155-year-old Lewes home demolished after condemnation
The historic home at 111 Coleman Ave. in Lewes has been demolished after a termite infestation was found during renovations.
The city building official determined the structure posed a safety hazard, issued a condemnation and ordered the demolition.
Only a few old bricks remain where the 155-year-old home once stood.
The house is owned by brothers Darryl and Darnell Daisey, members of one of the city’s most prominent African American families.
The pre-railroad folk-style house has been in the Daisey family for more than 100 years. It was built in 1870 as servants’ quarters.
The Daiseys are scheduled to go before two city panels during the week of Sept. 1, with hopes of building a new home on the site.
Their first stop will be the board of adjustment Tuesday, Sept. 2. They are requesting a reduction in the side-yard setback on the left side from 8 feet to 2 feet and on the right side from 8 feet to 6 feet. The board previously granted relief from the side-yard setback for an addition from 8 feet to 4 feet on the left side.
The Daiseys will present their plans for a new home to the Lewes Historic Preservation Architectural Review Commission Thursday, Sept. 4.
According to their application, they are seeking a revision to the design HPARC approved last October. They want to change the approved foundation material from brick to block with brick veneer, and change the approved front facade fenestration from asymmetrical to more symmetrical.
HPARC has jurisdiction over the application because 111 Coleman Ave. is located in the historic district.
At the Aug. 7 HPARC meeting, Chair Kevin Mallinson read a letter from City Solicitor Alex Burns explaining why HPARC did not have a say in the process that led to the home’s demolition.
“The city exercises its municipal police power to address immediate safety hazards,” Mallinson read. “In these circumstances, the building official has determined that demolition is necessary to protect the safety of the community.”
Building official Jon Ward said there was a fire safety issue, because the house was so close to the adjacent property.
“If there was a fire in one building, you’re going to lose both. That played into the decision,” Ward said.
Todd Sammons, a former member of the then-historic preservation commission, said he found similar termite and water damage when renovating his home across the street at 108 Coleman Ave, but he was able to save it from demolition.
“I could have dismantled my home, but I didn’t do that. I built trusses to jack the house up, but I kept the sheeting on the house and kept the structure intact so I could replace all the members in the house,” Sammons said. “I’m not happy with what has occurred, and I don’t want to hear people say, ‘It’s not our fault.’ We’re all the City of Lewes, and if we’re going to have integrity with HPARC and historic structures, we’ve got to work to protect them.”
Mallinson said HPARC did coordinate with city building inspectors, and both were regularly on site during the renovation process.
The agendas and meeting links for both meetings can both be found at lewes.civicweb.net.
Bill Shull has been covering Lewes for the Cape Gazette since 2023. He comes to the world of print journalism after 40 years in TV news. Bill has worked in his hometown of Philadelphia, as well as Atlanta and Washington, D.C. He came to Lewes in 2014 to help launch WRDE-TV. Bill served as WRDE’s news director for more than eight years, working in Lewes and Milton. He is a 1986 graduate of Penn State University. Bill is an avid aviation and wildlife photographer, and a big Penn State football, Eagles, Phillies and PGA Tour golf fan. Bill, his wife Jill and their rescue cat, Lucky, live in Rehoboth Beach.
