LEWES, Del. -- A couple’s home renovation project in Lewes has been halted by a partial stop-work order, leaving the project partially complete and the owners in dispute with local officials over how the project should be classified.
The home sits on Park Avenue, within the city’s historic district. Property owners Cait Clarke and Neil Shister said their plans were approved last year by the city’s Historic Preservation Architectural Review Commission (HPARC). Clarke said that, since the home was built after 1940, the committee determined the structure to be 'non-contributing.'
The pair told WBOC that, when work began after the initial approval, mold was discovered in the structure's walls. Clarke said the couple took photos to show the damage and went back to HPARC. Clarke said the pair received secondary approval to remove the walls infested with mold.
But in early March, the couple said the city ordered work to stop after construction had already commenced.
“We got it all approved by the Historic Committee, and it wasn't even a contributing building. It was non-historic. So it was surprising when we got that stop work order,” Clarke said.
According to the city’s letter, the removal of integral parts of the structure means the project is now considered new construction rather than a renovation. That designation requires additional approvals, including a demolition permit. The couple said they would also be required to install a fire suppression system.
However, the pair says they dispute that determination. Shister says the project remains a renovation because it is being built on the original foundation, and they plan to restore the front-facing wall after taking down the mold-infested one.
“It's not a new construction," Shister said.
"It's a renovation on an old foundation, which also needs repair. But we're renovating on an old foundation," Clarke continued. "We're going to make it look historic. We want to turn this into something beautiful, and we're doing the best we can. But we were stopped cold by the city."
According to the pair, they originally got a full stop-work order. Now, the couple said city officials have issued a partial stop-work order. Clarke said they are allowed to work on the back of the property, but not the front.
That's why the couple put up a sign in front of the building, apologizing to neighbors for the property's current appearance. Neighbors Joan Oeffner and Larry Franz said they think the entire neighborhood would like to see something done with the plot.
"I'm sure if you took a neighborhood poll, you'd get negative results," Oeffner said. "It's an eyesore. This is a lovely place to live, and we'll be glad when something gets resolved."
"This is a pretty tight-knit community, and when things like this tend to dwell and don't get resolved, it tends to have a negative effect," Franz continued. "Stuff like this should be resolved much faster than it is now."
The couple said they had a meeting with city officials, but that city officials stood by their decision that the project is now considered a new construction. City officials were unavailable for comment on Tuesday.
Clarke and Shister said they plan to appeal the decision at a Lewes Board of Adjustment meeting on Tuesday, May 5th. They added that the city waived the fee typically required to file the appeal.
“We want to build on the original permit and the original approval. We've already committed money, we've committed time, and we have done nothing wrong,” Shister said.
