Blueprint Communities--Team Projects

Hilltop/Little Italy: The Hilltop/Little Italy team fulfilled its primary short-term objective in collaboration with Little Italy Merchants Association (LINA) by contributing to the completion of the Little Italy Mural on the Fierro Cheese building located at the gateway to Wilmington’s Little Italy on N. Union Street. Additional steps taken towards the implementation of this team’s plan included the planting of over 50 street trees throughout its focus area as well as the completion of four new construction homes for first-time homebuyers at the corner of W. 5th St. and N. Dupont.

Second District: The Second District community has completed a beautification project for the Concord and Garfield Triangles. This project included investments in trees, shrubs, grass, and other plants, as well as a watering service to help maintain the two Triangles in their neighborhood.

Riverside: This team’s neighborhood revitalization plan is both bold and complex, calling for the removal of more than 140 derelict public housing units in the neighborhood and replacing them with newly constructed duplexes, row homes, and a 50-unit senior living midrise. In preparation for their plan, the community has invested in architectural renderings and community organizing expenses. Together with the Wilmington Housing Authority, this planning team and community prepared and submitted a $22 million HOPE VI grant proposal to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development this past November.

Eastside: The Eastside community completed a beautification project of the 700 and 800 blocks of Spruce Street. This beautification project included flower window boxes, façade improvements for 12 to 15 homes and a community green space on a vacant lot.

Dover Community Partnership: The Dover Community Partnership purchased surveillance cameras and related hardware to promote public safety in their community. The team is working in partnership with the Downtown Dover Development District to install cameras and lighting in a downtown Dover residential neighborhood to improve community safety. This is being done in conjunction with the establishment of a “Neighborhood Watch” program.

Edgemoor Revitalization Cooperative: The ERC team has purchased and developed the Edgemoor Revitalization Corporation (ERC) Resource House. The team has invested in temporary leasing of the Resource House property, the installation of solar panels, salary for an executive director and computer hardware and software systems for after-school programs. This team is working in close cooperation with, and is receiving additional financial support from New Castle County, the Edgemoor Community Center and the Red Clay Consolidated School District.

Simonds Garden: Simonds Garden is working with Harvest Investments to create youth programming focused on education, job readiness, recreation, and community service projects that will serve up to 50 youth in their community during the summer of 2010.

Historic Overlook Colony and Vicinity: The HOCV community has invested in a community gateway which was constructed as an entranceway to Overlook Colony. This was accomplished by placing signage and landscaping at the intersection of Commonwealth Boulevard and Philadelphia Pike.