DDP Board Meeting Revised Packet

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Wednesday, June 26, 2024 at 7:30 a.m. City of Dover Conference Room AGENDA Revised 6-23-24 1. Welcome 2. Agenda 3. Minutes (May) 4. Police Report - Sgt. Lynch 5. Executive Committee/Staff Updates i. Staff changes ii. Budget & Workplan FY 2025 iii. Nominations FY 2025 6. Property Updates i. 680-684 Forest St. - Demolition- Former Dover Interfaith Mission for Housing (DIMH) ii. 136 w. Loockerman Street (Key to Life) – New A/C iii. Other 7. Downtown Dover Master Plan Priorities i. Planning Commission June 17 Meeting Outcome (148 and 150 S. Bradford St.) ii. ITB request for demolitions (120 S. Governor’s Ave, 148 and 150 S. Bradford St.) iii. Grants/Funding Pending ▪ ARPA $15.1M ▪ DE Bond Bill $10M ▪ Federal Appropriation request Senator Carper - $5M ▪ EPA $1M Brownfield remediation (Senator Carper Press Event, June 26,Cendel 10 a.m.) ▪ Grant in Aid FY2025 request - $230,000 iv. Dover Kent MPO FY 25 update v. Design/Build Agreement with Colonial Parking, Inc. vi. Dover Kent MPO and Colonial Parking, Inc. lunchtime presentations to DDP BOD (Date TBD) vii. Other 8. Legislative Updates 9. Other Business 10. Board member updates 11. Public Comment 12. Adjourn Upcoming DDP board meetings: Dover Kent MPO and Colonial Parking, Inc. lunchtime presentations to DDP BOD (Date/Location TBD) September 25 - Annual Meeting, 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 – June 26, 2024

Board Meeting 5/22/24 City of Dover Conference Room BOARD MEETING MINUTES ATTENDANCE: Councilwoman Tricia Arndt, Dave Hugg, Codi Canasa, Todd Stonesifer, Will Grimes, Sarah Keifer, Councilman Fred Neil, Sergeant Jennifer Lynch, Linda Parkowski, Pete Bradley, Sharon Duca, Jonathan Street, Donny Legans, John Van Gorp Friends of Old Dover: Tom Smith, Nate Attard, Ellen Richardson, Brad Richardson, Lorraine Dion STAFF: Diane Laird, Tina Bradbury, Ken Anderson, Jordan Resh CALL TO ORDER Stonesifer opened the meeting at 7:30 a.m. Stonesifer amended the agenda to move Historic District Review to the end. Laird updated the agenda to change “EDA” to “EPA.” AGENDA Councilman Neil motioned to approve the amended agenda. Canasa seconded the motion. Unanimous approval. MINUTES Councilman Neil motioned to approve the previous meeting minutes. Canasa seconded the motion. Unanimous approval. POLICE REPORT Sergeant Lynch presented April 2024 and April 2023 stats. April 2024’s most common call was “property check” and Sgt. Lynch noted it is in response to quality-of-life crimes around S. Governors Ave. and S. New St. She added that the human trafficking unit of the AG’s office is planning to offer assistance. Sgt. Lynch shared that new homeowners on New St. from Habitat for Humanity have expressed concerns about loitering and safety. She added that Dover PD monitored the spot every morning, but that the crime transitioned to Governors Ave. Dover PD is working on a multi-level approach to both offer resource and control crime. Grimes thanked Sgt. Lynch for their response to the needs of local homeowners. Bradbury thanked Dover PD for their efforts but noted that crime has transitioned to Bradford St. / W. Loockerman St. Councilman Neil shared that quality homeowners and considering Board Meeting 5/22/24 Downtown Dover Partnership Draft 1

Board Meeting 5/22/24 City of Dover Conference Room relocating due to crime and violence downtown and suggested using cameras to increase street surveillance. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE/STAFF UPDATES Laird shared that Linda Parkowski is leading the nominations committee to seek a new board member and a secretary, as Street is leaving the Board. Bradbury shared that taxes are filed for DDP. PROPERTY UPDATES 120 S. Governors Ave. Bradbury shared that a cleanup took place with the city. She added that a fence was installed around the property to prevent loitering and the demolition process is underway. Resh shared that the Rock the Block event with Habitat for Humanity was a successful community event that took place at the site, including a clean-up, mural, gardening, games, and free food for the neighborhood. 680-684 Forest St. Bradbury shared that demolition is underway and awaiting final approval from the City. She added that the next step will be to address the “tent city” near the property. Anderson added that a contractor was selected in April, but the process for approval was extensive and required time to complete. Other Laird shared that approximately $35,000 has been spent in the past year to secure properties and respond to vagrancy, such as destruction of property, loitering, and occupying vacant spaces. Bradbury noted that the sites are a health and safety hazard. Councilwoman Arndt suggested installing a security system. Bradbury responded that the sites do not have electricity or Wi-Fi, as they are scheduled for demolition. Anderson shared that they have considered tree-trimming to increase visibility for existing cameras. DOWNTOWN DOVER MASTER PLAN PRIORITIES Assessments Board Meeting 5/22/24 Downtown Dover Partnership Draft 2

Board Meeting 5/22/24 City of Dover Conference Room Bradbury shared that 148 & 150 S. Bradford, and 680 Forest St., and 120 S. Governors’ assessments are underway, in partnership with DNREC. After Phase 1 Assessments, it will determine which properties will need to enter Phase 2 cleanup for Brownfield sites. Many properties are being found to have asbestos, ground water, and other qualities that will need clean up. ITBs Anderson shared that since 120 S. Governors is in the Historic District, they had to submit Historic Planning Commission review which took place last Friday. He noted that Mosaic will pursue the demolition process for 120 S. Governors. He added that demolition for 148 & 150 is also being scheduled so that pricing can be determined. Dover Kent MPO FY25 UPDATE Laird thanked board members for attending the charette and shared that preliminary plans were shared during the last session and suggested narrowing the roads, expanding the sidewalks, limiting parking, improving the tree placement and quality (with cycled replacing so that the benefits of the trees are not lost during the process), widening the “bump-outs” so pedestrian paths are safer, and other enhancements. She added that the goal of the project, as an add on to the existing studies from Dover Kent MPO, is to determine what Loockerman will look like in the future. She noted that funding is not yet secured for implementation of the study, but that the plan will allow a phased approach to work towards as funding becomes available. Laird added that the outcomes will be available online once finalized, and Bradbury suggested that Board members challenge misinformation related to the study and contact DDP with any questions or concerns. Canasa shared that the charettes were a positive experience and emphasized the importance of a multi-level approach to address challenges downtown concurrently. Grants/Funding Pending Laird shared that the $15.1M from ARPA’s workplans are being finalized and will then go to a letter of agreement, with funding needing to be expensed by 2026. She shared that DE Bond Bill for $10M will need to be voted on by the Legislature and that meetings took place with Sen. Walsh and Rep. Heffernan to recruit support. Stonesifer shared that the total projects cost is $100M and that the Bond Bill and ARPA funding is allocated to specific project costs and cannot be used elsewhere. Board Meeting 5/22/24 Downtown Dover Partnership Draft 3

Board Meeting 5/22/24 City of Dover Conference Room Bradbury shared that $1M was awarded from the EPA to remediate brownfields and work with the City of Dover on the St. Jones Riverwalk project. She added that if a 75% spenddown occurs then they may apply for an additional $20M to address other properties. She noted that remediation at the Inner-City Cultural League is nearly complete and will be highlighted during the press day for the EPA award. LEGISLATIVE UPDATES Stonesifer shared on behalf of Sen. Paradee that the climate in the legislature is uncertain, and they are awaiting to hear how much funding will be available for the upcoming year. OTHER BUSINESS Laird thanked Board members for their responsiveness and support of the work of the DDP. She invited board members to attend the Central Delaware Chamber of Commerce awards dinner on June 20, from 5 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. and noted that last year, DDP was awarded an Economic Development Award at the event. BOARD MEMBER UPDATES Bradley shared that Dover Air Force Base Air Show had a phenomenal turnout. He added that next weekend is the Buccaneer Bash at Bower’s Beach and that a car show is scheduled for June at the racetrack. He shared that in June, Tourism’s new website and branding is expected to be unveiled. Grimes shared that NeighborGood Partner’s new building, “The NeighborGood Center” is under construction on Division St. Keifer shared that June/July they expect to remove parking minimums. Van Gorp shared two properties on Water St. & Governors Ave. are under contract and were identified as a brownfield, so will require clean up. He shared that in June at the Blue Hen Mall, a Bayhealth Clinic will be opened. Duca shared that clean up on S. New St. is underway by the city’s streets team, such as tree trimming, street sweeping, trash collection, and property maintenance. She added that they are working on the marijuana ordinance and will deliver a recommendation to Council. Board Meeting 5/22/24 Downtown Dover Partnership Draft 4

Board Meeting 5/22/24 City of Dover Conference Room Legans shared that business has been successful, including an official afterparty for the DAFB air show, event with NeighborGood Partners, and others. He asked that any new businesses are invited to connect with him to plan similar events. He shared that no issues have occurred to date. Councilman Neil shared that the formula adjusted, leading to a decrease in funding for the city’s library. He noted that the use of the library does not include those participating in events, leading to a smaller reported number. Councilwoman Arndt shared that a recent council meeting became a public forum for homelessness and crime. The mayor then established a community-led effort for unhoused awareness and advocacy, meeting once a week. She added that the Attack Addiction group and Unhoused Working Group combined, noting the connection between addiction and social services, and expressed hope to see outcomes of their efforts soon. Laird noted that a DDP liaison, alongside Councilwoman Arndt, serves on the committee. Canasa shared that her business is successful, attracting visitors from further distances and who then shop and eat downtown. She shared that for Destination Downtown Dover, OktDoverFest is scheduled for the second weekend in October and planning is underway, noting that the St. Patrick’s Day bar crawl was very successful and offers hope for the future of downtown event plannings. Stonesifer added that Destination Downtown Dover delivered flowers on Loockerman St. as well. Hugg shared that the city is working on preparing the budget for next year. He added that there is an ordinance pending to increase consistency in fees and fines and they are working on the marijuana ordinance as well. Historic District Commission Review (148 & 150 S. Bradford St.) Stonesifer shared that in 2022, DDP worked with Mosaic Development Partners to increase population density and improve transportation downtown, leading to a recommendation for a multi-modal transit center to provide a parking solution. He added that the initial design required the acquisition of a property that is not available, so two new properties were identified – 148 & 150 S. Bradford St. He added that at the Historic District Review, the Commission did not recommend the demolition of the two properties and that there is a process to file an appeal, as well as to pursue other options. Board Meeting 5/22/24 Downtown Dover Partnership Draft 5

Board Meeting 5/22/24 City of Dover Conference Room PUBLIC COMMENT Nate Attard, member of Friend of Old Dover, expressed support of the Capital City 2030 plan, but noted that the multi-modal project site defined in the plan did not include demolition of the two historic properties. Attard proposed an alternative parking structure that models one from Binghamton, NY which would have a smaller footprint, taller build, and would save the two houses. He added that the properties may still need to be acquired, but they could be returned to the market once development is complete. Attard noted that Bradford St. is residential, and retaining the houses would help with the continuity of the residential design, while still providing new housing options at 120 S. Governors. He added that the properties received funding from Main Street Dover for renovations and have tenants, indicating the ability to support business. He concluded that the property sitting vacant after demolition could lead to loitering and crime. Lorraine Dion, a member of the Friends of Old Dover and the former director of Main Street Dover shared that she would like the properties to be saved. She read a portion of the DDP’s Mission Statement, “DDP strives to protect and enhance the historic architectural and community qualities of the downtown consistent with the guiding principles of the National Main Street Program.” She noted that historic preservation is an economic development tool and provides the opportunity for the DDP to set an example for other organizations, businesses, and property owners downtown that saving history is important. Ellen Richardson, member of the Historic District Commission and Friends of Old Dover and a resident on the Green, shared that historic properties and very important and she does not want to see two buildings, which the city has invested in, are non-vacant, well-kept, and maintained to be lost. She added that in doing so is to “erase history.” She noted that people are recruited to Dover for its history and destruction diminishes this value. Richardson also noted that the plan varies from that proposed originally in the Capital City 2030 plan and presents logistical issues. She said that the garage opening on Governors Ave. offers easy access to Route 13, but on Bradford, drivers would need to navigate the residential area. She also noted that businesses west of Governors Ave. have reported feeling neglected in terms of the city’s investment, and shifting the opening excludes them further. Richardson concluded her two points 1) it is important to preserve historic buildings to retain downtown’s charm and 2) the logistics of the entrance to the parking garage. Board Meeting 5/22/24 Downtown Dover Partnership Draft 6

Board Meeting 5/22/24 City of Dover Conference Room Tom Smith, downtown business owner, member of Friends of Old Dover, and the first president of Main Street Dover, the first Main Street program in Delaware noted the community effort to establish this organization with the city, county, and locals. He shared that he started the organization because it was based on historic preservation and economic development. He added that it is important to not lose the heart and soul of the community and that every building being torn down in the historic district, justified only by economic development, takes away from the thread of the community as it loses its uniqueness and causes distress to those who have chosen to call Dover their home. Stonesifer responded that the information presented by Attard/Friends of Old Dover will be considered and a solution that is agreeable to all parties will be researched and explored. He added that they will continue to seek proposals for demolition, in case that is the viable option, but will also determine feasibility of relocating. Laird noted that Mike Petit de Mange expressed similar concerns and added his input to the record: 5/21/24 Text Message to Diane Laird from Mike Petit de Mange “Good Evening Diane: My apology for this late night communication (had hoped to call you to talk about this over the phone but ended up working late tonight). Wanted to share with you my concerns with the proposed demolition of 148 and 150 South Bradford Street which I recently became fully aware of. As you know, I’m very familiar with South Bradford Street and the buildings in question having resided on that street for 25 years. Both buildings are in very good condition relative to many buildings in the area, are well-maintained and have housed quality businesses continuously for several decades. They are also listed on the national Register of Historic Places as contributing structures within the Dover Victorian Historic District. Plenty of buildings in the downtown have suffered years of significant neglect and disinvestment, but not these structures. If funding is budgeted for demolition, it would be better utilized to address structures that are substantially blighted, damaged or abandoned, and that are no longer viable nor contributing to the vitality of downtown in my opinion. With that, I’m urging the DDP to reconsider the demolition of 148 and 150 South Bradford Street. A redesigned parking structure should be pursued to avoid these buildings. Happy to discuss this further with you. Thanks for your consideration. - Mike Petit de Mange” ADJOURNMENT Parkowski motioned to adjourn the meeting. Street seconded the motion. Unanimous approval. Next Meeting Wed. June 26 – Annual Meeting, 7:30 a.m. City of Dover Conference Room Board Meeting 5/22/24 Downtown Dover Partnership Draft 7

Board Meeting 5/22/24 City of Dover Conference Room Handout from Nate Attard Board Meeting 5/22/24 Downtown Dover Partnership Draft 8