The construction of Dewey Beach’s new town hall and public safety facility is moving along and remains on schedule to finish by mid-2026.

All of the walls and the slab for the first floor of the building have been poured, and pouring for the second floor – using 16 truckloads of cement – began Oct. 1, according to Town Manager Bill Zolper. The second floor decking has also been installed. 

Costello Construction, the contractor the town selected for the $11 million to $11.4 million project, broke ground on Phase 1 in late April. This phase, which is estimated to take 430 days, entails constructing the town hall and police department portions of the new facility.

Phase 2, estimated to take 170 days, includes moving operations to the new building, demolishing the existing town hall and constructing an EMS quarters.

Zolper and other town officials have been doing weekly phone calls with Costello and engineering firm George, Miles & Buhr to discuss the project’s progress. 

According to a breakdown of the funding details, the town has already secured $5.5 million in grants from the state and county, and has about $3.4 million in capital improvement and unassigned funds set aside to use. The town plans to take out a loan to cover much of the remaining balance.

In an effort to reduce the loan amount, town council recently approved several fundraising campaigns that will allow residents to leave a lasting mark on Dewey Beach.

Through the Buy a Brick campaign, folks can purchase engraved bricks for $300 each to be displayed in a 2,000-brick walkway bordering the new town hall. With the manufacturing costs, the campaign could generate up to $500,000.

Folks can also choose to become sponsors, which allows them to be featured on an interactive donor wall in the new town hall meeting room. This option is designed primarily for organizations, families or other groups, though it’s also open to individuals.

There are three tiers of sponsorships available depending on how much a sponsor donates: Sunrise ($2,500+), Sunset ($5,000+) and Wave ($10,000+).

For more information on the project or how to donate, go to newtownhall.my.canva.site/.

The current town hall, which is nearly 30 years old, is cramped and outdated. The police facility, located in the same building, does not meet state or national accreditation standards and is fraught with safety and security concerns, design flaws and lack of space.