Rehoboth Beach continues march toward 300 demolitions

Rehoboth Beach continues to inch toward 300 demolitions of commercial and residential properties since early 2012.

Most recently, the city issued a demolition notice Oct. 12 for a multi-story, mixed-used building at 4 Wilmington Ave. This ocean block structure on the south side of town was the longtime home of ice cream parlor Royal Treat, which closed earlier this year after more than four decades in business.

The Fascnacht family, who also own Funland, own the Wilmington Avenue building. A press release from the family announcing the impending demolition said all options were evaluated, but ultimately it became clear the structure was beyond saving. The building dates back to the 1900s and would require a prohibitive amount of work to be renovated, said the release.

“Moving toward a better use of the lot is the ultimate priority. Being in a prime location in the City of Rehoboth, the Fasnacht family hopes to use the space in a way that will benefit the community and keep downtown Rehoboth a fun, vibrant destination for years to come,” said the release.

Representing the family is Mark Henschke. It’s a safety issue, he said in a prepared statement.

“While we are sad to see it go, as we know many others in the Rehoboth community will be, safety is and always has been our top priority,” said Henschke.

According to the city’s notice, the demolition isn’t allowed to occur before Monday, Nov. 13. The press release from the Fasnacht family said the demolition is scheduled for the first half of December.

Other demo notices issued by city

Seven other notices have been issued by the city since the end of August. According to Cape Gazette records, the city has issued 283 demolition notices since April 2012, which is as far back as the city could provide data.

The city issued a demo notice Aug. 25 for a one-story, single-family dwelling with attached garage area at 315 Laurel St.

The city issued a demo notice Aug. 24 for a one-story, single-family dwelling at 322 Stockley St.

The city issued a demo notice Aug. 29 for a two-story, single-family dwelling and an accessory structure at 6 Saint Lawrence St.

The city issued a demo notice Sept. 19 for a two-story, single-family dwelling and an accessory structure at 123 Hickman St.

The city issued a demo notice Sept. 20 for a one-story, single-family dwelling at 317 Hickman St.

The city issued a demo notice Sept. 7 for a one-story, single-family dwelling at  327 Munson St.

The city issued a demo notice Sept. 7 for a one-story, single-family dwelling at 102 Park Ave.

DEMOLITION PERMITS ISSUED IN REHOBOTH BEACH SINCE APRIL 2012

Permits issued annually since April 2012:

• 2012: 14
• 2013: 15
• 2014: 23
• 2015: 23
• 2016: 30
• 2017: 30
• 2018: 27
• 2019: 34
• 2020: 32
• 2021: 23
• 2022: 16
• 2023: 16, through Oct. 18

Permits issued by month since April 2012:

• January – 23
• February – 20
• March – 31
• April – 12
• May – 6
• June – 3
• July – 9
• August – 62
• September – 39
• October – 38
• November – 23
• December – 17