Construction begins on Wilmington redevelopment project

WILMINGTON – Beyond a chain link fence demarcating a construction zone, red and yellow caution tape lay draped across the front steps of a line of homes that were once the beginning of The Flats apartment community along Bancroft Parkway.

Around the corner, an excavator chipped away at the brick walls of the rows of apartments bringing them to rubble.

The work is the beginning of a year-long project to redevelop a portion of The Flats affordable housing apartment complex. The work which began this week is just the first phase of a larger project to tear down and rebuild all of the 430 units in the 10.5 acre complex a few blocks from the city's Little Italy neighborhood.

Vernon Green, vice president at Woodlawn, the real estate and development firm behind the project, said when completed, the first phase will transform 72 units of one, two and three bedroom apartments.

'We hope that we will be able to complete (the renovation of the entire project) in about seven to 10 years," Green said.

The first phase, funded through low income housing tax credits and other sources, will cost about $15.5 million, Green said. The entire project is expected to top $100 million.

Officials and residents are hopeful that the reinvestment will be a boon to the community surrounding the apartments.

"It is a shot in the arm to the west side," said Councilman Bob Williams, whose district encompasses the development.

"The entire project is evidence of positive movement in the neighborhood and economic development," said Mayor Dennis Williams, who called the redevelopment a "historic transformational project"

In addition to replacing 100-year-old "obsolete" homes for residents, Councilman Williams said the residents will also save money on utilities because the new structures will be more efficient.

"This is going to free up some money in their pockets and they are going to invest in our community," Williams said.

The plans for the new development also call for significantly more off street parking for residents, freeing up on-street parking for those visiting businesses in the area, he said.

While the construction is ongoing, residents who were renting in the units that are being demolished were moved to vacant units elsewhere in the development while the project is ongoing. Woodlawn said they will continue to move residents around as the different phases of the project progress.

Contact Jenna Pizzi at jpizzi@delawareonline.com or (302) 324-2837. Follow her on Twitter @JennaPizzi.