Downtown Dover Partnership Board Meeting Packet

<f k, DOWNTOWN y == f PARTNERSHIP BOARD OF DIRECTORS Wednesday, October 25, 2023 7:30 a.m. City of Dover Conference Room 1. Welcome oe oO DS Agenda Minutes (September 27) Police Report Executive Committee/Staff Updates Community Reinvestment Funds (CRF) Economic Vitality restructuring 6. Property Updates 7. Downtown Dover Master Plan Priorities 1; ii. iii. iv. v. vi. vii. viii. Redevelopment initiatives EPA grant application for brownfields Critical Improvements - new round DDD Expansion Arts and Creative Placemaking Transportation Linkages (Dover Kent MPO) Dover Public Library: Oct. 26 (4:30-6:30) St. Jones Riverwalk Interest in new housing units: https://tinyurl.com/DoverHousing 8. Legislative Updates 9. Other Business 10. Board member updates (as time allows) 11. Public Comment 12. Adjourn Next DDP board meeting: Wednesday, December 6, 7:30 a.m. City of Dover Conference Room Agenda items as listed may not be considered in sequence. Pursuant to 29 DEL. C. 10004(e)(2), this agenda is subject to change to include the addition or deletion of items, including executive sessions, which arise at the time of the meeting. Downtown Dover Partnership Board Meeting Agenda — October 25, 2023

<A SSOVER Board Meeting 9/27/23 = f PA RTNERSHIP City of Dover Conference Room BOARD MEETING MINUTES ATTENDANCE: John Van Gorp, Councilman Fred Neil, Codi Canasa, Dina Vendetti, Mayor Robin Christiansen, Johnathan Street, Sergeant Jennifer Lynch, Sarah Keifer, Stacey Downing, Dave Hugg, Will Grimes, Todd Stonesifer, Senator Trey Paradee, Linda Parkowski, Kim Adams STAFF: Jordan Resh, Diane Laird, Tina Bradbury, Ken Anderson CALL TO ORDER Stonesifer opened the meeting at 7:30 a.m. Stonesifer welcomed Anderson to the DDP staff and introduced Pastor Grimes and Sarah Keifer to the DDP board. UPDATE FROM ANDERSON Anderson shared an update for the RFQ for 120 S. Governors in which three proposals were reviewed and invited back for an oral presentation. At the end of the presentation, the preferred developer was Mosaic/the team they brought, noting their quality. He added that following the presentation, an MOU was drafted to allow continued conversation without offering a contract. He noted that a press release was shared announcing the MOU between Mosaic, including ongoing coverage by the Delaware Business Times. Anderson shared that another RFQ is being drafted for the parking lot across from 120 S. Governors and it is nearly completed and pending review from Hugg. Once finalized, the RFQ will be shared with developers. He added that he has met with community advocates who are recruiting additional local developers to participate, such as Bobby Wilson. He noted that the RFQ should be distributed by the end of the week/early next week. AGENDA Councilman Neil motioned to approve the agenda. Canasa seconded the motion. Unanimous approval. MINUTES Councilman Neil motioned to approve the previous meeting minutes for June and the two meetings in August. Canasa seconded the motion. Unanimous approval. POLICE REPORT Board Meeting 9/27/23 Downtown Dover Partnership Draft 1

—~<of DOWNTOWN : y SDOVER Board Meeting “NY PARTNERSHIP City of Dover Conference Room Sergeant Lynch provided an update from Dover PD for August 2023 and August 2022. She noted an increase in incidences from 2022, but that the incidence rate fit the “status quo.” She added that Irish Mike’s presents concerns Thursday-Saturday nights, but that no major incidents have taken place. She noted that management of the unhoused population is being addressed, adding that they have rights that cannot be violated. She added that two residents on S. Bradford are upset about the loitering, but that if they are not trespassing, it is not a police issue. She added that they are working towards more good days in patrol. Canasa asked if the shutdown of Driftwood Spirits was building related or crime related. Sergeant Lynch confirmed that it was building related only, and Mayor Christiansen added that if the building is fixed to code, they can reopen. Canasa noted that on Thursday-Saturday nights, there is an increase in loitering/issues, but that when the police disperse the crowd at 1 a.m., they relocate and if Dover PD does not come, loitering continues. She suggested a police presence at 1 a.m. to clear the crowd. Sergeant Lynch offered to contact Dover PD to add presence to the area on the weekends, and suggested they will do so unless there is a staff shortage. Bradbury asked if statistics are available for 33 W. Loockerman and 31 W. Loockerman. Sergeant Lynch offered to recover that information and to determine the crime rate in the area, as well as the change in the rate of crimes since the close of Driftwood. Grimes shared that S. New and Reed St. is a challenged area. Sergeant Lynch responded that there are many overdoses in the area and that it is an ongoing area of focus. Councilman Neil noted the LED lighting for downtown and suggested that the smart lighting system is used to light up areas of concern throughout the night. He added that the intensity of the lights should be able to increase to deter crime. Street asked who controls the lights and how to do so, offering to call the electrical department and present how the system works at the next meeting. Canasa shared four incidents that occurred in two weeks on the block by her business and that Dover PD asked for footage from her camera. She added that the Wi-Fi for the cameras did not reach the street, so Dover PD could not use them. Sergeant Lynch responded that cameras were going down and are working with Dickinson as a liaison to restore cameras. Board Meeting 9/27/23 Downtown Dover Partnership Draft 2

i k, DOWNTOWN Board Meeting ). eo OVER 927123 WY! PARTNERSHIP City of Dover Conference Room Laird shared that DDP properties have had loitering, and that lighting is not a deterrent for those with tents/coverage from the lights. She thanked the work of the community policing department for managing crime and cleaning up remnants. Sergeant Lynch responded that there is only one other officer remaining in the community policing department, and thanked Laird for her support. Mayor Christiansen suggested playing classical music to deter the unhoused population and invited research on the method for a potential investment. He noted the importance of a design to manage the issue in a manner that is culturally sensitive. Stonesifer shared that the liquor store could receive an emergency license to relocate to another location, and that they are working on doing so. He added that the late-night concern surrounding Irish Mike’s is not occurring inside the building, but outside/tailgates. He suggested that property owners with prime locations for tailgates find solutions to prevent gathering, such as done by CenDel. He also noted that residents of downtown may not appreciate playing classical music. Mayor Christiansen responded that the music would be at a low volume. Stonesifer suggested being sensitive to what is being done and who is being impacted. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE/STAFF UPDATES Laird shared that DDP received a memorandum of agreement from the Department of State for the Community Reinvestment Fund. The funding will allow the continuation of the Critical Improvements Program to provide funding for businesses downtown, remedy properties, and potentially acquire new properties. PROPERTY UPDATES Bradbury shared that Interfaith Mission for Housing are relocating to a new space and have vacated the previous DDP-owned building. She added that a building assessment is underway, and demolition is being prepared for at 222 Railroad Ave. She added that the trailer has been moved, but the shed and smaller buildings are being considered for demolition. She added that asbestos and phase | studies have been completed for several sites and are awaiting the reports. Bradbury shared that the note on the mortgage for 120 S Governors and the E-Z Pass building have been lifted and the sites are being prepared for development by Anderson. DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN PRIORITIES Board Meeting 9/27/23 Downtown Dover Partnership Draft 3

ZY k, DOWNTOWN Board Meeting )» 7-2 OVER 9127123 WY PARTNERSHIP City of Dover Conference Room Stonesifer shared that the RFQ process to select a developer for 120 S. Governors is underway, as noted by Anderson previously. Stonesifer shared that the painted crosswalks pilot project was scheduled for Sept 30 but was postponed due to the weather forecast. He added that two locations will be painted, State & Loockerman and Queen & Loockerman. Resh added that a rain date is tentatively scheduled for Oct. 8, with an announcement expected for today. Canasa offered to assist with videography for the event on Oct. 8 Bradbury shared that she is meeting with Public Works today and is hoping for banner installation before Paint Dover next week, including both Paint Dover images and Dover’s branding. She added that media will be produced to credit city staff. Laird shared that next week Paint Dover! will invite 30 artists to paint downtown Dover and thanked the sponsors for their support. She added that a First Weekend exhibition will be on display with free admission at the Biggs Museum of American Art. She added that small works are encouraged as well as depictions of DSU. Stonesifer added that during these dates a new location will open, Rail Haus, and invited the board to visit. He added that projects underway are a direct result of the master plan and that work is taking place to produce change in Dover. Stonesifer shared that conceptual artwork produced by the MOU will be available on the website and encourage the board to show what is happening to any naysayers of the master plan/downtown Dover. Laird shared that a $145,000 assessment of the transport linkages with the Dover Kent MPO is underway, with anticipated project development in the next year. She added that the plan is to connect downtown anchors, including DSU and Bayhealth and considering multi-modal options, such as pedestrian, biking, rideshare, etc. The goal is to reduce the dependence on cars in the area. She added that a walking tour was held Sept. 15 and that several board members were in attendance. Parkowski noted that the MPO covers 90% of the project cost, and the DDP is only providing 10%. Laird added that the 10% was covered by the community reinvestment fund from last year and noted the scale and scope of the project. She added that the walking tour considered safety and convenience of pathways through downtown. Councilman Neil asked for support from the president of the Kent MPO, and the president, Mayor Christiansen, expressed his support of the coverage of the project. Board Meeting 9/27/23 Downtown Dover Partnership Draft 4

4 \, DOWNTOWN Board Meeting ) eY OVER 9/27123 WY PARTNERSHIP City of Dover Conference Room Laird shared that a public open house for the pathway studies will take place 4-7 p.m. at the Dover Public Library on Oct. 26. Hugg added that a candidate will be selected to develop the post office project and that the city is working on improving utilities as well. Stonesifer acknowledged that these big projects are a result of the master plan. Senator Paradee suggested communicating these updates to the community with a year-end report/press release that notes all the accomplishments of the organization. He added that many people still do not know about the work of the DDP. Laird agreed and noted that it is important that information is finalized before it is celebrated publicly. Grimes suggested providing a one-page flyer to provide updates to the community. Canasa shared that it is important to support events in downtown Dover to encourage frequenting downtown and see the small/subtle changes that take place. She added that in the intermediate, events provide an opportunity to view changes downtown. Stonesifer shared that the messaging will be branded with “Capital City 2030: Transforming Downtown Dover” and then an update on programming. LEGISLATIVE UPDATES Vendetti shared that a council meeting of the whole/committee of the whole took place and discussed the retail sale/manufacturing/distribution of recreational marijuana and whether it should be allowed in the downtown. In the legislation, municipalities can choose to opt out/into recreational marijuana business. She added that some municipalities in the state have already chosen to opt out. Vendetti added that the decision needs to be made before a year from November or otherwise there will not be opportunity to opt out. Hugg clarified that licenses can be submitted after this time, so the city would not be able to prevent them. Vendetti added that she presented on behalf of the chamber at the council meeting. OTHER BUSINESS Vendetti shared that the Awards of Excellence event takes place every June, naming the small business of the year, employer of the year, and other awards to celebrate the community. She added that one award is not given every year, but only when something big occurs - the Economic Development Achievement Award. She noted that three years ago, KEP was the most recent organization to receive the award. Vendetti shared that the award is provided to a community partner that grows the economy Board Meeting 9/27/23 Downtown Dover Partnership Draft 5

k, DOWNTOWN yy SDOVER mene NS PARTNERSHIP City of Dover Conference Room and that the master plan presents a “renaissance” for downtown that provides a comprehensive road map that unifies efforts to do so. She announced that the Downtown Dover Partnership received the award this year. BOARD MEMBER UPDATES Van Gorp shared that there is no longer a Scull Mansion, having been demolished this past week. He added that infrastructure and parking will replace the lot and that Bayhealth responded to the press asking to stop demolition, but that the building could not be conserved. Friends of Old Dover were able to recover items from the mansion before demolition. Canasa shared that OktDoverFest is taking place Oct. 7 in downtown Dover and invited the board to attend. She added that Bradford is looking livelier in recent months. Vendetti shared that the Amazing Chase in Downtown Dover took place last week, noting the great weather and pleasant experience. She shared that new merchants participated in the race and the event was an opportunity to showcase downtown. She said their fall auction is at the end of the month and donations are being accepted to raffle off. Adams shared that Gingo is nearly completed with the apartments on top as well. She added that Fun Thymes/the restaurant needs additional permits from DelDOT for the entrance, but movement is still occurring on the inside. She added that there are so many tenants interested in leasing the apartments she has not had to publicize the location’s availability. Street shared that he is working on code revisions for downtown with the city staff, meeting regularly over the past few months and hosting stakeholder meetings. He added that they have met with the city council and are making revisions to make the codes simpler. Street shared that C2 is the biggest zone downtown and parking lots, for example, are a conditional use, which creates an additional step with planning commission and can be denied, despite research suggesting alternative recommendations. Stonesifer shared that a summary of the proposed changes was provided to the executive team and thanked the city for working on “code relaxation” to implement the master plan. Oct 10-12 the city is having stakeholder meetings, with a public workshop Oct. 11 and staggered opportunities to participate in the three-day window. He noted that the updates would come early next year. Board Meeting 9/27/23 Downtown Dover Partnership Draft 6

oY, DOWNTOWN Board Meeti y SDOVER card Meeting WY PARTNERSHIP City of Dover Conference Room Keifer shared that Kent County is working on relaxing their codes, such as reducing parking minimums. Street noted that this process is important as it will allow building to take place without contacting the commission. Anderson asked why the code is being revised. Hugg responded that the codes are not contemporary and were copied from another, so they want to reevaluate the need for them, such as height maximums, parking, etc. Hugg added that the code is cumbersome, and Street clarified that the goal is to simplify the process. Street added that parking is an issue and that developers have their own understanding of what parking they require to fit the needs of their tenants, and that the disconnect creates delays and concerns between the county and developers. Anderson asked if the policy was produced as a product of the master plan. Street responded that he thinks the master plan accelerated the process, but that discussions were underway previously as well. Canasa noted that the master plan brought to the surface the necessity of code revisions and that the master plan shaped the perspective of code as an opportunity to encourage development, rather than restrict developers. Vendetti added that the momentum of the master plan provided a timeline to work alongside. Keifer shared that attitudes among levy courts have changed as a need to reduce barriers to addressing housing and development. Downing shared that DSU students are back, and occupancy is full downtown, “600 in resident halls and ~1,500 a day in classes. She added that they are encouraging students to visit downtown and are hoping to create soft things to increase visitation. She noted that students do not feel comfortable crossing Division St., and they are looking for solutions. Bradbury suggested allowing DSU’s dining plan to include off campus locations. Downing said the idea is being considered and they want to promote local business in doing so, as well as promoting downtown. She added that October 21% is the DSU homecoming parade, which will end at DSU downtown and feature a homecoming festival on that site. She added that most people will attend the football game, but the festival will provide additional engagement. Sen. Paradee asked about the status of the older dorms. Downing responded that Roe Hall is not being used, but the other dorms are being used. She added that redevelopment considering DSU downtown and downtown Dover’s master plans included ideas for the properties on the downtown campus. Grimes suggested expanding the banners to Division St. Bradbury said she would need to hear from public works on how maintenance would work for Division St. Sen. Paradee noted that for several months, State St. was Closed and being worked on, and it may have impacted perception of the area. Canasa noted that as Board Meeting 9/27/23 Downtown Dover Partnership Draft 7

—~<of DOWNTOWN B d Meeti y SDOVER <a “WY PARTNERSHIP City of Dover Conference Room the master plan grows, the amenities attracting people to downtown will encourage more foot traffic. Downing added that language is important as well, such as communicating that DSU students are also locals for downtown. Grimes shared that he met with seven students from DSU at Caribbean Cuisine, and they had been shopping at Zuha Trends. Grimes shared that the Solid Rock Community Outreach Center is having an open house and information session on October 3 from 11 a.m. — 2:30 p.m. to highlight the programming and certifications offered at the site, as well as the resource collaboration with Capital School District. He added that the center is located across the street from Rail Haus. PUBLIC COMMENT N/A ADJOURNMENT Councilman Neil motioned to adjourn. Street seconded the motion. Unanimous approval to adjourn the meeting. Next DDP Board Meeting: Wed. Oct. 25, 7:30 a.m. City of Dover Conference Room Board Meeting 9/27/23 Downtown Dover Partnership Draft 8

STATE FUNDING OUTCOMES/UNDERWAY: e Critical improvements Program (CIP): o Allocated majority of $1.2 M (FY 23 investment) Each $1 of CR funds leveraged $5 from private/other sources = $5.7M total investment in projects to date. © Program is preparing to relaunch application for additional improvements (with new infusion of $675K FY 24 CIP) for additional $1.6M investment value. Completed CIP project ($350,000 has been paid out): Y Coney Island Grille $50,000 (REHABILITATION: commercial kitchen & ADA restrooms; 2 market rate apartments) v Rail Haus year ‘round beer garden: $300,000 Commercial kitchen, sprinklers, ADA restrooms Y 8 other projects are underway e Loockerman Street underground infrastructure planning/design is underway by City; required for redevelopment projects e Site-readiness underway for DDP three priority sites/areas. OTHER MASTER PLAN PROJECTS UNDERWAY: e “Developer friendly”C-2 zoning now under City revision process (target January completion) e Transportation “Downtown Dover Pathways” planning process underway to connect anchors and make more pedestrian-, bike- and scooter-friendly. Public Workshop October 26 4:30-6:30 Dover library e City-selected developer for post office reuse in due diligence for mixed-use, including 30 apts. e St. Jones Riverwalk: Conceptual design provided by DDP to city e 1205S. Governors Ave. is under MOU with Mosaic Development/Colonial partners/Letter of Agreement for Public/Private Partnership is anticipated within 45 days e Pre-planning of multi-modal transit hub is underway, required to support preferred plan for 120 S. Governors Ave. /other redevelopment and public transportation requirements. e Creative Placemaking: © Crosswalks project underway, with 1 of 2 pilots crosswalk completed o. Banners installed on Loockerman St. o Fifth annual Paint Dover! event completed. Virtual exhibit now open. Tinyurl.com/DoverArt PEOPLE/ORGANIZATIONS INTERESTED IN DOWNTOWN HOUSING: Need for 381 units projected immediately. e Dover Fire Department — 6 studio apts. for “live-in” program (“Immediate need: We are looking at possibly 6 studio apartments for a live in program. Our interest is dependent on market rate/luxury vs affordable. Age 18-25”) © Dove Air Force Base — +/- 75 anticipated for officers and others e Bayhealth — residents, doctors and senior staff +/- 50 projected immediately e Delaware State University — targeting +/-250 DSU Graduate Students living in downtown “proper.” Downtown Dover Partnership 10-18-23

DOVER BEER GARDEN COMING ALONG , (Yorming Down 6 Mproving Propertie Reducing Vacancy... m One Building at a Time! AN town Dover 8 & Construction workers and landscap- ers were hard at work on Wednesday at the Rail Haus, a German-style beer garden coming to 92 N. West St. In downtown Dover. Donny Legans, who will operate Rail Haus with his wife Kim Legans, posted on Facebook on Aug. 9 that “We are getting so close, downtown Dover get ready, your new local hangout spot is almost there!” Electricity Is expected to begin work- ing next week which should speed up the process. DELAWARE STATE NEWS/MIKE FINNEY Thursday, 08/24/2023 Page .AOS Copyright © 2023 Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA, All rights reserved. 8/24/202

Downtown Dover Pathways Public Workshop October 26, 2023 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm Dover Public Let's talk about walking and biking in Downtown Dover! A brief presentation will be provided at 4:30 pm and again at 5:30 pm. Drop by at your convenience to chat about the project. ster ORE 8 | Use this online comment map to —f\_ DOWNTOWN ESOOVER * vie se tell us about where dedicated bike ei tig facilities, wider sidewalks, improved f PARTNERSHIP bx) . or As : = is abe, . crosswalks, and other bike or DOVER/KENT COUNTY MPO Ma 3 IR: se? 4 pedestrian changes would be Y METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION [ey eee SS beneficial, Br cdcd& ie Visit the project webpage: https://doverkentmpo.delaware.gov/downtown-dover-pathways/

Delaware State News - 10/13/2023 Page : A03 Dover addresses rebirth by choosing developer for old post office Proposal includes apartments, restaurants, and social areas By Mike Finney Delaware State News DOVER — City manager Dave Hugg believes the former site of the Dover Post Office is far too important a gateway into downtown to be ignored, especially with a revitalization plan for the city in its infancy. At Monday's City Council meeting, Mr. Hugg stressed that repurposing the vacated site at 55 Loockerman Plaza is significant, and that’s why he’s suggesting that LGPI VA LLC purchase it. Council members agreed and approved the city manager to move forward on negotiating with the firm, selected out of three that were shortlisted for the purchase of the building. The 23,000-square-foot brick location has been vacant since the post office moved into a newly built facility on South Queen Street in 2021. Thomas Kramedas, president of Axia Manage- ment, which will manage site development, noted that being part of Mosaic Development Partners’ “Capital City 2030: Transforming Downtown Do- ver” plan is something special. “Our locally owned development group is excit- ed that the city of Dover has chosen us as the pre- ferred developer for the old post office site,” he said. “The opportunity to be one of the first projects in the city of Dover’s Mosaic plan is an honor. “Our submitted plan calls for an adaptive reuse of the old post office that satisfies aspects of the Mosa- ic plan, while integrating best-in-class urban plan- ning principles.” He added that the company’s proposal includes more than 30 apartments, “along with workspace environments and eateries that will offer social gathering spaces and serve to energize downtown with outdoor seating.” It also incorporates refurbishing the 60-year-old structure with a modern look, while expanding its footprint to secure its place in the city’s future. “We look forward to working directly with the city of Dover to bring our project to life and help establish a new gateway into the city of Dover that all citizens can enjoy,” Mr. Kramedas said. “The proposal entails mixed use, which includes apart- ments.” The former post office is a city-owned property that was declared surplus by City Council around 2017, which authorized it to be placed on the mar- ket. October 13, 2023 12:43 pm (GMT -4:00) The city hired Chuck Spiegelman from The Moving Experience Real Estate to market the prop- erty, which received 14 proposals. Mr. Hugg, May- or Robin Christiansen, assistant city manager Sha- ron Duca, city planning director Mary Ellen Gray and Dr. Dina Vendetti, president of the Central Delaware Chamber of Commerce, then combined to form a committee to review those bids. They heard and weighed each applicant's nar- rative expressing their interest in and vision for the property, narrowing them down to three. After meeting with those three groups Sept. 3, the Review Committee selected one proposal for council's consideration this week. Following the decision to move forward, Mr. Hugg said, “This is an exciting project that will bring people to live, shop and work downtown. When we looked at the 14 proposals and compared them against the criteria, this project checked a ma- jority of the boxes. “This project not only puts more people living downtown, (but) it brings more businesses, and it The development firm of LGPI VA LLC was selected for the purchase of the former Dover Post Office building at Loockerman Plaza, Its pro- posal includes more than 30 apartments, as well as outdoor soclal gathering spaces. DELAWARE STATE NEWS FILE PHOTO/MATT MCDONALD. will be added to our tax roll. With almost 50% of our properties having tax-exempt status, this is an- other bonus.” He also stated there is no firm timetable for the initiative but that he hopes to start construction in early to mid-2024. Mayor Christiansen added that he is pleased the plan will keep the history of Dover intact, while the city moves into the future. “I am pleased to find a development team that meets our aspirations and reflects the Dover master plan,” he said. “I am beyond grateful that so much interest was shown on revitalizing the facility that is located in the heart of our city, while retaining the historical image. “It is my hope that the others who came forward with proposals will keep us in mind, as we continue to manifest our goals, making Dover a great place to live, work and play.” Staff coriter Mike Finney can be reached at 302-741-8230 or mfinney@ininsa.org. Follow @MikeFinneyDSN on X/ormerly Teoitter. Powered by TECNAVIA

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Downtown Dover Partnership adding creative flair to crosswalks Downtown Dover Partnership safety, community collaboration, an appropriate and colorful design concept that can be easily replicated, and quality implementation,” DOVER — The Downtown Dover Partnership is ready to paint the said the partnership’s executive director Diane Laird. “ The pilot town — or at least two crosswalks on Loockerman Street. will give us opportunity to train under an experienced artist and work out bugs. We do plan to go large scale in time, and really To that end, the agency is reaching out to artists and art lovers for make a splash with colorful crosswalks over the next couple of input on design concepts for the program, which will reflect two years.” goals of the “Capital City 2030: Transforming Downtown Dover” master plan: to implement creative placemaking strategies and to The Delaware Division of the Arts provided funding toward the engage imaginative residents. initiative. “ The entire community will be invited to actually help paint the Design concepts are due Aug. 28, and the selected artist will be crosswalks which will be completed over two separate days, and __ required to provide a full design by Sept. 15. The targeted ideally on weekends so that kids and their families can participate,” completion date of the painted crosswalks is Oct. 31. For details, said Jordan Resh, the project coordinator, in a press release. visit downtowndoverpartnership. com/ddp/crosswalks. The partnership will be receiving input from Milton Town Another arts event coming up downtown is Paint Dover! on Oct. 3- Councilwoman Randi Meredith, who recently completed a similar 5, when artists will paint outdoors and then exhibit at the Biggs project there. Museum and in local shops. For information, visit tinyurl. com/doverart. Artists wishing to enter one or more design concepts can come up with their own or use one of four pieces as inspiration. Michael Dudich, director of the Biggs Museum of American Art in Dover, has been a strong supporter of bringing more original creativity into the area. “When I learned of this project, my colleagues and I thought it would be a wonderful opportunity to inspire others by selecting four pieces of art in our permanent collection from which a design concept could be rendered,” he said. Jennifer Gunther, the director of The Delaware State University / Arts Center/Gallery, has also collaborated with the partnership. She (HG plans to engage several university students in both the design and the painting of the crosswalks. “This is a perfect way for students to have real- life experience in a community arts project as well as learn the technical aspects of street painting, considering that special paints, tape, and even brushes are required to paint on road surfaces,” she said. The Biggs Museum of American Art has supplied four images to serve as inspiration for the Downtown Dover Partnership’s painted crosswalks project. Participating artists are not required to use one of these pictures as inspiration but could create an original design instead. Submissions will be reviewed through a juried selection process. The winning artist will then be asked to provide complete designs for two intersections, with templates provided. The project team is working closely with Delaware Department of —ppOTO COURTESY OF BIGGS MUSEUM OF AMERICAN Transportation representatives to ensure that the final design is ART AND DOWNT OWN DOVER PARTN ERSHIP approved for painting. Ongoing maintenance will be necessary to ensure the colors stay fresh on the well- traveled surfaces. Upon completion, the winning artist will receive a $ 500 honorarium, The initial project will provide two Loockerman crosswalks with the art, at Queen and State streets. Over time, the Downtown Dover Partnership anticipates that the program will expand. “These kinds of projects may appear to be simple and straightforward, but a lot of coordination is required to ensure

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¥ otirs close § i ] \ 7 (Octo Ast} Stay) \ned to, unt Dove | 2024 |Meat With, “Gnyutl.com/Do' AAT Tinyurl.com./DoverArt View all 55 paintings in the Virtual Exhibition! Then cast your vote for your favorite painting! Voting closes Oct. 31 For more information about Paint Dover! and details on the Extended Exhibition, visit tinyurl.com/DoverArt