Though humorous, there is some validity to the depiction. In fact, according to municipal authorities, a new $2.19 million town home project on the Delaware River in the historic district of New Castle is the biggest residential construction since the 19th century. The last time multifamily building along the river saw such a boom in New Castle, which is only 20 feet above sea level, was in the late 1870s when a builder created Dobbinsville, a neighborhood of 62 brick houses for employees of a neighboring iron factory.
However, the new project is near the most upscale residential areas, in contrast to that development, which is located south of the city center. The land on Second Street, which is less than half an acre in size, will accommodate two structures with six town houses that range in price from $355,000 to $360,000. Sally Monigle, a member of the city's five-member Historic Area Commission, which is tasked with preserving the architectural legacy of its 135-acre historic area, stated that it was one of the few locations still available for waterfront construction. Not that residents of New Castle, which was founded in 1651 when Peter Stuyvesant erected a fort there, are grumbling about their town's sluggish development.
Many people in a city where picture-book houses have been handed down through the centuries are wary of any corrupting influences. It's true that some locals are suspicious of the six brand-new "reproduction" townhouses in the vibrant neighborhood known as Bull Hill. Never mind that the builder, Mario Medori of Wilmington, a nearby town, had to get the historic commission's approval for every external detail of the 2,500 square foot dwellings, from the color of the bricks to the pitch of the roof. According to Mrs. Monigle, "I believe there are people who would have wished that the houses were slightly smaller or little individual houses." However, according to Timothy J. Mullin, director of museums at the Historical Society of Delaware, this close-knit community has historically resisted change.
Residents must refer to the standards manual before making any changes to their older homes, since some items, such as corrugated downspouts, vinyl siding, and aluminum storm doors, are not allowed. "I believe that there is this belief," According to Mr. Mullin, it is untrue that New Castle blossomed all at once during the Federal time and hasn't been touched since. Ever since the first people arrived in New Castle, structures have been demolished to make way for new construction. The historical society possesses early correspondence from residents protesting about a newly constructed 14,000-square-foot house on the Strand, built in 1797 by George Read II, the son of a signer of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.
According to Mr. Mullin, "people thought he was trying to show off." Currently a museum, the home is regarded as one of the gems of the city. Bull Hill is the name given to the location where the townhouses are being built, but in reality, it is a 100-year flood plain. The site had two modest 1920s residences on it when Mr. Medori purchased it for $480,000 last year, according to Bert Green, a Wilmington-based broker with ReMax Sunvest, which is in charge of the project's sales. According to Jeffrey A. Bergstrom, the municipal officer responsible for enforcing preservation requirements, the houses were permitted to be demolished because they were not considered architecturally important and did not adhere to flood restrictions.
The project is located inside the historic area, which is made up of over 600 buildings and stretches from the river via Fifth Street and the creek to Penn Street. This part has been recognized as a local historic district and is included in the National Register of Historic Places. The new town homes had a bulky look, according to historic commission member Douglas Heckrotte, an architect with Kise, Straw & Kolodner in Philadelphia, since they had to be elevated to comply with flood rules. The committee mandated that front porches be created and roof lines be reduced in an effort to thin down the appearance of the three-story homes. The design, which had two-over-two-pane windows, originated from the late 19th century. In order to give the impression that the residences were single and twin dwellings that had grown over time, Mr. Medori also offset the houses.
The first buyer was Jan Churchill, a pilot and author of books on military history who was just inducted into the Delaware Aviation Hall of Fame. She was so impressed with the growth. "What they designed fits in perfectly," Ms. Churchill remarked, referring to her four years of residence in a 1993 replica in New Castle. For Ms. Churchill, her new home in this charming walking city provides the best of all worlds: new construction, a two-car garage, and a dead-end street. Although the city's cobblestone walkways and backyard gardens attract a lot of tourists, preservation experts claim that a dedicated buyer must be willing to spend up to $500,000 for a historic property that requires ongoing care. Real estate brokers report that when buyers learn there is no off-street parking or central air conditioning, they frequently back out.
Furthermore, it is implicitly expected that antique residences be well ornamented. Mr. Green claimed that years ago, he gave up trying to save enough cash to buy a Georgian home in New Castle because he knew he wouldn't have any money left over for furniture and antique rugs. "It's social death in New Castle not to have the right furnishing," stated Mr. Mullin. Furthermore, parking is such an issue in a city built for buggies that several locals who live close to the tourist destinations won't leave their vehicles on the weekends. "If there were gates up, they would be just as happy," Mr. Mullin remarked. However, it demonstrates how New Castle has fallen prey to its own prosperity. Following the commencement of the restoration of Williamsburg, Virginia, in 1926, a preservation movement was launched in New Castle in the 1930s, according to Mr. Mullin.
He said that several well-known locals even made an attempt to get John D. Rockefeller Jr. to visit New Castle. Rockefeller turned him down. In actuality, New Castle was saved by the du Ponts. Louise du Pont Crowninshield, a sister of Henry Francis du Pont, whose house near Wilmington became the Winterthur Museum, and a founding member of the National Trust, contributed funds in 1946 to an architectural firm in Boston called Perry, Shaw & Hepburn, the same firm Mr. Rockefeller hired for Williamsburg. The historic commission and a preservation plan were finally established as a result of the New Castle investigation. The city now has a diverse range of architectural styles, including Queen Anne, Federal, Greek Revival, Georgian, and Second Empire buildings.
"Although not everyone is a fan of the Historic Area Commission, there is a general consensus about how wonderful life is here," Mrs. Monigle remarked. Ms. Churchill will enjoy views of the river from her kitchen when she moves into her new house next month. The living room is located in the back, yet it may also be seen that way. Each of the houses has four bathrooms and three bedrooms. Ms. Churchill will have her computers linked oThe Trustees of New Castle Common, a distinctive nonprofit organization founded during the Dutch colonial era when people shared property, owns the open area behind the dwellings. About 1701, William Penn recognized the existence of common land and set aside 1,000 acres for the people of New Castle.
The trustees, who currently oversee 600 acres, created Battery Park and constructed the library and volunteer fire hall. In fact, when English immigrant Penn arrived in New Castle in 1682 bearing documents pertaining to land in Delaware and Pennsylvania, he was warmly received. Penn received a ''porringer with River water and soyle'' and ''one turf with a twigg upon it'' from magistrates in a formal manner. At that point, the populace vowed loyalty to him. nto the spacious third floor, which she intends to use as an office.
