DOVER, DE- Residents gathered Tuesday night for a community meeting to voice frustrations and concerns over Dover’s downtown revitalization project, citing safety issues and questioning its timing.
Describing the meeting as an effort to “take back their capital city,” attendees expressed strong reservations about the Downtown Dover Capital City 2030 initiative, which aims to reshape the area by 2030 under the Downtown Dover Partnership. Many argued that the project should be paused until crime levels in the city are better controlled.
Chelle Paul, a community advocate, raised concerns about proceeding with the project amid ongoing safety issues.
“Constituents don’t want to rebuild and spend their taxpayer money in rebuilding and revitalizing an area that’s going to get messed up again—they want the downtown, they want the revitalization project, but they want it to be paused until we get some of the crime under control."
The downtown Dover revitalization project, already in progress, is a $500 million initiative aimed at transforming the city. The project focuses on attracting new businesses and residents to the area, with the goal of revitalizing the downtown district and fostering economic growth.
Ken Anderson, the Downtown Dover Partnership's Development Property Director, emphasized that the revitalization project will be key to Dover's future, believing it will attract thousands of new residents and businesses.
“Our goal is to redevelop Dover—to attract demographics and new residents to Dover, to get people to lease businesses, to get people to come to Dover to help pay for some of the needs we have to address crime and increase utility issues and tax issues."
However, Paul believes that ongoing public safety issues in Downtown Dover could ultimately undermine these ambitious goals.
“We want thriving businesses, we want safer streets—but we want to do it at a time that’s safer and when the policing is where it’s supposed to be in the area,” Paul added.
Dover Police, in a statement to WBOC, countered residents' concerns, noting that recent data shows improvements in the city’s crime rates.
“Crime will never be eradicated in a free society, but the most recent data suggests that conditions are improving."
Despite these reassurances, many residents remain unconvinced.
Amy Spampinato, a longtime resident, expressed her concern, saying that crime in Dover is the worst she’s seen it and that she no longer feels safe in her own city.
“I don’t want to bring my daughters downtown to take a little walk through everything. It’s not a place that you want to bring your kids."
Two city council members, Brian Lewis and Roy Sudler, attended the grassroots meeting and expressed support for a temporary pause on the project. However, they acknowledged that they are in the minority on the council.
With public safety concerns lingering, Dover’s plans for a revitalized downtown face ongoing scrutiny from residents and officials alike, as the community weighs development goals against the pressing need for improved security.