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Record-setting year for Rehoboth demolitions

City issued 31st permit Oct. 15, breaking previous record of 30 seen in 2016, 2017
October 28, 2019

Story Location:
341 Hickman Street
Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971
United States

With more than two months to spare in 2019, a record number of demolition permits have been issued in Rehoboth Beach.

The Cape Gazette last reported on Rehoboth demolitions in September, after 11 permits were issued in August in a period of 12 days. Since that story ran, eight more permits have been issued, including the 31st – and record breaker – Oct. 15 for 341 Hickman St. The previous record for demolition permits in a year was 30, set in 2016 and 2017.

The seven other demolition permits were for 20 Virginia Ave., 15 Country Club Dr., 308 Laurel St., 26 Lake Ave., 261 Country Club Dr., 121 Norfolk St., 213 Norfolk St. and 328 Rehoboth Ave.

According to information provided to the Cape Gazette from the city earlier this year, Rehoboth is nearing 200 demolition permits issued since April 2012. Counting the eight permits listed here, the city has issued 193 demolition permits.

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: 31, through Oct. 15
Permits issued by month, April 2012 – Oct. 15, 2019:
  • January – 16
  • February – 8
  • March – 22
  • April – 8
  • May – 6
  • June – 3
  • July – 9
  • August – 42
  • September – 28
  • October – 26, through Oct. 15
  • November – 14
  • December – 11
Demolition permits issued in REHOBOTH Beach, SINCE APRIL 2012

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.