DOVER, DE- Some big changes and updates were recently announced to two of downtown Dover's largest revitalization projects — the planned Mobility Center on Bradford Street and the mixed-use development at 120 South Governors Avenue.
The Downtown Dover Partnership says the Mobility Center, with a revised design, is expected to break ground in October. Originally five stories, the project has been scaled back to four floors and includes added retail space on the first floor.
Ken Anderson, with the Downtown Dover Partnership, says these changes were made to better suit the surrounding area.
"We took it down a floor, really to be more amenable to this area. The other significant thing we've done is to provide more retail space on the first floor, not only to facilitate potential retail clients but also to accommodate retail clients in the future."
The overall revitalization effort aims to attract more than 2,000 new people to the city's core, a vision Anderson says cannot be realized without sufficient infrastructure.
"If we're going to bring new businesses in here, more people in here, we got to make sure parking is more than just a little adequate."
The redesigned Mobility Center will include a welcome center, ground-floor retail, and up to 350 parking spaces across three levels.
The Mobility Center project's budget is approximately $14 million and is nearly fully funded, thanks in part to a $25 million commitment from Gov. John Carney more than 18 months ago and additional funding allocated by Gov. Matt Meyer.
Downtown Dover Partnership officials say that because the project is partially funded with federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars, the money must be spent by December 2026. The partnership says they are confident that it will meet that deadline.
A portion of the funds will also support the nearby mixed-use development at 120 South Governors Avenue, which is expected to break ground around November 2026.
That site, now officially named The Governor, was initially planned as a six-story building with 160 apartments.
It will now be four stories tall and include about 120 mixed-income residential units. The updated plan also features a 27,000-square-foot grocery store, a daycare center, a coffee shop, and a community space.
Although the number of units was reduced, Anderson says any new housing is welcome amid ongoing statewide housing challenges.
"This is not going to solve those challenges, but it's the beginning of a resolution to those challenges."
Mayor Robin Christiansen said while the plans have shifted, the goals behind them remain the same.
"It's going to increase our tax base, increase the number of people that live in downtown Dover, which will certainly assist in the number of eyes that are on the street to provide public safety."
Another key part of the downtown revitalization effort is a five-phase utility upgrade along Loockerman Street, set to begin in April 2026.
The $3.3 million project is being funded through city funds and state Bond Bill allocations awarded to the city and the Downtown Dover Partnership in recent years.
Todd Stonesifer, with the Downtown Dover Partnership, says the utility work is essential to supporting the new development.
"It's probably a six- to nine-month project that will be knocked out in phases. Those utilities will be upgraded to facilitate all of the new construction that's going to happen."
Officials say businesses along Loockerman Street will remain open and won't be affected during construction.
While the scope and scale of some projects have changed, city leaders say the work remains part of a long-term effort to reshape downtown Dover by 2030.