As the Governors subdivision along Gills Neck Road outside Lewes city limits is entering its final construction phases, the project developer, Jack Lingo Asset Management, is proposing another housing project along the roadway.
Village Center Cottages, with 93 condominium-style residences on 16 acres, has been reviewed by state agencies under the Preliminary Land Use Service process, and comments are pending. A rezoning from AR-1, agricultural-residential, to MR, medium-density residential, will be required. The project will be subject to public hearings before Sussex County Planning and Zoning Commission, and Sussex County Council.
The plans include 23 one-bedroom, 47 two-bedroom and 23 three-bedroom units with a clubhouse and pool. Connections to the existing pathway along Gills Neck Road and Kings Highway and to the adjacent Governors subdivision would be provided. Gills Neck Road is part of the Historic Lewes Byway.
The proposed project is also adjacent to an 11.6-acre parcel along Kings Highway which has been rezoned to B-1, neighborhood business district, for Village Center, a 75,000-square-foot retail center. The site plan includes access to the Village Center property. No date has been released for when construction of the shopping center will begin.
Village Center rezoning was approved in late 2016 by county council. The project is a drastically scaled-down proposal from three other plans for a nearly 400,000-square-foot retail and housing project in 2007, a 387,000-square-foot retail center in 2009 and a 203,000-square-foot retail center in 2015.