Houses demolished on Chestnut Street in Lewes
Two Chestnut Street homes in Lewes, marked for condemnation by the city's building inspector earlier this year, have been razed. All that remains on the property are dirt and an orange construction fence to keep people out of the site.
Building Inspector Henry Baynum says the family hired its own contractor to do the work. The only tasks remaining, he said, are to grade and seed the properties.
Baynum had received complaints from neighbors, prompting inspections at the homes. The Chestnut Street homes, sitting on adjacent properties, were occupied until Baynum's notices were placed on them in June. Due to their poor condition, the homes were deemed unsafe for human occupancy; those living in the homes were required to vacate within 72 hours.
After the occupants were evicted, the city boarded the windows. While unsightly, Baynum said, officials must take that action because Lewes would have been liable for everything inside the home.
Nick Roth is the news editor. He has been with the Cape Gazette since 2012, previously covering town beats in Milton and Lewes. In addition to serving on the editorial board and handling page layout, Nick is responsible for the weekly Delaware History in Photographs feature and enjoys writing stories about the Cape Region’s history. Prior to the Cape Gazette, Nick worked for the Delmarva Media Group, including the Delaware Wave, Delaware Coast Press and Salisbury Daily Times. He also contributed to The News Journal. Originally from Boyertown, Pa., Nick attended Shippensburg University in central Pennsylvania, graduating in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He’s won several MDDC awards during his career for both writing and photography. In his free time, he enjoys golfing, going to the beach with his family and cheering for Philadelphia sports teams.
