DDP Economic Vitality Committee Packet

Economic Vitality Committee Meeting May 21, 2025 8 a.m. Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/98017699516 (Over for additional Zoom info) AGENDA Join Zoom Meeting - info in header above and over Welcome Agenda Minutes (March 2024) Public comments Updates on Master Plan • Open House –Mobility Center & 120 S. Governor’s Ave. new conceptuals (new date TBD) • Demo’s completed/Groundbreaking for Downtown Dover Mobility Center, S. Bradford St. (October) Updates from working groups 1. Critical Improvements Program (CIP) 2. Site Readiness Updates 3. Unlock the Block • REAP (Retention Expansion Assistance Program) application • Recruitment strategies/incentives – new program 4. Marketing downtown Dover and redevelopment Other business Adjournment Next scheduled meeting – June 18, 2025 @ 8 a.m. via Zoom 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. The Economic Vitality Committee rebuilds and diversifies the downtown Dover area's economy by implementing business retention, recruitment and expansion strategies, and making strategic property/building purchases and sales of DDP-owned properties.

Economic Vitality Committee Meeting May 21, 2025 8 a.m. Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/98017699516 (Over for additional Zoom info) Diane Laird is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: DDP Economic Vitality Meeting Monthly, third Wednesday, 08:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Every month on the Third Wed, until Jun 18, 2025, 6 occurrence(s) Changed occurrence(s): Jan 15, 2025 08:00 AM (updated) Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system. Monthly: https://zoom.us/meeting/tJwtdu6upzIvG9IfvicnRwRZGBAeU3b1bH- I/ics?icsToken=DCJnfMl89kJehwtCAgAALAAAALv2jy6r0llT_6qEOhOebAEFm6V_vXLwk36vNj0xUixSfqo FECpfTnY0SOZtHfOkCX8274r5IIae2QwnOTAwMDAwMQ&meetingMasterEventId=RE5n3vuzRq6XE33 WBNGGxg Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/98017699516 Meeting ID: 980 1769 9516 One tap mobile +13092053325,,98017699516# US +13126266799,,98017699516# US (Chicago) The Economic Vitality Committee rebuilds and diversifies the downtown Dover area's economy by implementing business retention, recruitment and expansion strategies, and making strategic property/building purchases and sales of DDP-owned properties.

Economic Vitality Committee Meeting March 19, 2025 Zoom at 8:00 am Meeting Minutes Attendance: Rick Ferrell, Dave Hugg, Kim Adams, Michael Harrington, Sr., John Van Gorp, Diane Laird, Ken Anderson Agenda – Approved by consensus. Minutes – Approved by consensus. Public Comments – None Master Plan Update: Ken provided updates on the Mobility Center: • Demolition of 148 S. Bradford finished about two weeks ago. • Remediation is being finalized at 150 S. Bradford and then demolition will begin. • Beckett Morgan is involved with site issues to close the loop on parcels connecting to the mobility center, such as Minor Alley. • There are ongoing conversations for a redesign of the first floor to facilitate a potential tenant. • A Groundbreaking is anticipated in May. Diane provided updates on the 120 S. Governors Ave. project: • Open House is scheduled for next Tuesday, March 25th from 4:30-6:00 p.m. • Seeking public input before the Historic District Review Commission meeting in April. • The design has been reconfigured from the original urban-looking building and is more specific and well-suited to downtown Dover. • The scale and materials are more eclectic and fit the history of the district. The facade is now five stories. The textures, materials, and colors reflect the green and other aspects of downtown. This is a nod to the history and eclectic architecture of downtown. • The building has two front doors: one from S. Governors Ave, and one from New St. The design aims to activate New St., which is a hotspot of crime. • The four apartment floors will have 160 apartments of varying size - from studio to three bedroom. • There will be a grocery store (potentially a Grocery Outlet that has worked with Mosaic before), a daycare, coffee shop, and two micro retail shops. • Parking for the grocery store and retail will be on the 120 site and residents will cross the street to park in the Mobility enter. ECONOMIC VITALITY COMMITTEE MEETING DOWNTOWN DOVER PARTNERSHIP 1

Economic Vitality Committee Meeting March 19, 2025 Zoom at 8:00 am Ken provided updates on West End Cleanup and Maintenance: Maintaining demolished sites is an ongoing task. A contractor regularly cleans up trash, especially down Forest Ave. where they had to transition a homeless camp of about six people about three Fridays ago. $3,000 spent cleaning up the site, including a box of hypodermic needles. The 120 S. Governors Ave. site has remained intact after compaction and hydroseeding. Working Groups Updates: • Critical Improvements Program (CIP) – o Ann Marie Townsend, a consultant and former city planner for the city of Dover, was hired to help move the program along. o The goal is to have many of the projects finished by the end of the year. • Site Readiness Updates – o One W. Loockerman St.: The lease has been signed. Mike Waters, who operates "Across the Pond" in D.C., is the operator and plans to open by September. Kevin Reading's restaurant group (Abbott's and Brickworks) may potentially partner with Mike. Dan Butler (Toscana, Brandywine Prime) came on as a potential restaurant consultant. Mike intends to work with the Air Force base and tap into the world soccer enthusiasm. The city's input is $300,000 toward a million-dollar fit-out, with DDD funding another $200,000. • Downtown Development Updates – o Post office redevelopment and mobility center groundbreaking hopefully this year. o Halpern is moving his eye doctor practice to the Duncan Center. o There is a possibility of reinstalling and reinvigorating the catering. Rick will reconnect with them to walk them through how to use the Downtown Development District program and maximize their subsidies. • Unlock the Block – o REAP application is on the website under "doing business here and incentives". To be eligible for REAP, a business must be in business for a year. The committee discussed increasing the amount to $4,000.00. A motion was duly made and seconded. The motion to increase the amount of the REAP grant to $4,000.00 was unanimously approved. ECONOMIC VITALITY COMMITTEE MEETING DOWNTOWN DOVER PARTNERSHIP 2

Economic Vitality Committee Meeting March 19, 2025 Zoom at 8:00 am o The creation of a Recruitment Program was discussed. The recruitment program could have a matching component to get a leveraged opportunity with the property owner/landlord. Envisioning two ways to disperse the incentive: Landlord offers a tenant improvement allowance (TIA) that would go toward the capital cost of fitting out the space -or- A dollar-for-dollar match from the property owner/landlord. If the application is capped at $7,000, there would be a minimum of $14,000 of incentive. o A Rent Abatement/Set Off Program is another consideration. An alternative to improvement allowance is rent abatement or rent set off. An example of this is: For a 1,000 sq ft space with a market rent of $17/sq ft, the landlord could offer a $10 rent in years 1 & 2, effectively contributing up to $7/sq ft. This is a common practice in commercial real estate, but this program aims to boost both parties, encouraging property owners and tenants to make a deal. The DDP would manage the program, seeking advice from Rick and other experts as needed. • Marketing Downtown Dover and Redevelopment – o These programs can be marketed as unique to Dover, distinguishing it from other municipalities. o This supports the "business-friendly" tagline with tangible actions. o The combination of incentives, including the Critical Improvements program and city abatements, is unusual and attractive. Other Business - None Meeting adjourned Next Meeting – April 16, 2025 @8:00 a.m. via Zoom ECONOMIC VITALITY COMMITTEE MEETING DOWNTOWN DOVER PARTNERSHIP 3