2005-2014 Redevelopment Efforts

The CWDAC issued a Request for Qualifications in May of 2005 and four companies’ submitted responses on June 30, 2005. The CWDAC interviewed the companies and selected two to proceed to the Request For Proposal stage.

Request for Proposals were issued on November 29, 2005 and on March 17, 2006 Dickinson Development submitted a complete proposal. The other finalist, LNR, declined to submit a proposal. On August 23, 2006, the CWDAC voted to grant preliminary developer designation to Dickinson Development.

Analysis of Proposal

Term Sheet

The Term Sheet is a development agreement binding Dickinson Development, the City of Dover, and DHA to certain expectations. The CWDAC held numerous public meeting during 2007 on the Term Sheet. View specific details of the Term Sheet.

On May 9, 2007, the CWDAC voted to endorse the Dickinson Development concept plan and Term Sheet. On May 15, 2007, the Dover Housing Authority voted to approve the Term Sheet.

On June 13, 2007, the City Council passed a resolution reaffirming the DHA’s authority to approve the waterfront redevelopment plan. They also authorized the City Manager to sign the Term Sheet and a deed to sell the land to Dickinson Development.

The Term Sheet was signed by DHA and Dickinson Development on May 16, 2007 and by the City Manager on June 13, 2007.

Waterfront Design Guidelines - 2008

In January of 2008, the DHA hired the Cecil Group as a consultant to assist the CWDAC with the development of design standards.  Over the course of ten months, the consultant and the CWDAC held public meetings with stakeholders and community members to develop design standards for the public waterfront park, the private sector, and the public ways.  The design review process was also spelled out in detail.

On November 10th, 2008 the CWDAC adopted Design Guidelines for the Waterfront. Click here to view the Waterfront Design Guidelines.

Dickinson Development Plan

The CWDAC issued a Request for Qualifications in May of 2005 and four companies’ submitted responses on June 30, 2005. The CWDAC interviewed the companies and selected two to proceed to the Request For Proposal stage.

Request for Proposals were issued on November 29, 2005 and on March 17, 2006 Dickinson Development submitted a complete proposal. The other finalist, LNR, declined to submit a proposal. On August 23, 2006, the CWDAC voted to grant preliminary developer designation to Dickinson Development.

Land Disposition Agreement (LDA)

The next step in the process was the preparation of the Land Disposition Agreement (LDA). The LDA is a binding purchase and sales contract that incorporates the terms and negotiated discretions outlined within the Term Sheet.

The Dover Housing Authority, City of Dover and Dickinson Development negotiated the content of LDA during the first half of 2009. During May of 2009 the CWDAC held two public meetings to review the LDA and to accept public comments on the document. On May 21, 2009, the CWDAC voted unanimously that the LDA be recommended to the DHA for adoption. On May 26, 2009, the DHA Commissioners unanimously voted to authorize the DHA Executive Director to sign the LDA on behalf of the DHA.

The LDA was signed by Mark Dickinson for Dickinson Development Corporation on May 22, 2009 and was signed on May 26, 2009 by the DHA Executive Director and J. Michael Joyal, Jr., the City Manager of the City of Dover.

In August 2013, the LDA was amended to extend the contract for one year.

In July of 2014, Dickinson Development withdrew from the LDA for the waterfront.

Development Concepts (2007-2013)

Once the LDA was signed, Dickinson Development drafted several concepts of a development plan, with input from the public and CWDAC.