[mglan80]

I thought I'd start a new thread to broadly cover the new construction and redevelopment in downtown Wilmington. There's a few new projects beginning to get underway so I'll start with a rundown:

Ship's Tavern Garage - Construction Underway

http://www.addresswilmington.com/shipstaverngarage.jpg

Architect: BSA+A (Wilmington)
Height: 7 1/2 Stories (Roughly 5 Stories)
Parking Spaces: 455
Retail Space: 15,200

Renaissance Centre - Currently Under Construction (scaled down)

This building will fill a gaping hole in the "dead zone" between the established and more or less vibrant Rodney Square/Delaware Ave. area of downtown and the burgeoning riverfront area.

Original Rendering
http://www.addresswilmington.com/05-21-RenAd.JPG

New Rendering
http://www.addresswilmington.com/444KingSt.jpg

Architect: Tevebaugh Associates (Wilmington)
Height: 10 Stories
Parking Spaces: 325
Office Space: 140,000
Retail Space:

Christina Landing - Currently Under Construction

http://www.addresswilmington.com/09-10-05-landingwideangle.JPG

Architect: Kling (Philadelphia)
Height: Residences at Christina Landing - 23 Stories, River Tower - 25 Stories
Parking Spaces: Attached 455 Car Garage
Retail Space: ~1,500 sq. ft. (educated estimate)
Other: 64 Three Story Townhomes Are Also Part of This Project

See this (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?threadid=68678) thread.

Juniper Bank Headquarters Expansion - Currently Under Construction

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/jayr05/041026_juniper2.jpg

Architect:
Height: 6 Stories
Parking Spaces: 1,150
Office Space: 260,000 sq. ft.
Retail Space: 20,000 sq. ft.

WSFS Bank Center (aka Gateway Plaza) - Currently Under Construction

http://www.addresswilmington.com/GatewayPlaza.jpg

Architect: Gensler (San Francisco)
Height: 15 Stories
Parking Spaces: 525
Office Space: 350,000 sq. ft.
Retail Space: 2,980 sq. ft.

See this (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?threadid=87330) thread for construction information.

800 Delaware Avenue - Currently Under Construction

http://www.addresswilmington.com/800DelawareAvePEG.JPG

Architect:
Height: 12 Stories (being constructed upon existing 5 story garage)
Parking Spaces: Garage Currently Exists
Office Space: 131,554 sq. ft.

Justison Landing - Currently Under Construction

Project includes:

Residential Units: 700 units (one, two and three bedroom units in flats, lofts, and townhomes)
Retail Space: 75,000 sq. ft.
Parking Spaces:
Office Space: ~ 300,000 (to be developed in a future phase)

http://www.addresswilmington.com/justison.jpg

Two Christina Center - Proposed

This project is being developed by Brandywine Realty Trust, a large local real estate development and holding company out of King of Prussia. Unfortunately, the Wilmington market is not strong enough for this project to move forward at this time.

http://www.addresswilmington.com/2ndandkingtower.JPGhttp://www.northeastrebusiness.com/articles/OCT05/images/Two-Christina1.jpghttp://www.northeastrebusiness.com/articles/OCT05/images/Two-Christina2.jpg

Architect: Ceasar Pelli
Height: 22 Stories
Parking Spaces:
Office Space: ~ 500,000

---------

Word 'round the Campfire

A large regional builder is interested in putting a townhouse project together on the 7th Street peninsula near the old Fort Christina marina. There was an RFP for a redevelopment of the marina and immediate area, and the city received two proposals. Unfortunately, everyone is mum on who or what may or may not happen out there.

For those of you unfamiliar, the 7th Street peninsula is a chunk of land hemmed in by the Christina and Brandywine rivers on the east side of Wilmington. Most of the area was a city dump in the 19th century, and more recently an industrial area. There's currently some new development, but only light industrial. Here's a map (http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?formtype=address&searchtype=address&country=US&addtohistory=&1ahXX=&address=1400+E.+7th+Street&city=wilmington&state=de&zipcode=):

[Pluto]

Two Christina Centre could be the sister of Cira Centre in Philly!

http://www.addresswilmington.com/2ndandkingtower.JPG

http://elliptic.typepad.com/elliptic_blog/images/cira.gif

[volguus zildrohar]

Wilmington I?

Are you expecting something to happen to this thread to necessitate a Wilmington II?:)

[Xing]

Woohoo! Go birth-state!

[frank_pentangeli]

Not good enough for Philly IV eh?

[volguus zildrohar]

Well why can't Wilmington have their own development thread?

[mglan80]

Wilmington I?

Are you expecting something to happen to this thread to necessitate a Wilmington II?

No, I just wanted to give a nod to the Philadelphians' passion for their city. This thread won't get off the first page!

Come on Frank, you know how massive that thread is. These little projects will get lost in the crush over there. Besides, volguus is right, Wilmington gets its own marquee.

--Is anyone else having problems with images loading? Two are off of my site and should not be over bandwidth.

[Joey D]

Matt. Another Great Page. I don't see why you put the 2CC so late. I say they start frickin' around with the lot in summer. Or is that just hope?

[frank_pentangeli]

I guess I needed a ---> ;)

[Joey D]

I stumbled across this pic after many drunken clicks upon mine google.

http://www.midatlantic.construction.com/images/0503_Site-Draft5.jpg

It situates 2 Christina Landing (River Tower) closer to the other guy.

http://www.christinalanding.net/banner_floorplans.jpg

I smashed a few of the renderings together and made this:

The last one is the WSFS Gateway Plaza, which needs to be built already.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v637/joe84323/Final4.jpg

A Wilmington Casino. They're scared shitless, no?

A Delaware group is proposing a more than $300 million gambling and entertainment playground for 50 acres on Wilmington's Seventh Street Peninsula.

The project, called Diamond Casino Resort, would include up to 4,000 slot machines in several themed settings, a 400-room hotel, dinner theater, restaurants, shops and a public marina.

Legislation that would allow the opening of a casino not related to a racetrack is being drafted and is expected to be introduced next month. The 1994 law that legalized slot machines in Delaware tied gambling to the state's horse-racing tracks. The stated purpose of the law was to save the horse-racing industry.

The project promises to bring 2,000 jobs to the city by creating a regional entertainment attraction known in the industry as "casinos-plus," according to the developer, Diamond Entertainment Group LLC of Wilmington. The developers said they have not yet estimated revenue or overall economic impact from the project.

The developers are modeling the resort project after the Mohegan Sun gaming and entertainment venue in Uncasville, Conn. They are promoting the project as a way to combat the coming competition from slots in Pennsylvania and, possibly, Maryland. Plans are already in the works for a Harrah's casino and racetrack in Chester, Pa., about 15 miles from Wilmington.

"It's a question of maintaining competitiveness in the expanding mid-Atlantic market," said Mark Kleinschmidt, president of MAK Associates in New Castle and operations manager for the Diamond Entertainment Group. "We need to upgrade our gaming legislation and move into a second generation of video lottery terminal operations."

Political observers and gaming experts said the project is likely to escalate the public policy debate about the expansion of legalized gambling beyond the original purpose of the 1994 law.

I. Nelson Rose, a professor at Whittier Law School in Costa Mesa, Calif., and an expert in gaming law, said most states don't take the offensive when facing competition from other states. They only open casinos after they begin to lose revenues to other states, he said.

"Once the racinos open in Pennsylvania, the gaming revenues in Delaware are going to drop dramatically," Rose said.

Diamond Entertainment has estimated a loss of more than $130 million in general fund revenue if both Pennsylvania and Maryland legalize gambling. Delaware receives about $190 million a year from gambling, about 8 percent of the state's operating budget.

Still, the developers are likely to see intense opposition from gaming venues at Delaware Park, Dover Downs and Harrington Raceway.

"It's not Diamond Casino Resort that's going to kill the racinos. It's Philadelphia that's going to cream their business," said Claire M. DeMatteis, the lawyer and lobbyist for Diamond Entertainment.

Changed climate

DeMatteis said that, unlike 2003 when Delaware Program LLC proposed a $50 million hotel and casino on the Christina River at Walnut and A streets, the political and economic landscape has changed dramatically. The city desperately needs the additional revenues a casino resort would bring, she said.

Besides wage and property taxes paid to the city by a major entertainment development, the proposed legislation would dedicate a percentage of revenues to the city. No estimates have been made regarding the amount of money the city would receive, she said.

Mayor James M. Baker indicated last week in a letter to Gov. Ruth Ann Minner that some proceeds from gambling - either from the existing venues or through a new casino in the city - would be welcome.

Diamond Entertainment will meet with Merrill Lynch executives from New York next week to discuss project financing, DeMatteis said.

Developers reach out

To sweeten the pot, Diamond Entertainment is trying to be inclusive. One of the two principals in Diamond Entertainment - Sussex Entertainment Enterprises LLC - proposed a racino in Georgetown last year.

Sussex Entertainment Enterprises principals include Ronald E. Schafer of Wilmington, Stephen S. Silver of Wilmington and Constantine F. Malmberg III of Dover.

The other principal in Diamond Entertainment is Peninsula Ventures LLC, which includes David G. Bull of Greenville, Andrew J. Aerenson of Wilmington, David Grayson of Delaware County, Pa., and Thomas B. Payne of Kennett Square, Pa.

Diamond Entertainment also has asked two other developers of proposed casinos in Wilmington to join it in the 120,000-square-foot casino building. The idea is to create a casino with different themed areas and a different mix of gaming machines under one roof.

In 2003, Delaware Program LLC proposed a 2,000-slot casino. Legislation was introduced in 2004, but it never got out of the gaming committee, said H. Hunter Lott III, a partner in Delaware Program. Lott said his group is discussing the peninsula project with Diamond Entertainment.

"I think the proposal they've got is a very exciting opportunity not only for gaming, but as an overall mid-Atlantic entertainment destination," Lott said.

Diamond Entertainment also has contacted a Maryland developer who in 2001 expressed an interest in a riverboat dinner theater with gambling. The developer, Kim Klopcic, owner of the Yin Yankee Cafe in Annapolis, Md., did not return phone calls Monday.

DeMatteis said the peninsula developers plan to introduce legislation called the Video Lottery Competitiveness Act in April. It would create "entertainment zones" for slot machine gambling outside the racetrack venues. The entertainment zones would be located in economically distressed areas ripe for redevelopment.

In addition, the bill would relax restrictions on the location of video lottery terminals so that they could be placed closer to hotels. The legislation would expand operating hours for casinos and relax restrictions on customer amenities, such as bonuses for food, beverages and rooms.

Plans for the Diamond Casino Resort call for the casino to be operated by a national casino operator. The developers said they are already in discussions with several.

Bridging the gap

Diamond Entertainment also is proposing a bridge to the peninsula from the 12th Street exit of I-495. The group is exploring the possibility of public-private financing for the bridge.

If the bill were to pass during this legislative session, work on the casino could begin as early as July. The casino could open by late 2006.

Other development on the peninsula would be phased in over time.

The Three Little Bakers Dinner Theatre in Pike Creek Valley has expressed interest in the proposed dinner theater on the peninsula.

"We think that the group's concept is so exciting - everything they're doing is so spectacular and the city will benefit. You can't help but get excited. We're definitely considering our options," said Victoria Immediato Winton, president of Three Little Bakers.

Besides the casino building, the first phase calls for 350,000 square feet of retail and restaurants. The complex is designed to have a marina and ferry terminal so that visitors could arrive by boat. There also would be a public marina with 50 to 60 slips.

A second phase could include 200 to 250 waterfront condominiums, a 7,000-seat covered arena and a second hotel.

http://www.delawareonline.com/newsjournal/local/2005/03/images/146185.jpg


Ehh.. It ain't much.... but then I think of Trenton.. hahahahaha

[frank_pentangeli]

From that picture it looks disconnected from the rest of the city. Is that wrong?

[mglan80]

^Doesn't matter. It'll never come about. I honestly don't understand the mentality that by adding a fourth venue in the state, two in New Castle County only miles apart, that this will help the gambling industry compete with PA and MD. How does further diluting market share help anyone? The state passed expanded gambling laws to help the horse racing industry remain a viable sport, and it has worked. That should be it.

It's funny, these developers brought in a plan a little over a year ago to my bank and it was all industrial warehouse/flex buildings, now this. I definately support the condominiums and marina, but the resort and casino are a poor fit and will ultimately fail. I'm undecided on the retail and restaurants. Wilmington definately has a large selection of restaurants already, and I don't know if there's demand for more. Retailers might like the site because of the direct access off of I-495, and Wilmington could definately use more upscale stores and an alternative to the 202 corridor and the Christiana Mall complex.

Anyway, Joe I'm certain that Brandywine Realty Trust doesn't have enough preleasing to start construction of 2CC. The same goes for Gateway Plaza (hopefully WSFS will move!). I certainly see office space continue to tighten, especially as the sites out in the County continue to age and have very few new buildings to replace them. Again, I'd say summer 2006. I saw that rendering of the two towers on the Kling website, too. Nice.

[Xing]

I'm pretty disappointed in the removal of the "I" from the title of this thread. It was... how should I put it... humorous, yet charming.

[ScreamShatter]

When I drive home to South Carolina from Philly...I love driving through Wilmington. I think it appears to be such a cute city. It definately has a lot of potiential.

[mglan80]

^Me too gniX.

Here's two photos of the Juniper Bank building currently finishing preliminary sitework. There's a very large two to three foot hole that's now filled with water.

http://www.addresswilmington.com/04-09-05--15.JPG

A mock up?
http://www.addresswilmington.com/04-09-05--14.JPG

These few buildings in the 900 block of Orange Street are fenced off and ready to be demolished. There is one building on the Shipley side of this block that is already demolished. In fact I wanted to shoot this small building before it was pulverized, but it's now too late. The little building had an interesting carved stonework sign that said "Room" and also a roof mounted lattace type sign (a sign on a lattace work of metal, I don't know what that type is really called). Damn shame I didn't get to shoot it. I'll never put off something like that again. I don't know what is going here at all. If anyone has any idea, please share.

http://www.addresswilmington.com/04-09-05--21.JPG

The building on Shipley is now a pile of rubble.
http://www.addresswilmington.com/04-09-05--19.JPG

And here's a few random shots I took this afternoon:

One of my favorite buildings in downtown. This is on the 400 block of Market Street, which is now fenced off due to the impending construction of the Renaissance Centre office building mentioned above. I'll shoot some more of this site later this week.

http://www.addresswilmington.com/04-09-05--17.JPG

The loneliest area in all of downtown on a weekend. Market above 12th Street is as desolate as a ghost town, but I like it.
http://www.addresswilmington.com/04-09-05--20.JPG

http://www.addresswilmington.com/04-09-05--18.JPG

http://www.addresswilmington.com/04-09-05--16.JPG

[mglan80]

echo.........echo........

[Joey D]

Regarding the Casino, I don't think little Sally and Bobby should be anywhere near Eastside with Grandma.
Eastside is as black as my pappy and twice as racist.
(j/k 'bout my pappy)

WTF is the deal with the Shipley Block?

I think I remember hearing it before, but I forgot. Is this gonna be a parking structure thing. or?? I think I remember vaguely hearing something 8-12 storyish. It was in the paper a while ago.

Anyways.. Great pics, dude... I am glad they are mashing those particular two blocks in the ground.

I need to take some more Ghetto pics soon. It's a lot of fun.

[FlyersFan118]

Yay, a Wilmington thread!

I was waiting for our little sister to have a thread.

Nice renderings...2CC looks awesome. That will be a true gem in Wilmington. As far as little skylines in little cities go, Wilmington blows everyone clear out of the park, hands down.

[mglan80]

-Joe, I don't remember reading about that office building, but that's more than likely what is going in there. That's good news. It'll improve the 900 block of Orange and Shipley greatly. Hey, maybe someone will buy the vacant Brandywine Brewing Co. restaurant. I don't see why they'd need a parking structure there since the mid-town garage is underused and half a block down.

Speaking of that garage, I really wish the City would tear that down and start over. That relic is an unattractive eyesore on an already run down looking (really a glorified alley) Shipley Street. That area would benefit greatly from a new and well designed garage. I know the City has no money for this, but they should consider selling that garage, allow a developer to build, and they should just charge land rent or a percentage of parking revenue. They can't be making that much off of that garage. Also, whenever WILMAPCO recommends approval of the Shipley Street beautification, the garage will stand out that much more.

Couldn't agree with you more about the Eastside. I still think West Center City is tougher, though.

-Thanks FF. I hope 2CC jumps off sooner, but I don't think anything will happen until at least 2006.

One thing I didn't include on here is a concept tower adjacent to 1105 Market Street (the Pei building). The bank I work for financed the repositioning of this building, and the purchaser, Keystone Property Group, showed an 18 story glass tower as a future development option. This is at least 5 or 10 years out, and although it is just a concept, the building didn't look very good. Just thought I'd share that.

1105 Market

http://www.addresswilmington.com/wilmingtontower.JPG

The building has since been recoated and is more white now. Also the lobby and entire interior have been completely overhauled. The building, before purchase, had an occupancy rate of around 20%, but now is at around 65% (including the space that is still being renovated).

[FlyersFan118]

I think it looks beautiful in that picture.

[doormanpoet]

Looks like it is a beautiful city.

[FlyersFan118]

'tis. Philly's little sister to the south.

I <3 Wilmington. :banana:

[Joey D]

It occurred to me that there are no real pics of Wilmington. I figured I would post a few so people would know wth it looks like.

Hope somebody gets something out of these.

http://www.ifmadelaware.org/Images/HEADER_skyline.jpg
http://visitors.delawareonline.com/images/wilmington_skyline.jpg
http://musicommercial.com/images/wilm_skyline_3.jpg
http://musicommercial.com/images/wilm_skyline_4.jpg
http://members.aol.com/frankwbell/graphics/wilm.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v637/joe84323/WilmingtonApril1st032.jpg

Now, you know.

[mglan80]

Good grab Joe.^

[mglan80]

Question answered (sorry, no rendering to be found):

Buildings Giving Way to New Garage

10 Demolitions on Shipley and Orange Streets Will Clear Space For 370-Car Parking Structure

By MAUREEN MILFORD / The News Journal
04/19/2005

The entire Urban family of Wilmington went on high alert April 8, when demolition work began on a row of buildings on Shipley Street in downtown Wilmington.

Joseph W. and Diane L. Urban and their three children, Ryann, 14, Joseph II, 12, and Joshua, 9, didn't want to miss the day the excavator would chomp into their old building at 907 Shipley St. For nine years, the Urbans ran their Talkin' Turkey Cafe on the ground floor of the building, before they moved in September 2003 to their new location on the corner of Ninth and Shipley streets.

"Our kids had their birthday parties there. They would rollerblade down the hallway in the summer. We have a lot of good sentiments about the place," Diane Urban said.

"We put in 60 hours a week there for nine years," Joseph Urban added. "It was an extension of our home."

Now, the Urbans have two bricks from their old location - one is in the restaurant and one is at home.

The demolition of 10 vacant and deteriorating buildings in the city's central business district is the first step in a plan to create an approximately $9 million parking garage on the site. Montchanin Development Group Ltd. of Wilmington is tearing down five buildings on the west side of the 900 block of Shipley Street. It then will demolish five buildings on the east side of the 900 block of Orange Street.

The properties are owned by John Hynansky, chief executive of the 14-dealership Winner Automotive Group. Alan Perry, president of Montchanin Development, said the demolition work could take another two weeks. Construction on the six-story, 370-car garage is expected to begin in the fall, he said.

Besides the building formerly used by the Urbans, the building that housed the Shipley Grill has been torn down. Sean Reilly, who owned the Shipley Grill from 1989 to 2001, said he grabbed a section of brickwork, to which he attached the keys to his old restaurant. Over the past several months Reilly was permitted to go into the vacant restaurant and remove anything he wanted to save.

He rescued bar items, salt and pepper shakers and several tables, including the restaurant's only round table. Known as Table 37, it was the seat of the stars. Hollywood actors like Kathleen Turner, Hal Holbrook, Robin Williams and Mitzi Gaynor sat at Table 37 after performances at the DuPont Theatre and the Grand Opera House. Reilly also salvaged a vase that held flowers given to him by Gaynor.

For Reilly, the demolition of his old restaurant building was psychologically freeing.

"The building was so dilapidated, it was like reviewing the corpse over and over," he said.

Other structures headed for the brick pile include the Copper Kettle Restaurant, McNelis Hallmark shop and Mrs. Snyder's Chocolate Chippery on Orange Street.

The work has created a lot of sidewalk interest in a part of downtown that in recent years had become a depressing promenade on both Shipley and Orange streets.

"It's a shame to see old buildings go, but anything is better than what was there," said Paul Simonds, co-owner of Mutt's Hot Dogs, at 901 Orange St.

Eric L. McDaniels, chief executive of E.M. Enterprises and manager of the newly-renovated office tower at Ninth and Orange streets, said the demolition has created more interest in his building.

"It's creating a buzz in the neighborhood," McDaniels said. "It's definitely good to see some construction and investment in this part of town."

--------

Hopefully it'll look nice.

[Joey D]

I should stop taking acid, maybe?

[FlyersFan118]

Nice pics. I love Wilmington. Beautiful little city.

[mglan80]

An ad for the Renaissance Centre on King and 4th Streets
http://www.addresswilmington.com/ad-1.JPG

I have to say I like this building more and more. Also, it's now 15 stories, not 13.

FF - It's a city of contrasts. There are some good and some bad landscapes.

[FlyersFan118]

I know, but the same goes for Philly. Doesn't mean I can't love Wilmington. Whenever I drive through, I'm always pleased. I love it.

I wish Philly were like it in some respects. Like to start...taxes? :banana:

Tax-free bastards...

[Joey D]

Hahaaaaaaaaaaah Mglan. Me too. The first time I saw it I think I was picturing in my mind like a 4-story building. Now, tho.. if you look at the height of the building perpendicularly to the size of the block, it's nicely proportioned for the area.

Maybe it can block out some of that Super Nintendo tape they built a couple years ago.

FlyersFan: Why the HELL hasn't Philly gotten that picture? It's so apparent that if it works for a shitty little city in the same MSA right down the street with the same demographics, etc.. It can work for the big guy up the street.

I just don't get it. They need to purge city council and get a new Mayor. Rendell is the man.

The last dude who ran for Mayor last year was a bail bondsman.
his motto was "Bail out the City." A good number of crackheads actually voted for him too.

[mglan80]

"Super Nintendo tape"? What the courthouse?

The last dude who ran for Mayor last year was a bail bondsman.
his motto was "Bail out the City." A good number of crackheads actually voted for him too.


I remember that. The guy even had an ad for his bailbonds company on the billboards. Needless to say, my vote was for Baker.

[Joey D]

Yep, the courthouse. Yeah. I said it.

[Swede]

Great to hear a bit of news from the only Swedish colony that amounted to anything (unless you count Finland:D). Don't think I've seen this many pics of it before ;)
/Wilmington could market itself more in Sweden - might get more historybuff tourists.

http://www.addresswilmington.com/04-09-05--15.JPG
I would like to make my appreciation of this pic known. I had no Idea that was a fence, thanks for the info.

[mglan80]

Well Swede, there's not much left of the colony except the original church and cemetary. The Kalmar Nyckel is a replica of one of the two original ships that brought some of your forebearers over.

The Nyckel:

http://www.addresswilmington.com/KalmarWideangle.JPG

http://www.addresswilmington.com/KalmarCloseup.JPG

I would like to make my appreciation of this pic known. I had no Idea that was a fence, thanks for the info.

You're welcome. It's actually the hole in the ground for the yet to be constructed Juniper Bank headquarters. I didn't notice the fence sign before you mentioned it.

[mglan80]

It does look like a Nintendo tape on its side. I never saw that until you wrote that. I still like it.

[mglan80]

Some updates:

The Renaissance Centre is now under construction. A crane (I'm assuming for the pile driving) was brought on site last week. Crews demolished three buildings on 4th Street to make way for the new building. Unfortunately, I didn't photograph these buildings before they were destroyed (there was an interesting neon sign for DuPont Paints). Damn.

http://www.addresswilmington.com/05-21-RenSite.JPG

^The intersection of 4th and King Streets.

http://www.addresswilmington.com/05-21-RenAd.JPG

^A rendering of the building on the site fence.

---------------------

Also, the Juniper Bank site has a ton of equipment on it, and looks like they're starting the site work. No photos, since it's just a bunch of equipment.

---------------------

The Shipley Street garage site is cleared and they're now excavating.

http://www.addresswilmington.com/05-21-ShipleyGarageSite.JPG

----------------------

Also, in some bigger news, the word 'round the campfire is that Gateway Plaza will start construction this summer! A large law firm has contracted to take a large block of space, and this is enough to get things moving. WSFS has not made any commitments yet, but I'm pretty sure we're moving.

-----------------------

Updates on the Christina Landing (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?threadid=68678) thread also.

[Joey D]

Ahhhhhhh.... HOTNESS.........
Reminds me ish of Symphony House. Don't ask me why.
http://www.addresswilmington.com/05-21-RenAd.JPG
We goffed at that thing at it's announcement. I don't know why.

Mglan... You never cease to amaze me with your insider's information on the city. I have a small pic of Gateway if anybody wants to see it.

[volguus zildrohar]

The last dude who ran for Mayor last year was a bail bondsman.
his motto was "Bail out the City." A good number of crackheads actually voted for him too.

New bulletin: Marion Barry is at it again...

[mglan80]

^Speaking of Barry, is that a pile of coke on your avatar, Black Magic?

I forgot to mention also, that the BPG plan for the old Public Works yard over on Madison is for 500+ units! I didn't hear anything about another tower, so looks like it'll be townhomes and apartments. There will be a hotel though, so that may be an 8-10 story building.

Mglan... You never cease to amaze me with your insider's information on the city. I have a small pic of Gateway if anybody wants to see it.

It's a small, small town. Do you have a stand alone rendering of Gateway? Looking at the first page of this thread, it seems the News Journal doesn't allow hotlinking anymore. Bastards.

[Joey D]

The last building on the right is the Gateway Plaza
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v637/joe84323/Final4.jpg

[mglan80]

Looks like another possible highrise...

Developers Offer Plans for Wilmington Property

WILMINGTON -- Two developers Thursday outlined their competing plans for new high-end condominiums in the Midtown-Brandywine neighborhood. McConnell Johnson Real Estate Co. of Wilmington wants to build a 20-story building with 70 units that would sell for at least $350,000 each. Midtown Development of Baltimore wants to build a 10-story building with 46 units that would sell for around $550,000 each. The site for the condos is 1400 N. Washington St., where the Red Clay Consolidated School District's former administration building sits. Christiana Care currently owns and uses the building. Christiana Care bought the property from the city five years ago. The terms of the deal allow Brandywine Gateway Neighbors, a nonprofit housing group, to purchase the property for about $2 million by July 1. McConnell Johnson would offer $2.5 million to Brandywine Gateway Neighbors. Midtown Development would offer $3 million. Several of the residents at the meeting at First Presbyterian Church expressed concerns about the new building causing traffic and parking congestion in their neighborhood.

--------

Will people ever not complain about traffic?

This site is directly across Washington Street from Wilmington Hospital.

http://www.addresswilmington.com/WashingtonStreetBridgethumb.JPG

Sorry, but I don't have a good shot of the site. The building would be just to the left of the tan building on the left (behind where the clump of trees is). It's a nice site, I've always thought there would be alot of development potential since it overlooks Brandywine Park and the river.

[mglan80]

Proposals cause uproar in Wilmington

Residents Cringe at Possible Sale of Christiana Care Facility

By ADAM TAYLOR / The News Journal
05/28/2005

They would rather have the property at 1400 N. Washington St. stay as it is. Christiana Care operates the only full-service facility for AIDS patients in Delaware in a four-story, brick building there.

But the residents might not have that choice.

A nonprofit housing group, Brandywine Gateway Neighbors, has the right to buy the property from the hospital in July. The group will likely do so and then sell the property to one of two developers who would tear down the building and construct expensive condominiums in its place.

Some residents fear the condominiums would increase traffic congestion and reduce the amount of off-street parking spaces already at a premium in the neighborhood, which is nestled near high-rise office buildings at the downtown's edge.

Others say Brandywine Gateway Neighbors is acting like a for-profit real estate speculator in the deal, a charge the group's leaders deny. The group should be looking at a project that is less intrusive to the neighborhood, as it has been doing for more than 20 years, residents said.

"This is a money grab," resident Bob Goff said.

Brandywine Gateway Neighbors Co-Executive Director Sirena Turner said the high-end condominiums -- some of which would sell for more than $500,000 -- are the best use for the property. She said the profit the group would make by selling the property isn't the driving force behind the proposed sale.

Kym Liebler, a board member of the group, said she envisions a compromise before the details are finalized.

"This will be a negotiated development between us and the residents," she said. "Brandywine Gateway Neighbors is going to have to accept less money, and the residents are going to have to accept a larger building than they want."

The existing structure used to be the Red Clay Consolidated School District's administration building. The city bought it in 2000 for $1.3 million, at a time when Christiana Care's Wilmington Hospital had a short-term space crunch and Brandywine Gateway Neighbors had a long-term vision for the area. The vision included more residential units on Washington Street.

So the city tried to help both parties. It immediately sold the property to Christiana Care, with a clause in the agreement that allowed Brandywine Gateway Neighbors to buy it in July 2005.

Christiana Care spokesman Bill Schmitt said the hospital understands that it will lose the facility if Brandywine Gateway Neighbors exercises its right to buy the property, but would like to stay.

About 750 AIDS patients are served there, and Wilmington has one of the highest AIDS rates in the country. Schmitt said there is no room for the patients at the hospital's main facility across the street.

"We'll honor our commitments, but leaving the facility would be highly problematic for us, and we're gravely concerned about it," he said.

Millions of Dollars at Stake

Resident Liza Clapham, who lives near the site, asked the Brandywine Gateway Neighbors board to extend its July 5 deadline for opting to buy the property.

"I'd like them to consider allowing the hospital to keep it," she said. "I don't want a huge condominium near me, and I like the idea of having an AIDS clinic there providing a valuable service to the community."

The Brandywine Gateway Neighbors board will vote next month on whether it will buy the property. Liebler said she expects the board will make the purchase. And if it does, Turner said a large building will go there.

McConnell Johnson Real Estate Company, of Wilmington, wants to build a 20-story building with 70 units that would sell for at least $350,000 each.

Midtown Development, of Baltimore, wants to build a 10-story building with 46 units that would sell for around $550,000 each.

Brandywine Gateway Neighbors would purchase the property for about $2 million. McConnell Johnson would offer $2.5 million to buy it. Midtown Development would offer $3 million.

End of Urban Development Grants

Goff and other residents said they believe the group wants to make a profit because it is close to losing what has been its main money source for nearly a quarter-century.

Brandywine Gateway Neighbors has received $300,000 a year since the early 1980s from the city-run Wilmington Urban Development Action Grant Corp., corporation board President Richard V. Pryor said.

The annual payments to the group will end in 2007 or 2008, he said.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development launched its Urban Development Action Grant program in 1978. It was designed to help aging cities attract big companies.

Many of Wilmington's older high-rise office buildings were built with the grants and loans given out by the program. Wilmington and companies in the city received 13 grants and loans worth $40.7 million over seven years.

The federal government ended the program in 1988, but the agencies in Wilmington and other cities formed to handle the loans stayed in existence as the repayments continued to come in.

The repayments were used to pay for other neighborhood initiatives, one of which was the 25-year contractual obligation to Brandywine Gateway Neighbors. The group has used the money to build more than 50 houses in Midtown-Brandywine, Brandywine Village and parts of the East Side and the old Ninth Ward.

Moving Head

While the community still has a chance to talk the group's board out of buying the property, that prospect seems unlikely.

"There will be lots of discussion, but everyone is going to have to be honest," Liebler said. "I really think this is just progress. I think this type of housing is good for the neighborhood and good for the whole city."

But resident Herrell said progress could take place in the form of a smaller condominium building.

"Something not as massive," he said.

"If you go put something like what is planned there, everybody's petrified about what is going to happen."

--------------------

Imagine, a high rise residential building a block from downtown. I can see why people are so upset.

Hopefully McConnell can steamroll these jackasses.

[FlyersFan118]

Lots of stuff going on in Wilmington! I love that "mini-Cira Centre" Building. That't be a great addition to the city.

Wilmington is so cool. lol

[Joey D]

I hate these idiots who like to stop progress.

I can't believe they would rather have a parking lot than something that would strengthen the neighborhood's character.

Not like they when they moved in it wasn't a city. It's been a city for 300 years, and you should know that when you move in a city or live there, it's gonna grow. ESPECIALLY on the 95 corridor in the NE United States.

Damn that pisses me off.

[volguus zildrohar]

Hey, check out today's banner image at SSC. A pleasant surprise...

[mglan80]

^Yeah, I saw it. Looks ok, just a little grainy. It's too bad those threads are so weak. Maybe Joe can convince some of the Delaware guys over there to come over here?

You ought to stop in more often Volguus.

[Joey D]

Some SSC dude named Matt (not mglan) took that picture. He's a good guy, but he manages to take the poorest views of the city he can. He needs to be schooled.

Unfortunately, most SSC people don't know their facts enough, and try to have arguments w/o legitimately backing them up.

I understand why Sasso has had like 3 posts on SSC since 2002.

[mglan80]

WSFS is moving in and naming the building after itself (maybe I'll be close to a window).

15-Story Office Tower Planned for Downtown Wilmington

By MAUREEN MILFORD / The News Journal
06/09/2005

Wilmington real estate developer Buccini/Pollin Group said today it will build a $90 million, 15-story office tower on Delaware Avenue in downtown Wilmington that promises to transform the gateway to the city from I-95.

WSFS Bank, which owns the land, will be a lead tenant in the tower, and the building will be named WSFS Bank Center. WSFS will move its corporate offices to the new building.

Construction on the 350,000-square-foot tower on Delaware Avenue at Washington and Jefferson streets is expected to begin July 1, with a completion date set for November 2006, said Christopher F. Buccini, partner in Buccini/Pollin Group. The land, which is a full city block, is now being used as a parking lot. The bank, which has a minority interest in the building, will lease 60,000 square feet in the new building.

Once the new building is completed, Buccini/Pollin will buy the bank’s existing five-story headquarters building at Ninth and North Market streets. Buccini said the plan is to convert the 1920 neoclassical structure for retail and residential use. WSFS will keep a branch in the building.

Besides WSFS, the law firm of Morris, James, Hitchens & Williams in Wilmington also has agreed to take 60,000 square feet in the new tower, Buccini said.

In addition, the U.S. Postal Service is negotiating to take space in the building, said John Rago, communications director to Mayor James M. Baker. The post office is now in the Wilmington Trust Center on Rodney Square. Wilmington Trust has said it will not renew its lease with the post office.

-------------

Sucks the building has been reduced by three floors, though.

That's interesting about the post office moving. I think it'll be a little tight in the garage for all the truck parking and transfer operations.

[mglan80]

WSFS Plans New Headquarters

Bank will be joined by law firm in $90 million downtown building

By MAUREEN MILFORD / The News Journal
06/10/2005

WSFS Bank will relocate its corporate headquarters from a historic building on North Market Street in downtown Wilmington to a new $90 million glass office tower at Delaware Avenue and Washington Street.

The 15-story WSFS Bank Center will be the first multitenant office tower in the Rodney Square area since the late 1980s, and promises to transform the gateway to the city from I-95. The announcement was made Thursday.

The bank will be a major tenant, as well as a minority owner, in the 350,000-square-foot building, which is being developed by Wilmington real estate developer Buccini/Pollin Group Inc. on land owned by the bank. Besides WSFS, the law firm of Morris, James, Hitchens & Williams has committed to space, and city officials say negotiations are under way with the U.S. Postal Service for a full-service post office.

As part of the deal with WSFS, Buccini/Pollin has agreed to buy the bank's existing five-story headquarters building on the corner of Ninth and North Market streets. The bank would not disclose the price. The developer plans to convert the 1920 neoclassical structure into retail and residential space once the new tower is completed and WSFS is relocated. Christopher F. Buccini, partner in Buccini/Pollin Group, said it's too early to put a value on the renovation project or provide other details.

"This is a very exciting and productive project covering multiple fronts that will benefit the city of Wilmington," Mayor James M. Baker said in a statement.

Downtown workers and shop owners also praised the project Thursday, saying it will help keep businesses and jobs in the central business district.

"It's great to see businesses staying downtown instead of flowing out or going down to the Riverfront," said Joseph W. Urban, owner of Talkin' Turkey Café at Ninth and Shipley streets.

For Michael Jolly, a carpenter from Wilmington, it means more work for the building trades.

"As long as you keep people working, it's good," Jolly said.

Buccini/Pollin has been one of the most active developers in New Castle County since it bought the Nemours and Brandywine buildings in downtown Wilmington from the DuPont Co. in 1999. The company renovated both buildings for offices, retail and some residential space. In 2002, Buccini/Pollin began converting the historic Delaware Trust Co. building on North Market Street into luxury apartments. That building, now called the Residences at Rodney Square, is next door to the existing WSFS headquarters

The developer is now building the $125 million Christina Landing residential project, which includes town houses and two residential towers, on the south side of the Christina River.

A Growing Company

Mark A. Turner, chief operating officer of WSFS Bank, said the bank's move is necessary because of its strong growth in recent years. Over the past three years, commercial loans have grown by 27 percent a year, and deposits rose by 22 percent from March 2004 to March 2005. What's more, the number of employees has grown by 15 percent in the past two years to 500 people. The bank, the principal subsidiary of WSFS Financial Corp., now has 24 branches.

"We plan to continue to grow, adding two to three branches a year for the foreseeable future," Turner said.

WSFS will move its executive offices, finance, marketing, audit, human resources, the bulk of its commercial lending team and some operations into 60,000 square feet in the new building.

Although MBNA Corp. constructed a complex of buildings on Rodney Square in the 1990s and AAA Mid-Atlantic recently built a new headquarters on the Christina River waterfront, the WSFS Bank Center will be the first office tower in the heart of the downtown business district in more than a decade.

The time is right for a new building, Buccini said. Wilmington's office market has been on fire, with downtown leasing activity at a 20-year high in 2004. Activity was 69 percent higher last year than the 20-year average, according to Jackson Cross Partners, a corporate real estate services firm in Wilmington.

The vacancy rate for top-of-the-line office space in the city dropped to about 9.2 percent at the beginning of the year. Anything less than 10 percent is approaching a tight market.

Although WSFS plans to sell its longtime headquarters, it will keep a branch there. It will also have a branch in the new tower.

The lobby of the existing WSFS building is noted for its large wall mural, called the "Apotheosis of the Family," which was painted in 1932 by Brandywine Valley artist N.C. Wyeth for the bank's 100th anniversary. The mural, valued in the millions, will stay in the building, Turner said. Buccini/Pollin plans to keep and preserve the piece.

A Slender Glass Tower

Construction on the new tower is expected to begin July 1 and be completed by November 2006, Buccini said. The architect is Gensler of San Francisco, which also designed ING Direct's Internet cafes in New York City and Los Angeles. Buccini said the contemporary design calls for the building to have a 230-foot glass front facing Delaware Avenue. There also will be a public plaza in front of the building. To the rear of the building a 550-space parking garage is planned.

"It's a slender glass tower with an elegant profile," said Peter Stubb, the Gensler architect in Baltimore who designed the building. "It's got a gently curved facade facing Delaware Avenue that kind of brings people into the city, directs them downtown."

Calvert A. Morgan Jr., a WSFS director and special adviser to the bank, said the Delaware Avenue office tower has been in the works for nearly a year. Buccini said the building is close to 40 percent preleased.

Earlier this year, Morris, James, Hitchens & Williams agreed to take between 40,000 and 60,000 square feet in the tower. The law firm's lease in its current location in the PNC Bank Center at 222 Delaware Ave. does not expire until October 2006.

The Postal Service, which is negotiating to take space in the building, is now in the Wilmington Trust Center on Rodney Square. Wilmington Trust has said it will not renew its lease with the post office. Sen. Tom Carper's office said Thursday a deal has been negotiated that will allow the post office to remain in the Rodney Square location until November 2006.

Wilmington Trust spokesman Bill Benintende confirmed the lease extension, and said it is based on the provision that the post office signs a lease for a new location.

-------------------------------

The current building at 9th and Market, built in 1929.

http://www.addresswilmington.com/wsfsbank.JPG

The new building at Delaware Avenue and Washington Street. The article mentions 360,000 s.f., but I've always heard 260,000 s.f., and this is with the building reduced by three floors. I don't know.

http://www.addresswilmington.com/GatewayPlaza.jpg

[Joey D]

Ehh It looks like 80m :( What is your estimate on what Christina Landing turned out to be, MGlan?

Ren Cent got upped by 3 stories
WSFS got downed by 3 stories.
2 Christina Cent. Got downed by 3 stories
yet the River tower got upped by like 15.

They don't know which way to go.

[FlyersFan118]

up by 15 stories is always good.

up the Comcast Center by 15 stories! I'd be a happy PhantomsPhan/FlyersFan if they did.

1170 ft. :cool:

[Joey D]

Heh... I'd be happier if that building was repositioned. Just my opinion.

[mglan80]

I'm just guessing, but I'd say 90 meters on the River Tower.

[mglan80]

Another proposal for Wilmington. This is west of downtown in the very wealthy Rockford Park neighborhood. This area is ripe for this type of development, and from looking at the company's website (http://www.oneillproperties.com/index.php?f=y), their projects look decent.

The story....

Condos Planned for Former Bancroft Mills Site
Pa. Developer Wants 1,000 Units

By ADAM TAYLOR / The News Journal
06/18/2005

WILMINGTON -- A King of Prussia, Pa., developer plans to build about 1,000 expensive condominiums at the former Bancroft Mills site along the Brandywine near the Delaware Art Museum.

O'Neill Properties would demolish at least 40 of the old mill buildings to make way for 19 mid-rise condo buildings and 1,847 parking spaces, said Wilmington lawyer Lisa B. Goodman, who represents the developers.

The new development, called Rockford Falls, is the biggest residential project on the drawing board in Wilmington, city officials said. Nearby resident Rob Stenta said he is worried that the size of the project would hurt the neighborhood.

"I am concerned that 999 condominiums on this property would generate traffic and access issues that would substantially change the character of our community," he said.

Goodman said the developers are willing to consider building fewer condos to appease the neighbors. O'Neill officials have appointed Stenta and 47 others to a committee that could negotiate a compromise.

"I fully expect the plan will change in a significant way due to the committee's input," Goodman said.

O'Neill bought the 21-acre site for $7.4 million last year.

No zoning changes are required for the project to proceed, but the plan will be subject to a review by city officials before it gets the go-ahead. The developers also need to work out issues regarding access roads into and out of the property. Goodman said the company is negotiating about access roads with property owners at both ends of the site.

The buildings are contaminated with caustic soda products, dyes, asbestos and a variety of metals, Goodman said. Cleanup and subsequent demolition would begin at the end of this year and take about a year to complete. Goodman estimated the cleanup would cost about $10 million.

The actual construction of the condos would take place in phases over the next several years, Goodman said.

Condo prices would range from $250,000 for a one-bedroom unit to as much as $2 million for a penthouse suite.

O'Neill submitted a preliminary development plan to the city last week. City Planning Director Peter Besecker said the city will reply to the company's submission in about a week.

"We'll just tell them what we think they need to do in terms of work regarding access, utilities and drainage," he said.

Officials from the Brandywine Conservancy's Environmental Management Center have been monitoring the project to see if the plans might harm the river.

"We're not saying this project will do that, but we have concerns for anything that has the potential to do that," spokesman Halsey Spruance said.

Goodman said the development will have the opposite effect. She said the Northern Delaware Greenway will run through the site.

"This is a part of the river that no one had access to and we're going to open it up," she said. "We're also cleaning up a significantly contaminated abandoned industrial site and putting it back on the active tax rolls."

-------------------

With 19 buildings proposed, I'd say these are going to be three to four story buildings. Not going to add to the skyline, but the addition of 1,500 to 2,000 well off people to Wilmington is good news.

[Joey D]

I'm anxious to see about that condo tower on Del. Ave

Anybody have an info on whether that lot was ever sold, or is it yet to come?

[mglan80]

You mean the one on Washington Street? The site was sold to Brandywine Gateway Neighbors, and they are in negotiations with the developers out of Baltimore, Midtown something (the 10-story proposal).

There was an article about the sale a few days ago. The article didn't mention that negotiations were ongoing with McConnell Johnson (the 20-story proposal). Midtown was offering $500,000 more than McConnell, so I guess they didn't want to hear from them.

Then again, it was the News Journal that was reporting, and they definately aren't the best at getting facts straight with regards to real estate development.

[mglan80]

http://www.addresswilmington.com/800DelawareAvePEG.JPG

Delle Donne & Associates is moving to begin construction on a six story, 150,000 sq. ft. expansion of the existing office building and garage at 800 Delaware Avenue. The building was already put out to bid and I'm pretty sure that EDiS construction will be the GC.

I'm disappointed that the garage won't be clad with anything, since its bare and obvious facade really doesn't do much for the building.

The only large undeveloped parcel left in downtown is the large parking lot in the foreground. But with the MBNA-Bank of America merger, and other large office projects in the works, I don't think anything will be put on it for another 10 years. But maybe residential...

Edit: I don't think I'll add this one to the rundown on the first page, since it is really just a six story building on a parking garage (and the complex is really already built).

Double Edit: Some catching up on the other projects around town: the Juniper HQ is graded and the pile driver is sinking 'em for the garage. I think this one is going to be a fast one like AAA.

The surface lot for the WSFS Bank Center building is being slowly stripped. Hopefully they'll rip out that billboard and get things going before the end of July.

[Joey D]

How exactly did you find out about the extension of the ING building on Del. Ave? I didn't know about that at all... then again a 6-story building isn't a newsmaker - but nevertheless some form of city development.

The Riverfront is really lit up nowadays with the AAA Building's mega-illuminated windows and red insignia.

I also noticed that Citizens Bank has recently attached an Illuminated logo on one of the buildings around Rodney Square. You can see it lit from about 4 miles away on 495/95.

I hated the sides of Christina Landing until they literally touched the top of the building with the blue reflective glass. Once the side was pretty much finished I have to say it is quite an attractive building. Can't wait for the 25-story one.

[mglan80]

Being in the Commercial Real Estate department, I get a lot of information.

Oh, it's not the ING building (802 Delaware Ave.), it's 800 Delaware Ave. 800 is a pretty good Class A building, although the lobby is early 1990's contemporary.

I have to agree with you on AAA, it looks very nice from 95. I'm anxious to see Christina Landing lit up with the finish interior lights instead of the construction lights. I'll probably take a walk down there tomorrow and take some shots. The one side of the Market Street bridge is now finished and has the new handrail lights. I'd love to get a night pano shot from the roof of one of those townhomes (or 95 if you can think of a safe and legal way to do it).

I saw them putting up the new Citizens sign a few weeks ago. It definately adds to that blank section at the top of the building. Too bad WSFS won't be putting up our letters on the new building.

The crew for the Renaissance Center has been dragging their asses on clearing the rubble from the few buildings on 4th. I was hoping to see some piles or foundation work by now.

[FlyersFan118]

wow, look what thread has returned?

[mglan80]

Contractor Damages Historic Buildings

Site Being Readied for Downtown Wilmington Project

By ADAM TAYLOR / The News Journal
07/23/2005

WILMINGTON -- A demolition contractor working without the required permits on a $50 million downtown redevelopment project recently tore down parts of historic buildings that city preservation officials had ordered to remain intact.

The contractor, East Coast Minority Suppliers, was fired from the Renaissance Centre retail, office, residential and parking project in June. The firing stalled demolition work at the site for weeks.

Since then, the developers of the 1.14-acre block bounded by Fourth, Market, Fifth and King streets decided that what the contractor did by accident should be done on purpose. They have decided the historic facades of the buildings are too fragile and expensive to repair and want permission to tear them down, then replicate them.

That proposal, which will go before the Wilmington Design Review and Preservation Commission next month for approval, is not going over well with city officials.

"We expect that they go forward with the project as it was originally approved and designed, which includes the original historical facades remaining part of this project," city Communications Director John Rago said.

Robert Ruggio of The Commonwealth Group, the Wilmington-based developers for the project, wrote to the city last month to request permission to raze the entire block, rather than saving the original facades. Ruggio and Brock Vinton, another top Commonwealth Group official, could not be reached Friday.

Neither could Rock Brown, the owner of East Coast Minority Suppliers of Wilmington. City Licenses & Inspection Commissioner Jeffrey J. Starkey said Friday that inspectors shut down Brown's company in May because the company was working without demolition permits.

In addition, Brown's com-pany tore down some parts of the properties that were supposed to stay put, city Senior Planner Pat Maley said.

Maley said she had a conversation with Brown before he began work, and said that Brown was under the mistaken impression that he was supposed to raze the entire block. So she is glad that the code inspectors shut down the work, because she feared that even more historic buildings might have mistakenly been demolished.

Another demolition company owned by Brown ran into trouble three years ago while working for the Wilmington Housing Partnership, a city-run nonprofit agency working to revitalize city neighborhoods.

Workers from East Coast Shelly Construction severely damaged a house next door to a corner row house it demolished. The adjoining home was damaged because a joist that connected the two homes that should have been severed before the demolition began was left intact when the work began, partnership Executive Director Jerry Cain said at the time.

The family who lived in the damaged home was displaced because of the error.

The current project includes plans for a 325-space parking garage and a building with at least 140,000 square feet of office space, as well as residential and retail buildings. The project is expected to be completed by the spring of 2007.

"The early stages of this project have certainly been fraught with problems," Maley said.

Maley and Starkey said other contractors were removing asbestos from the roofs of some of the buildings in an improper manner. Neither city official could immediately identify the contractor involved, but said that instead of hosing down the tops of the buildings and using tarps and chutes, workers simply used sledgehammers atop the buildings, sending asbestos dust flying into the air.

Matt Volk, who is working on the project for the developers, could not be reached Friday.

Renaissance Centre LLC, a group led by Vinton, has paid $2 million of the $2.5 million purchase price for the block to the city and the Wilmington UDAG Corp., a city-run grant and loan agency.

---------------------

Hopefully this won't slow things down too much. As for leveling the block and rebuilding, as long as they do a reasonably good job at replicating the originals, who cares? Also, this stuff should have been picked up in the engineering report. Sounds like a half-assed job on Commonwealth's part.

I just hope they can save this one as an original.

http://www.addresswilmington.com/04-09-05--17.JPG

[Joey D]

Ehh MGlan.. Get over that building, bud ;)

Besides the Coke ad, I don't see what you see in that building.

[Chicago103]

Wilmington seems to have the level of development of a much larger city, thats amazing.

[mglan80]

^It's been pretty good lately. This is really the first burst of activity since MBNA started building their complex in 1995. The last round of construction like this was in the mid to late 1980's.

I'll start posting photos of the Juniper site next month maybe, whenever the foundation starts to go in. That site is really big. I didn't realize how large that building was going to be (unfortunately, large as in broad, not tall). That will really give some life to that area down there. (Take a look at the first page if you have no idea what the hell I'm talking about)

Thanks for dropping in Chicago103, it's good to see someone else chime in.

[Joey D]

I was wondering... Two Christina Centre may have to go on the "on hold" list pending whatever happens with MBNA.

BoA has chopped up every other company it has taken over, so.. ya never know.

The Gateway Plaza is really coming along fine. Great to see it finally roped off and dirty and ready to sprout.

[mglan80]

^I really don't think it'll be that bad. There're still going to need most of the functions they have now, just slightly reduced. The HR, legal, and most of advertising will go, and probably some of the accounting and finance departments, but I think some of those functions will remain together with the credit card division right here in Wilmington. I think a lot of the cuts will come from call centers and the overlap I mentioned above. I don't think it'll be a disaster for the Wilmington office market. In fact, they may end up consoldidating more jobs in the Wilmington office from other sites like Deerfield and Ogletown.

Two Christina is on the hold list now, until they get enough leasing to fill at least 45%-50% of the space. I don't know if the market is going to be able to absorb the space that is coming in the next year or two (Renaissance and WSFS Bank Center) to justify another 250,000-300,000 sq. ft. It would be an outstanding building (like all the ones BRT builds), but I'd put my money on a late 2007 start. Absorption is pretty good, but not that good. Too bad Aramark didn't take the offer the City made a few years ago, I'd be looking at that tower right now!

WSFS Bank Plaza is coming along. They have a fast construction schedule to deal with, so this one will go quickly. They need to have the top three floors finished by late 2006 for Morris, James, Hitchens & Williams, so they need the foundation poured and steelwork (?) started before the first freezing tempuratures.

[Joey D]

FAST and CONSTRUCTION and SCHEDULE.. all in one sentence?

Not to ostracize the other ongoing projects, but it DID take a long time to rise Christina Landing 1. Waterfront Sq. in Philly eclipsed the building in half the time of Christina Landing.

I drove by the WSFS site today, and the Juniper site. The WSFS Building site is pretty girthy. I'm wondering if they'll have some sort of plaza on the other side, or if the building may just be that size.

After maneuvering around the traffic retards by the Juniper site, I have to agree with you. That site is HUGE. If Juniper meets the dimensions of that sole rendering, it looks to be about the height of the AAA. With nice illumination, this would nicely complement my beloved I-95 view. :banana:

[mglan80]

^The WSFS building will have a large footprint. The rear will be all garage and loading dock/garbage space.

You said about Christina Landing. They're still pounding away for the second tower. It'll be a pleasant surprise to look out my window and not see that damn pile driver! Also, looking at the site yesterday, they've graded the area where the garage will go, but I assume they'll need to drive more piles for that!

I really wished Juniper would have gone with a taller building, but maybe they'll over-engineer the foundation to allow for a tower on one side in a few years. A teardrop shaped, 8-10 story tower on that building would look hot.

I'm curious to see what kind of illumination Renaissance Centre is going to have. Since it's masonry, I'm certain they'll have some kind of lighting. Probably uplights at the setback. Hey, they've cleared the site, too!

[mglan80]

An article from today's News Journal gives an update to the area's progress and the long planned refurbishment of the Wilmington Train Station. Though there really isn't much substance, I thought I'd post it to give a good overview of what's going on and coming up.

I also took a page from NYguy and put the important info in bold.

Riverfront Proposal Comes to Life

With Renaissance Under Way, Attention Turns to City's Amtrak Station

BY MAUREEN MILFORD / The News Journal
08/19/2005

When the Rev. Patricia Bryant Harris moved back to Delaware in July, she had occasion to take a tour of the Christina River waterfront after a six-year absence.

"Ah, the extent of what's taken place -- the park, the apartments, the marketplace -- it's awesome. My favorite area is around the train station. It's just a great uplift for Wilmington," said Harris, new pastor of Marshallton United Methodist Church in Marshallton.

Not so long ago, the train station district was "very rugged," said Harris, who once regularly commuted by train.

Now, businesspeople and public officials think it's time for a total makeover of the 100-year-old Amtrak passenger station on French Street and Martin Luther King Boulevard. With nearly $1 billion in construction projects on the waterfront either completed, in progress or proposed in the past seven years, Wilmington needs a new front door, experts said.

"It's a cornerstone of the whole development," said Arkadi Kuhlmann, chief executive of ING Direct, the nation's fourth-largest savings bank, which has its headquarters on the waterfront. The bank spent $20 million to renovate three historic buildings, including two historic railroad buildings, there. "Our train station shouldn't look like a third-class bus stop."

Robert Buccini, a partner in Buccini/Pollin Group Inc., which has more than $300 million in real estate projects on the waterfront, said the station is the first impression visitors get of the city. The Wilmington station is the 13th-busiest in the Amtrak system. Approximately 90 trains serve Wilmington every day.

"It needs work. It's tired. The interior finishes need to be comparable to Philadelphia or Washington," Buccini said.

Now, said Sen. Tom Carper, "The sun, the moon and the stars are coming into alignment" for the train station.

With recent passage of the federal transportation bill, $6.5 million has been earmarked for station renovations, said John Sisson, manager of projects and facilities for the state Department of Transportation. But Delaware must match 20 percent of the federal monies, and DelDOT is experiencing a budget crisis.

There is enough money, however, for design work to begin, Sisson said. The architectural firm Bernardon Haber Holloway Architects, of Wilmington, has been hired by Amtrak for the renovation. A kick-off meeting is next week.

City and state historic preservation officials will be part of the process. The red-brick Victorian building was designed by the noted Philadelphia architect Frank Furness. Furness also designed the nearby Pennsylvania Building and the B&O Water Street Station on South Market Street, both now used by ING Direct.

The three Wilmington buildings represent the largest grouping of Furness railroad buildings in the nation and show the range of his railroad work, said Michael J. Lewis, an art history professor at Williams College in Williamstown, Mass., and author of "Frank Furness: Architecture and the Violent Mind."

In 1905, at about the time the du Ponts were building the DuPont Co. headquarters in downtown Wilmington, the Pennsylvania Railroad was trying to capture the railroad business along the Northeast Corridor.

Although Furness also designed buildings for competing railroads, he was hired by Pennsylvania Railroad President A.J. Cassat to build a station in Wilmington on a limited budget.

Today, the station needs renovations of the exterior, work on the windows, and improvements in lighting, restrooms and handicapped access, Sisson said. If money from the state were to become available, work could begin in the spring, he said. The station last underwent a major renovation in the early 1980s.

In 2002, ING, Amtrak, and the state and federal governments proposed a major overhaul of the station that would include an atrium bridging the station with the Pennsylvania Building, now occupied by ING Direct and called the Orangerie. Under the proposal, the atrium would serve as the new entrance to the station. The work would free up more space for shops in station's existing waiting area.

"I want to make that a reality," Carper said. "The idea is to create office space in the unused portions of the station to be leased, hopefully by ING. That would provide a cash flow to Amtrak."

Meanwhile, across the river from the train station, work is progressing on the $130 million Christina Landing project. The residential complex includes two residen- tial towers and town houses.

One 22-story apartment tower, which is visible on leaving the station, will be open by late November, Buccini said. The 25-story condominium building adjacent to the tower is under construction and should be completed next year. The 63 town houses should be finished by the end of September. About half of the town houses -- all of which have been sold -- have gone to settlement.

Buccini/Pollin also is planning to start work at the end of the year on a $100 million development with a hotel, residences, offices and retail sites on 10.9 acres of publicly owned waterfront land. The property, off South Madison and West streets, has been used by the city's Department of Public Works and the state's Delaware Transit Corp. The hotel project would complement the Riverfront Development Corp.'s plan to remake the Center on the Riverfront into a conference center.

Work is also under way on the 250,000-square-foot expansion of Juniper Bank, a credit card bank, and parking lot at West and Justison streets. The $65 million project is expected to be completed in September 2006, said Greg Pettinaro, partner with Pettinaro Enterprises in Newport.

For environmental consultant Marian R. Young, the improvements on the waterfront nearly bring tears to her eyes.

"I feel such pride that I've been a part of this," said Young, president of BrightFields Inc. in New Castle. "It's a true renaissance."

[Joey D]

It's a nice article, Mglan.

I am sort of ashamed I put that hotel deal into the back of my mind as if it wouldn't happen. I pretty much had forgotten about it.

I'll be interested to see what the plans for the hotel will turn out to be. I definitely don't want a residential AAA Mid-Atlantic building. All though I like it, this thing better not be boxy, blocky, and brown.

[phillyskyline]

I wonder how many of these proposed projects will come to fruition? It'll be great to add some these new jazzy projects to the Wilmington skyline... I like the juniper & pelli projects best...

[mglan80]

^The only project that isn't under construction (among the ones listed on the front page) is Two Christina Center. Brandywine Realty Trust, the developer for Two Christina Center, is very interested in building the project, but is waiting for the other projects going up to shake out. However, if they land a large tenant, they'll start much sooner.

The garage IS being built. Settlement on the properties is set for Sept. 12th, and construction will start the 13th (believe me, EDiS is anxious to get this project done!).

Juniper is having its piles driven.

Renaissance Centre has been quiet. I'm assuming they are still investigating whether or not they can knock down the rest of the existing buildings and rebuild replicas, or if they have to keep them. Either way, the site is cleared, and a few hollow piles have been driven.

WSFS Bank Center (previously known as Gateway Center) has its site cleared and piles being driven. This should be a quick build, with occupancy expected at the end of 2006.

The Amtrak station refurbishment and addition has been on the drawing boards for five years now. Sounds like they've gotten most of the pieces in place to get this started (design work at least).

The Buccini/Pollin project mentioned in the article above sounds like its ready to go. It's funny BPG never released their plans for it yet, though.

--Other plans that aren't so likely in the next few years are: a transportation hub for intercity busses and DART (an enclosed bus loading/unloading Port Authority type setup), and a redevelopment of the Fort Christina marina on the 7th Street peninsula.

The bus terminal would include a parking garage and possibly multiple office floors on top to house DART operations and administrative staff. This is in the very preliminary stages, and with the DelDOT budget shortfall, it made the list of deferred funding.

The Fort Christina marina was put out for a RFP (request for proposal) back in December or January. The city has reviewed the two proposals for it, but are mum on what those are or if they are feasible/desirable for the city. Who knows?

Things are looking up...literally.

For the pie in the sky stuff look here (http://www.ci.wilmington.de.us/pdf/VisionReport2004.pdf).

[phillyskyline]

THANX FOR THE UPDATE.... GREAT NEWS, i WONDER HOW DIFFERENT THE SKYLINE WILL LOOK AS A WHOLE ONCE THESE PROJECTS GET COMPLETED

[mglan80]

^No sweat. I've been meaning to do a general update for this thread. I prefer to do it as another post, as opposed to editing the first page, to give it a sense of a timeline (or something).

It's incredible that Wilmington will have THREE tower cranes looming in 2006. Too bad CBS canceled that show that used aerials of Wilmington for transition shots, I'd love to have a wide angle shot of three highrises under construction in downtown. Wow that sounds pathetic, but we take what we can get in this town.

[smArTaLlone]

Wow, Wilmington looks like such a nice, happening mid-size town.

[Palms]

Hey guys just a little heads up. This weeks Philadelphia Business Journal is all over New Castle County and Wilmington. They were very complimentary of Wilmington. Will be online Monday.

[Palms]

Any new updates on Two Christiana?

[Joey D]

Any new updates on Two Christiana?

From what I understand, Two Christina is preparing to prelease long term.

Motoring past the WSFS Gateway site, I noticed that there is now a nice large sign showing the building. The floors look ridiculously huge for the building to gape over the Sheraton as it is depicted on the sign.

The rendering looks ultra-modern. Almost too glassy.. but that's all I saw from the car. I had a cop in back of me, and couldn't slow down.

Get some pics, MGlan.

[mglan80]

Thanks for the heads up Palms, I'll be sure to pick one up.

I'll have to get some photos of that this week or next weekend. I'll have to start a new thread over in the Highrises section, too. The building is really going to dominate that intersection, and it'll make a nice addition to the skyline coming south on I-95. Oh, and two things: the building is back up to 15 floors apparently, and WSFS will be putting their letters on the building (too bad they won't be in neon like PSFS in center city).

As for Two Christina Centre, I still think that Brandywine Realty Trust is going to wait until very late in 2006 at the earliest. The Renaissance Center is having a slower lease up than originally projected, but that could be for any number of reasons.

[Chicago103]

Just to expand on what I said earlier, this level of condo development for a city of less than 100,000 is quite impressive. Most downtowns of american cities this size are neglected completly and dont have much hope of being revitalized on the residential level. I have looked at several city photo threads of Wilmington and I must say it is one of the best smaller cities I have seen in terms of urbanity and a big city feel.

[Joey D]

Just to expand on what I said earlier, this level of condo development for a city of less than 100,000 is quite impressive. Most downtowns of american cities this size are neglected completly and dont have much hope of being revitalized on the residential level. I have looked at several city photo threads of Wilmington and I must say it is one of the best smaller cities I have seen in terms of urbanity and a big city feel.

Wilmington is a very atypical area. It was built with the same materials as Baltimore and Philadelphia, by the same architects, in the same infrastructure (rowhomes, squares, parkways).
Although tiny, it has always held it's own in terms of it's rock solid economy and long history.

Even though the city is in the "small city" category (under 100k), it's independent metro area is considered a "large metropolitan area" by the census. This isn't counting Philadelphia. The tiny city's dense old suburbs give way to typical suburbs, mcmansions, including exurbs over 20 miles away from the city center.

Although people have never heard of the city itself, Greater Wilmington is twice the size of "larger cities" metros like Anchorage, AK, Tallahassee, FL, and equally as large, or bigger than Toledo, Ohio or Little Rock, Arkansas. They get large black dots on maps, while Wilmington won't even appear as a tiny blip.

Because of this scenario, it is a very "incognito" city 20 miles away from the 5th largest city in the country that is so immersed in Philly culture and commuting pattern, it has a dual-identity. A Philly metro identity, and the identity of the largest city/hub in its state. It's very ambiguous for people who live in the area how to classify the area. Almost to the point of an identity dilemma.

But anyway.. it's a cool small town/small city/large metro/satellite city/suburb of Philadelphia (Call it whatever. Each one is arguable).

[mglan80]

^^In addition to what Joe wrote, nearly all of the residential growth in the city is due to one company: Buccini/Pollin. They have nearly single handedly created a highend residential market in downtown Wilmington. They had vision and audacity when the other local and established builders and developers had only chips on their shoulders.

Wilmington is benefiting from a more diverse economy than most other similarly sized cities, who normally have county and city government offices, a few law firms and a few local and national bank operations/offices. Wilmington has a range of large corporate operations from chemical to finance to local insurance carriers, as well as a large legal community built around the Chancery Court. These attract young and relatively affluent talent, which as everyone knows, is the key to a healthy and mixed urban environment.

It's too bad Wilmington wasn't able to annex as much land as other cities around the country, and enable them to better intergrate the surrounding towns into city neighborhoods.

Thanks for your thoughts Chicago103.

[mglan80]

An article about the expansion of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware in Wilmington. Also there's some general information about the CBD office market. The subtitle is a bit of an exaggeration; its only a 6 story addition on top of a garage.

Blues Near Decision on Move

Delaware Avenue Choice Could Change Look of Whole City

BY MAUREEN MILFORD / The News Journal
09/25/2005

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware, the state's largest health insurance company, is expected to reach a decision in a few weeks that could paint Wilmington red.

The Blues have been negotiating since the summer for a new headquarters in the city. One possible location is a new structure at 800 Delaware Ave. near I-95, an area on the western end of the central business district that has been experiencing a revival in the past year.

Richard V. Pryor, the city's economic development director, said negotiations on the deal for the Delaware Avenue site are winding up.

"I know it's not done yet, but I'm optimistic," Pryor said.

Timothy J. Constantine, president of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware, now at 14th and Orange streets, said in a statement the insurance company expects to reach a final decision in mid-October.

"Until that occurs, there is no decision and our corporate policy prohibits any response to speculation," Constantine said.

Should the Delaware Avenue location win over the Blues, it would mean 650 workers moving to the area as soon as the headquarters is completed, Pryor said. Four hundred of those employees would be new to the city, he said. The city is working on an incentive package.

Besides the boost in population, a move by the Blues would mean two high-rise office structures under construction within a few blocks of each other at that part of town. Since the boulevard serves as the gateway to the city from the west, a change in the skyline there will provide a thriving vista to visitors, experts said.

"It says 'hello' to Wilmington the way you want it to," said Leigh Johnstone, senior vice president with Grubb & Ellis real estate services company in Wilmington. "It's a vibrant entrance to downtown."

The other new building under construction -- the first multitenant building to be constructed in the city in decades -- is at 500 Delaware Ave., between Jefferson and Washington streets. Buccini/Pollin Group Inc. is constructing a $90 million glass tower that will be called WSFS Bank Center. WSFS will be a major tenant, along with the law firm of Morris, James, Hitchens & Williams when the building is completed in the fall of 2006.

In addition to this development, significant money has been sunk into existing structures. ING Direct, the country's fourth-largest savings bank, spent about $15 million in 2004 to renovate the former Chase Manhattan Building at 802 Delaware Ave. The renovation included the development of one of the bank's Internet cafes on the ground floor facing the avenue. Moving toward Rodney Square, Brandywine Realty Trust is renovating 300 Delaware Ave., Johnstone said.

"The way I see it is ING set the tone," said Christopher Buccini, a partner in Buccini/Pollin. "Everyone used to say the ING site was a suburban location with city wage tax. But when ING came in and spent about $100 a square foot to turn it into a class A building, it became the book-end."

Ernest F. Delle Donne, president of Delle Donne & Associates, the real estate development firm that owns the potential Blue Cross Blue Shield site, said the ING building is an indication of the kind of tower that should be on Delaware Avenue.

"I love having ING and WSFS as neighbors," Delle Donne said.

Though Delle Donne would not comment on the Blue Cross Blue Shield deal, real estate agents and city officials said the building would be constructed on top of a garage that was built in 1995 with the Wilmington Parking Authority. The construction is an addition to the existing 10-story structure at 800 Delaware Ave. that has been owned by Delle Donne since the early 1980s.

And Delle Donne has said he plans to spend $35 million to build a 170,000-square-foot addition to his existing building. The addition would be glass and polished granite, he said.

The boost in development in Wilmington's uptown alleviates fears that the Christina River waterfront would cannibalize the office market near Rodney Square. This was particularly true after the Riverfront began to see more office development, including the construction of the headquarters for AAA Mid-Atlantic.

Still, city officials and real estate agents said the purchase of MBNA Corp., the state's largest private employer, by Bank of America remains a wild card for the downtown office market. The $35 billion sale is expected to be completed later this year or early next year.

MBNA is the largest corporate owner of real estate in the city, with 1.3 million square feet of space or roughly 14 percent of the office space in the central business district, experts estimate. Altogether, MBNA occupies 4.6 million square feet of space from Greenville to Dover.

Its sale to Bank of America is projected to result in the loss of 6,000 jobs nationwide from the combined companies. The companies haven't said how many cuts will occur in Delaware, but some analysts have predicted there could be 3,000 or more. The loss of jobs could result in excess real estate for the new Bank of America Card Services.

Many are wondering if a big divestiture of MBNA real estate could slow the economic momentum that's been building in the city for the past three years. Gerard H. Sweeney, chief executive of Brandywine Realty Trust, a real estate investment trust in Plymouth Meeting, Pa., that owns several office towers in Wilmington, said the MBNA takeover creates a level of uncertainty that will affect its thinking regarding the construction of an office building in the Christina Gateway section of the city.

"We're all waiting for this elephant in the room: Bank of America's purchase of MBNA," Pryor said.

Johnstone of Grubb & Ellis predicted that it will likely take Bank of America some time to figure out its real estate needs. If it should decide it has excess space, he expects the company will put one stand-alone building on the market at a time.

"It doesn't do them any good to dump a lot of space on the market," Johnstone said.

------------------------

The article is wrong about the last multi-tenant building being built 10 years ago. All of MBNA's buildings are owner occupied. The last multi-tenant to go up was Three Christina Centre in 1989!

Here's the rending of the new BCBS of Delaware building (the garage is existant):

http://www.addresswilmington.com/800DelawareAvePEG.JPG

It's really too bad Delle Donne won't reface the garage, but I suppose since its owned by the Wilmington Parking Authority they (WPA) would have to do it.

The last blurb in bold refers to this project in development:

http://www.addresswilmington.com/2ndandkingtower.JPG

[mglan80]

Renaissance Centre Project Halted
Concern About Historic Structures, Ability to Attract Tenants Cited
BY MAUREEN MILFORD / The News Journal
09/30/2005

WILMINGTON -- Work on the $50 million Renaissance Centre has halted, raising questions about the future of the on-again, off-again project some see as key to downtown Wilmington's redevelopment.

The developer of the office, residential and parking project in the 400 block of Market Street is in discussions with the city about "various challenges" concerning the project, including the preservation of historic structures on the site, said Richard V. Pryor, the city's director of economic development. Also being discussed are the "office market realities," Pryor said, including the difficulty of attracting tenants.

The office building was announced as a speculative project -- or one being constructed without having a major tenant signed up. With the impending $35 billion sale of MBNA Corp. to Bank of America later this year and the possibility of job relocation or reduction, there has been concern that the credit card company could dump excess office space on the market. MBNA is the largest corporate owner of real estate in the city, with 1.3 million square feet of space or roughly 14 percent of the office space in the central business district, experts estimate.

"The last thing the city wants is to build a 10-story office building that's empty," Pryor said.

John Rago, communications director to Mayor James M. Baker, said he expects the project to go forward despite "the challenging market conditions."

"At this moment, they're not out of compliance and there have been no discussions about scaling back," Rago said.

Pryor said the city could end up changing the agreement that Renaissance Centre LLC of Wilmington, whose principal is Brock J. Vinton, struck with the city last year for the development of the block bounded by Fourth, Market, Fifth and King streets. The project has been considered a key to redevelopment of the downtown because it would help link the lower North Market Street area with Rodney Square to the north.

Vinton would not comment Thursday.

If the agreement is amended, it will be the latest complication in a development that has been in the works for more than five years. After initial plans in 2000 to build a hotel and office building on the site, the Renaissance Centre group reached a development agreement with the city in 2001 that called for a 225,000-square-foot office building and a 650-car parking garage.

But work was never started. Last fall, it appeared the entire deal was going to fall through after Renaissance Centre failed to purchase the land from the city and Wilmington UDAG Corp. by the deadline imposed in the development agreement. At that point, the agreement already had been amended.

The project was salvaged in November within hours of the deal being canceled after Renaissance Centre LLC paid $2 million of the $2.5 million purchase price. However, plans for the 1.4-acre city block were scaled back from the original to a 325-car parking garage and a minimum 140,000-square-foot office building on the vacant King Street portion of the block. Plans called for existing historic buildings on Market, King and Fourth streets to be renovated for residential and retail use.

The agreement stipulated that the entire project, including the historic restorations, must be completed by spring 2007.

The historic properties already have caused problems.

Work began in the spring on the demolition of four buildings at Fourth and King streets. In the process of cleaning up debris, the contractor hired by Renaissance Centre LLC accidentally hit the corner of a historic building targeted for preservation, according to R. Robert Ruggio, senior vice president of Commonwealth Group, a Vinton company.

At that point, work stopped.

Now, Ruggio said, the plan is to go back to the Wilmington Design Review and Preservation Commission in early November with a plan to dismantle the facades and rebuild them in their original form.

---------------------

Looks like we'll find out in late November whats going to happen to this project. They had originally planned for a fall 2006 opening, but since work has been done on the site since early June I'd say that time line is out of the question. With that in mind, it's doubtful they have any tenants signed at all. Hopefully they'll go forward, if not they'll have to give that parcel back to the city per the agreement.

This is the rendering:

http://www.addresswilmington.com/05-21-RenAd.JPG

[PhillyRising]

Nie thread on good ole Wilmington...although my favorite tower in the area is still the oddly located Rollins Building on Rte 202.

[Palms]

Oh how I wish Camden NJ had Wilmington's vision and future. Wilmington on the opposite side of the river from Philadelphia would have put a whole new perspective on the region. Keep up the great work Wilmington.

[PhillyRising]

Oh how I wish Camden NJ had Wilmington's vision and future. Wilmington on the opposite side of the river from Philadelphia would have put a whole new perspective on the region. Keep up the great work Wilmington.

Wilmington is lucky to have many big corporations that are active in the community. Everyone is wondering if BOA will keep up the good works of MBNA. Wilmington looks better then I have ever seen it!

[mglan80]

^That's doubtful. I don't know who to blame, but the scholarships that MBNA is famous for around here were cut. Not just new applicants, but everyone. That's shitty, not matter how you cut it. But there are others. DuPont still does alot, and Buccini/Pollin Group (the developers in town) have picked up some of the slack.

I thought I'd throw in some photos I took the other morning since I was updating the WSFS Bank Center (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?threadid=87330) thread. If that's against the rules, let me know mod-niks.

http://www.addresswilmington.com/09-10-05-rooftopkinglineup.JPG

http://www.addresswilmington.com/10-1-05-11thStWall.JPG

http://www.addresswilmington.com/10-1-05-WSFS.JPG

http://www.addresswilmington.com/10-1-05-LandingDistance.JPG

http://www.addresswilmington.com/10-1-05-LandingViaduct.JPG

[PhillyRising]

^Pics look good! I know the Rollins Building isn't deep in the city...but it'd would be nice to see some cool pics of that tower. I still have no clue as to why it was built there in the first place. It's as tall as anything in downtown Wilmington.

[mglan80]

^I was kind of surprised it was allowed to be built out there in Fairfax in the first place, and I'm pretty certain that no new highrises can be built out there now. I don't know why Rollins Co. built it out there. I guess that was what was "in" in '72.

I've held this vision of Fairfax becoming a sort of "uptown" office area, with elevated rail running up Concord Pike. Fun to think about, but never in a million years.

I'll see what I can do about the photos.

[Kitchen Guy]

Where is Blue Cross currently?

[mglan80]

^In Hercules Plaza.

Welcome to the forum. Delaware native?

[Kitchen Guy]

Yes, born in wilmington.

I thought I remembered the Blue having a standalone building that faced the brandywine. 14th street I think. adjacent to the Hercules building.

Being a Kitchen Guy, I am always on the lookout for the next hi-end condo conversion or new building project.

[mglan80]

^You're right. I forgot about that building back there next to Hercules.

Being a Kitchen Guy, I am always on the lookout for the next hi-end condo conversion or new building project.

Well, this thread covers them all. Although there is one more that should be announced soon: Justison Landing. It's another BPG project that'll be between the new AAA building and Kahunaville. No highrises on that one, only townhouses.

[Kitchen Guy]

With a hotel somwhere in the mix.

kind of amazing to see a new neighborhood forming around the river.

I expect to see activity to the east and west of Christina Landing also.

[mglan80]

^I'm curious to see what flag they get for that hotel, or whether it'll be part of the initial phase. My guess is a mid-level Hilton brand.

Just a text update on the new Juniper headquarters on West Street: They've poured about a quarter of the footings and have put up some of the form work for an wall. I think it's for the garage, since it's closer to the rail viaduct. I'm guessing the building will be steel instead of poured concrete.

[Kitchen Guy]

^ the hotel should be Business grade version to go along with attempts to rebrand the Riverfront Center as a conference center.

and now for the "smarty pants" portion of our show:


the concrete poured is probably Pile Caps
these are just what the name implies, caps on the pile to create a bearing surface for other structural elements.

next, Grade Beams will be formed and poured from Pile Cap to Pile Cap (or precast and placed)
these are like footings except they transfer load to the Pile Caps and not to the soil below them like a footing does.

[mglan80]

^Thanks for the correction. So a pile cap is a footing with piles underneath, correct?

I can't see how the base was configured from the pictures of the apartment tower under construction (it was too far along before I took any). I guess there'd be grad beams around the perimeter and width-wise across to tie in each pile cap (like floor joists). Then what, a slab on top?

By the way, why didn't you post this under the Christina Landing thread? Too lazy for two posts?

[Kitchen Guy]

I didn't see the Christina landing thread, I'll go search for it now.

[Kitchen Guy]

yes, a structural slab will be poured on top of the grade beams. It will be designed to hold up even if the ground below it settles away (it will).