Decade-low number of demos in Rehoboth for 2022
For the first time in nearly a decade, the number of demolition permits issued in a year by Rehoboth Beach has fallen below 20. There were 16 in 2022. The last time demolitions were that low was 2013, when the city issued 15. The high was in 2019, when there were 34.
Rehoboth’s code requires public notice when an application has been filed and approved. According to footnotes found within the code, that section was added in 2006, but comprehensive city records only date back to April 2012. The Cape Gazette began documenting the number of demolitions years ago after noticing a significant jump around 2016.
City Building Inspector Matt Janis said he’s hearing from builders and developers that the recent increase in financial rates, coupled with continued inconsistencies related to material availability, is driving the slump.
The volatile market seems to have people in a wait-and-see pattern, said Janis, noting that prices and lead times are still up from COVID days.
2022’s last demolition notices
• The city issued a demolition permit Oct. 27 for a one-story single-family dwelling at 12 Pennsylvania Ave.
• The city issued a demolition permit Nov. 16 for a two-story single-family dwelling and an accessory structure at 102 Hickman St.
• The city issued a demolition permit Nov. 17 for a one-story single-family dwelling and an accessory structure at 321 Munson St.
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
Permits issued by month since April 2012:
- January – 22
- February – 19
- March – 29
- April – 10
- May – 6
- June – 3
- July – 9
- August – 57
- September – 35
- October – 37
- November – 23
- December – 17
Chris Flood has been working for the Cape Gazette since early 2014. He currently covers Rehoboth Beach and Henlopen Acres, but has also covered Dewey Beach and the state government. He covers environmental stories, business stories, random stories on subjects he finds interesting and has a column called ‘Choppin’ Wood’ that runs every other week. Additionally, Chris moonlights as the company’s circulation manager, which primarily means fixing boxes during daylight hours that are jammed with coins, but sometimes means delivering papers in the middle of the night. He’s a graduate of the University of Maine and the Landing School of Boat Building & Design.
