Collins Street block house comes down in Milton
The Town of Milton is moving forward with plans to reduce nuisance flooding on Front Street after demolishing a 750-square-foot block house at the corner of Front and Collins streets.
Town Manager Kristy Rogers said, “The parcel will be part of the town’s long-term discussions of Front Street; the parcel gives us the ability to create stormwater retention or create a resilient area to assist with the nuisance flooding experienced.”
She added that whatever the town does at the property will have to be in partnership with Delaware Department of Transportation, as the portion of Front Street between Chestnut Street and Cave Neck Road is owned by the state.
The house, built in 1950, had sat vacant for more than 20 years. For much of that time, it was boarded up with no utility service connected. The house was located just 3 feet above sea level and was subject to flooding at 2 feet or more several times per year.
The town purchased the land at 102 Collins St. in July 2024, with much of the funding for the $150,000 purchase coming from $152,000 in Federal Emergency Management Agency mitigation funds. The town intends to use the parcel for flood mitigation in an area subject to frequent flooding; cones and “Road Closed” signs are on site for closures during heavy rains when Front Street is covered in water.
The town plans to reseed the grass on the property, which has been deed-restricted as open space. Rogers said there is no scheduled date for reseeding.
Ryan Mavity covers Milton and the court system. He is married to Rachel Swick Mavity and has two kids, Alex and Jane. Ryan started with the Cape Gazette all the way back in February 2007, previously covering the City of Rehoboth Beach. A native of Easton, Md. and graduate of Towson University, Ryan enjoys watching the Baltimore Ravens, Washington Capitals and Baltimore Orioles in his spare time.
