place Hotel and Riverfront Event Center in 2019. The development will include two restaurants on the ground level and 216 apartments above ground. It will break ground soon, with proposed completion in late 2024. The RDE plans to paint and light the small tunnels created by the13 Amtrak bridges on the riverfront. It will use the same federal funding that it did for the riverwalk light show. Progress has been slow because of insurance issues with Amtrak, but work should begin in the next few months. About $1 million is being spent to spruce up Frawley Stadium, which the RDC took over management of last year. Most of that will be to bring player areas up to current major baseball standards, but some will be visible to visitors. Bond money has supported both those projects, McClinchey said. A new lease has been negotiated with the Wilmington Blue Rocks, which will keep baseball in Wilmington for many years to come, she said. This is the 30th year of the opening of Frawley Stadium, and the RDC plans a celebration later this year. ... Read More
- Carney vetoes marijuana legalization Delaware Gov. John Carney on Tuesday vetoed House Bill 371, legislation that would have made it legal for Delawareans 21 years of age or older to possess up to one ounce of marijuana. In a statement to the House of Representatives, Carney said while he continues to support medical marijuana, he does not believe promoting or expanding the use of recreational marijuana is in the best interest of the state. “I recognize the positive effect marijuana can have for people with certain health conditions, and for that reason, I continue to support the medical marijuana industry in Delaware,” Carney said. “I supported decriminalization of marijuana because I agree that individuals should not be imprisoned solely for the possession and private use of a small amount of marijuana — and today, thanks to Delaware’s decriminalization law, they are not.” Carney said questions about the long-term health and economic impacts of recreational marijuana use remain unresolved. “I respect the Legislative Branch’s role in this process, and I understand that some hold a different view on this issue,” Carney concluded. “However, I have been clear about my position since before I took office, and I have articulated my concerns many times.” In a statement following the governor’s decision, the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Ed Osienski, D-Newark, said Carney ignored the will of residents and a bipartisan supermajority of the House of Representatives. “Vetoing HB 371 will not stop people from obtaining and consuming marijuana,” Osienski said. “It simply means they could face civil penalties for possession. We have to look no further than New Jersey to see how a new industry can create jobs and generate revenue – sales reached nearly $2 million on its first day.” Until a similar market is established in Delaware, Osienski said people will continue to obtain marijuana illegally through the illicit market or by purchasing cannabis legally in New Jersey, contributing to their tax revenue. “I’m deeply disappointed in his decision, especially since he could have allowed the bill to become law without his signature, which would have preserved both his personal opposition and the will of the residents and legislators,” Osienski concluded. “I will review what options are available and decide on any next steps at a later time.” HB 371’s prime Senate sponsor, Sen. Trey Paradee, D-Dover, and Senate President Pro Tempore Dave Sokola, D-Newark, issued a joint statement Tuesday afternoon suggesting the General Assembly may seek to override Carney’s veto. “While his veto of House Bill 371 will not stop adults from consuming marijuana, it will help to preserve the illegal drug market created by 50 years of prohibition and criminalization that historically has been unjustly and inequitably applied to communities of color,” Paradee and Sokola said. “The questions Governor Carney raised have been resolved in 18 states and the District of Columbia, which are all creating jobs through a legal and well-regulated cannabis industry. The members of the Delaware General Assembly have been fighting for years to end the failed war on marijuana and we will not be stopped by this latest setback,” they said. Zoë Patchell, president of the Delaware Cannabis Advocacy Network, told Delaware LIVE News she’s hoping the General Assembly will use the three-fifths majority it already earned on HB 371 to override Carney’s veto. “This is a sad day for democracy in Delaware and for the one in five Delawareans who will continue to be punished and subjected to intrusive stops and searches for conduct is now legal in 18 states and our nation’s capitol,” Patchell said. “So we’re hoping that the General Assembly respects the will of Delawareans and stands up to Gov. Carney.” Patchell said that if the political will exists, there are already enough votes in the General Assembly to pass both HB 371 and HB 372 without Carney’s signature. HB 372 last Thursday was voted down by the General Assembly. It failed by one vote. Rep. Larry Mitchell, D-Elsmere, is a co-sponsor on the bill and almost certainly would have voted to pass it. Osienski has said he would bring the bill back to the floor in June for another vote when all members are present. RELATED: Marijuana legalization fails in Del. General Assembly — again It’s unclear how Carney’s veto has impacted Osienski’s strategy. He could not be immediately reached for comment Tuesday. In theory, if the same number of legislators who voted to pass HB 371 also vote to override Carney’s veto, the bill would become law. Somehow, it still may not be the end of the line for cannabis legalization in 2022.... Read More
- FAME Inc’s $2.8 million state grant will support new STEM training lab This rendering depicts FAME Inc.’s planned new $6.5 million Learning Lab to support STEM education and jobs. A non-profit that encourages minority students to pursue education, training and work in STEM fields is poised to build a $6.5 million learning lab in downtown Wilmington. The 17,000-square-foot lab will provide spaces for students to learn through hands-on experiential learning. The building also will feature a career center where adult learners will be able to develop skills and seek employment opportunities. FAME Inc., short for the Forum to Advance Minorities in Engineering, received $2.8 million through the 2022 state Bond Bill’s community redevelopment fund to build the lab. The 2022 Bond Bill included $70 million for one-time allocations that legislators earmark for nonprofits, schools and community agencies in their districts. The bill set a record with $1.3 billion of projects, because the state has a projected $1 billion-plus surplus to support them. FAME Inc. organizers say the new lab will inspire career confidence through academics, workforce development and innovation. With about 60% of the project cost covered by this grant and others, the organization is moving into the public phase of its capital campaign and hopes to start phase one of construction by late fall. The project involves retrofitting the FAME headquarters at 2005 Baynard Ave. in Wilmington, which formerly served as the home of Children and Families First. FAME was established in 1976 as one of the nation’s first non-profit STEM organizations. STEM refers to study and industry in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math. According to FAME, the organization “strives to disrupt intergenerational poverty and provide a lifelong continuum of programmatic services for underserved individuals living in Delaware, with a specific focus on Wilmington and greater New Castle County.” Sen. Sarah McBride, D-Wilmington, submitted FAME’s request for bond bill funding. “Diversity in STEM is not a luxury. It is a necessity to effectively craft solutions and products for a diverse world,” she said Tuesday. “FAME’s new Learning Lab, right in the heart of the First Senate District, will offer youth in the Wilmington area a state-of-the-art facility to explore their passions, deepen their knowledge and find pathways to opportunities in STEM.” McBride said the organization’s impact already is clear with 98% of FAME students going on to college and the vast majority of recent graduates entering STEM majors. “FAME has already empowered generations of youth to pursue their dreams and this new facility will only enhance their ability to do so,” she said. “I am so proud to have worked with Rep. (Nnamdi) Chukwuocha and the Bond Committee to make this investment in the next generation of scientists, engineers, mathematicians, educators and dreamers.” Such services are necessary, according to FAME, because “Wilmington lacks a comprehensive and coordinated plan to address poverty, education and unemployment, particularly in underserved communities.” The organization provides educational programs throughout the year, including weekend and summer classes. It also offers a four-week program for 11th and 12th graders to live on campus at the University of Delaware while taking college calculus, physics, chemistry and engineering courses. FAME also acts as a direct link to industry leaders, with students receiving internships, scholarships and opportunities to interact with top executives, engineers, scientists and technology specialists at Fortune 500 organizations. Many are themselves alumni of FAME. CEO Don Baker, is a FAME alumnus, said the new lab will allow students to earn the experience and knowledge necessary to join the labor force. For many, he said, it could change the trajectory of their families’ futures. “Our goal is to make sure that we have the resources necessary to make this a world-class space, but also to present individuals in this city and this state with world-class options,” Baker said. A FAME Inc. document outlining plans for the learning center notes that Wilmington “residents disproportionately experience financial, social and racial inequities and poverty (25%), graduation (72%), and unemployment (5.2%). Rates are increasingly magnified when a racial lens is used. Black and brown residents face higher percentages of poverty (black: 26.9% and Latino: 25.3%) and are 66% more likely to live below the poverty line.” While the organization specifically focuses programming toward girls and minority communities, FAME supports all Delawareans, he said. “We believe that all talented Delawareans deserve opportunities and that’s what we’re focused on providing as we move forward.” Floor plans for FAME Inc.’s new STEM learning lab The first floor of FAME headquarters will become the Career Confidence Center and include reception areas as well as career and workforce development programs. The second floor will house the administrative suite of offices, while providing conference and workspace for industry partners in financial services, engineering and information technology. The third floor renovations will focus on the development of the learning labs, which will include a series of laboratory spaces focused on computer programming, biotechnology, media, food sciences, chemical engineering and pharmacology. The lab will also feature a virtual reality exhibit and a rotating lab with other science-based studies and digital technologies. Renovations will place an emphasis on sustainability by reducing the building’s environmental impact. The building’s exterior will include operable louvers on the glass wall facing south to control daylight streaming and to block solar gain in the summer, while simultaneously taking advantage of passive solar gains in the winter, the report said. The building also will have a green ‘living wall’ as part of the solid brick wall facing Baynard Boulevard. The green wall will protect masonry, reduce heat gain in the building and remove toxins from the air. Solar panels will be placed on the roof, adjacent to a roof-top deck and garden area. Cisterns will collect rainwater that will be used as gray water for multiple purposes. To donate to the project, go to famedelaware.org/donate or email Grace Grennwich at [emailprotected]. Contact Charlie at [emailprotected].... Read More
- Here’s how Longwood created its retro Christmas display Longwood Gardens planners kicked around the idea of a retro Christmas display for years before debuting it this holiday season. “I think everybody’s nostalgic around the holiday season,” said Jim Sutton, Longwood’s display designer. “Christmas is one of those times where it’s sort of a melding between what’s old and what’s new. A lot of people pull things out and they pass them down through the family, so I think it’s one of those things that just resonates with everybody.” The delay for Longwood came about because planners couldn’t agree on a decade to focus on. “So we kind of picked the 40s, 50s and 60s and made it in that time range without trying to get too specific as far as one decade versus another,” Sutton said. As with all Longwood Christmas displays, the themes from the decades show up in big and little ways, and Longwood used area artisans to provide some of the details. Visitors can see the 40s in the massive tinsel garlands hanging from lamp posts in the conservatory’s show-stopping fern floor display, meant to evoke a small town street scene from the 1940s. Remaking retro tinsel The swags were made from vintage patterns. “The lending company we work with bought a company in China that used to produce it,” Sutton said. “They had the original plans for it, and they had beautiful vintage catalogs. They’re 40-feet long. We had them make six of them to go across the fern floor.” Guests can also see the 40s in the plastic building blocks used to make bird feeders on the wildlife tree near the lake. The blocks are meant to be reminiscent of Legos, without mentioning them by name. The Danish toys came out in the 30s but were becoming popular in the 40s. The 50s are reflected in bubble lights and ornaments on the trees. “Lots of ornaments,” Sutton said. Many are vintage, but Longwood staff made a lot of them, too. Some are the ornaments boomers may remember making as kids by attaching crystals, sequins and beads to a styrofoam ball. One gardener made stained glass ornaments and another used pipe cleaners. One item from the 1960s syncs with a popular trend from today. Longwood’s retro truck Longwood’s facilities department restored a 1969 International Roadster 1800 pickup truck, including making a new bumper for it. It’s painted a custom paint color called Red Line Red, meant to evoke the red line on a car speedometer when the driver is going too fast. The bed was loaded with wood and a tree and parked outside the Peirce-du Pont House, a prime site for photo ops. A red pickup carrying a green tree has been popular on all kinds of holiday wares for the last few years. “If you go to any store now you can see the truck on handbags, towels, pillows and ornaments,” Sutton said. “So we’re right in keeping with the market on that one. ” The hand lettering on the driver’s door that says Longwood Gardens was done by Hot Rod Jen, a Pennsylvania woman who specializes in vintage lettering. She said it was a joy to be part of that project. “Having a well known garden such as Longwood reach out to me for hand lettering was wonderful,” she said via email. “The team at Longwood Gardens understand details, and reaching out to a sign painter to help with a classic truck restoration was a detail that not everyone would think about, but they did. “A lot of people are now unaware that trucks from that time period wouldn’t have been done in vinyl, but instead done in the traditional way of hand lettering.” Area artisans chip in “We haven’t even talked about the music room,” Sutton said. “The music room is set up like a retro holiday party, and it’s very mid-century modern with pink and mint green furniture.” Decor includes a tinsel tree and octagonal bar made by Longwood carpenters. Custom glassware for the rooms was made by area artists. GoogleWorks Center for the Arts in Reading, Pennsylvania, housed in an old wartime goggle factory, has a glass blowing studio, and students there made a punchbowl with Longwood’s logo, Tom Collins glasses and glass olives. Burning Branch Studio in Kirkwood, Pennsylvania, also provided glassware, including candy dishes, fruitcake and a Jello mold. The studio was started by glass blower and recovering addict Rachel Calderin, who wanted to create a safe space to create, connect and heal. The studios’ work helps bring the room to life, Sutton said. Instagrammable before Instagram Even before Instagrammable locations was a thing, Longwood provided perfect holiday shots, particularly in its conservatory. This year is no exception, Sutton said. “It’s always, always been the thing about guests,” Sutton said. “They love to have their picture taken, and they also love to have the picture taken with something that says Longwood. That’s why the truck is just a beautiful photo op.” RELATED STORY: Longwood goes retro for Christmas 2023 It’s one reason that Longwood is spelled out in super-sized children’s alphabet blocks at the base of the gardeners tree, which is also also decorated in the small blocks treasured by generations of kids. Pictures from it have been popping up in social media all over the place in the last week. Sutton also recommends the small town display on the fern floor, the super-sized stars rolling down the land toward the small and large lake, the tangle of Christmas bulbs floating on the lake, and the 2,000 ornament balls hanging from the ceiling of the Acacia passage in the conservatory. Where does it all go? Longwood will store all the ornaments, glassware and props made for the retro theme will be stored around the property. Much of it is in the Calf Barn, but each of the 23 project leaders has their own nooks and crannies to store items, Sutton said. The project leaders include gardeners and frontline staff who take on a project like […]... Read More
