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Legislative Hall ‘moving forward’ with renovation, expansion plans, despite opposition

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Legislative Hall ‘moving forward’ with renovation, expansion plans, despite opposition


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Delaware’s Legislative Hall may soon look a little different.

Plans to expand and revamp the Statehouse are “moving forward,” beginning with a new parking garage, said Richard Puffer, who chairs the legislative committee overseeing the project.

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The $150 million project has raised renewed concerns over the expense and need for the renovations.

Here’s what Delaware needs to know.

When has Legislative Hall last changed?

Legislative Hall has been Delaware’s state capitol building since 1933.

In addition to House and Senate chambers, the building houses offices belonging to members of the state General Assembly and is home to several committee rooms and the formal office of the state governor. It also has many murals, portraits and exhibits.

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Plans to renovate and expand Legislative Hall began in November 2021. The last time Legislative Hall was renovated and expanded was in the 1990s.

There is “a great need” for more meeting and office space, both for employees and the public, said Puffer, who also serves as the chief clerk of the state House of Representatives.

What is included in the project?

A costly part of the project will be the new parking garage.

The current design will include approximately 350 parking spaces, including 240 for public access and 97 for state legislators and employees.

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Once the garage is finished, construction will then begin on an underground tunnel connecting the garage to the capitol, Puffer said.

Additional work will include building up to four new large meeting rooms and moving the entrance from the west to the east side of the building across the street from the new parking garage.

How long will this project take?

The budget for the project should be finalized in June 2025, Puffer said.

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If all goes smoothly, construction for the garage will begin in July 2025 and conclude by the end of December 2026 – with additional work set to begin in the summer or fall of 2026 and be completed by late 2028.

How much will this project cost?

As of now, roughly $40 million has already been invested into the project, with an additional $10 million from the FY 2025 Bond Bill, which was passed in June.

Puffer also said an additional $110 million has been requested for renovations and expansions.

Cost of the project questioned

John Flaherty, Delaware Coalition for Open Government board member, recently told the Office of Management and Budget, the project is “self-serving” and does not serve the public.

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“How busy is the General Assembly” to warrant such an expensive change, given that the state legislature will convene for nearly 42 days out of the year this upcoming session, Flaherty said.

Other individuals who oppose this project, including Delaware Black Commission founder Jakim Mohammed, also call this a “wasted, taxpayer-funded” expenditure.

Mohammed also feels that attention should instead be focused on pressing issues facing the state, including education, infrastructure and housing.

Former state senator Karen Peterson recalled how parking and meeting space at Legislative Hall had “never been an issue” before, and how these renovations will be “taking money away.”

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“We should be funding the needs, not the wants,” Peterson said.

While Puffer said he understands these concerns, he also mentioned how these expansions will help allow people “to participate in the legislative process.”

The Legislative Hall Committee is scheduled to hold its next meeting on Dec. 10 at 12:30 p.m.

For more information on how to attend or tune in virtually, visit the state General Assembly website.

Olivia Montes covers state government and community impact for Delaware Online/The News Journal. You can reach her at omontes@delawareonline.com.

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Delaware

New York man shot at Biden Welcome Center on I-95 Sunday. Here’s what we know

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New York man shot at Biden Welcome Center on I-95 Sunday. Here’s what we know


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A New York man was robbed and shot at the Biden Welcome Center on I-95 Sunday morning near Newark, according to Delaware State Police.

Troopers were called about 7 a.m. to the welcome center, located at 530 John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway in between I-95 northbound and southbound lanes, where they found the 45-year-old man lying in the parking lot outside of the center’s Starbucks.

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The Goshen, New York, man had stopped at the service station while traveling and was approached by “an unknown suspect or suspects,” according to troopers. They robbed and then shot him, police said.

As of Sunday night, police said they did not have a description of the potential shooter or shooters, and detectives were actively investigating.

Police ask that anyone who saw the shooting or has relevant information contact Detective R. Strecker by calling (302) 365-8413. Information may also be provided by sending a private Facebook message to the Delaware State Police or contacting Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-847-3333.



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Car Plunges Into The Delaware River In Upper Makefield

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Car Plunges Into The Delaware River In Upper Makefield


UPPER MAKEFIELD, PA — A driver escaped injury Friday morning after his car ended up in the Delaware River in the 1100 block of River Road.

Upper Makefield firefighters and police spent a busy early morning with the one vehicle crash.

“Fortunately the river is low, there was a path through the trees, and the driver was uninjured,” the firefighters reported on social media.

Find out what’s happening in Newtownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Rob’s Automotive and Collision Center responded to the scene to remove the vehicle from the river.

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Rob’s Automotive Collision Center and the Upper Makefield Fire Co. on the scene. (Upper Makefield Fire Company)

Find out what’s happening in Newtownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.


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To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.



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The Most Expensive ZIP Codes In Delaware, Revealed By Zillow Data

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The Most Expensive ZIP Codes In Delaware, Revealed By Zillow Data


Delaware is very famous for having no sales tax and promoting a very pro-business environment through favorable legislation. Countless corporations have their legal headquarters in Delaware even if they largely reside and operate outside the state. Thus, despite its small size, Delaware is a hub for economic activity, as well as generating wealth.

As part of an ongoing series, we’ve been analyzing ever state in the country in terms of what the most expensive ZIP codes are. Here, we’re investigating the most expensive ones in Delaware. Like so many other coastal states, Delaware possesses a line of beautiful beach towns, running from its southern border with Maryland, up to the mouth of the Delaware River in the north. But there are lesser well-known areas of the state that are surprisingly expensive.

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Read on to find out the most expensive ZIP codes in Delaware in 2024, based on the latest data from Zillow’s home value index.

The Most Expensive ZIP Codes in Delaware

Harnessing data from Zillow’s home value index, as well as the Census Bureau’s 2023 American Community Survey, we analyzed thousands of ZIP codes across the U.S. as part of a general survey. From there, we focused our attention on Delaware. The Zillow home value index tracks (as of September 2024) the home values of 59 ZIP codes in Delaware; it’s not many, but that’s expected for such a small state. As part of our analysis, we took into consideration the latest monthly home values Zillow has — September 2024 — as well as the average of 12 months of median home values from October 2023 to September 2024. While home values have grown immensely across America since the pandemic-induced buying frenzy, home value appreciation in Delaware stands out. One of the most expensive ZIP codes in Delaware witnessed home values surge by 84.8% over the last five years.

Check out the top three most expensive ZIP codes below.

The Top 5 Most Expensive ZIP Codes in Delaware

Delaware has some beautiful beaches along its long Atlantic coast, and — like in many other states — several of the most expensive ZIP codes in the state can be found here. The No. 1 most expensive ZIP code in Delaware is 19944. This is centered on the beach community of Fenwick Isle, near the southern border with Maryland. ZIP code 19944’s income distribution is similar to other beach towns, such as having a mean household income that’s far higher than its median: $187,646 mean income versus $100,357 median. This often occurs because local incomes aren’t as high as owners of second homes, plus the 31.4% of households earning $200,000 or more a year pull the mean income upward. The median home value witnessed excellent growth, rising by 54.7%, from $779,650 in September 2019, up to nearly $1.206 million in September 2024. The year-over-year might be even more impressive, with a growth rate of 7.8%.

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The second most expensive ZIP code in Delaware — 19807 — is centered on a bedroom community northwest of Wilmington called Greenville. This area has many a nice home, plus some nice golf courses. This ZIP code runs right from the Wilmington border out to Delaware’s round border with Pennsylvania. Incomes here are much higher than in the No. 1 most expensive ZIP code. The median household income in ZIP code 19807 is $143,443, while the average household income is far, far higher, at $233,357. The median home value in ZIP code 19807 has risen considerably over the last five years. From a median of $693,903 in September 2019, home values increased by more than two-fifths, reaching a new peak of $976,245 by September 2024.

The third most expensive ZIP code takes us back to the beach. ZIP code 19930 covers Bethany Beach, a well-frequented vacation spot. A sizable minority of households — 29.9% — earn $200,000 or more per year. The median household income is less than this, $116,736, but the average household income reflects this high-earning minority, at $187,289. The median home value five years ago was $634,590 in September 2019. A year later, it hasn’t budged much, with ZIP code 19930 having a median home value of $655,976. But come September 2021 — amidst the pandemic-induced buying spree of the time — the median home value had risen to $883,702. And in September 2022, it reached nearly $1.013 million. As of September 2024, it’s down to $907,971.



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