DRB Group opens new division DRB Coastal Eastern Shore
Less than two years into building homes in Sussex County, DRB Coastal Eastern Shore Division President John Ciavarra said even he’s surprised with how well things are going. The company opened its first model home in August 2020, which was an interesting time, but then figured things out and was able to move on, he said.
“It’s been a good start so far,” said Ciavarra. “I knew how much coastal Delaware had to offer and I thought we would do well, but the huge demand is unexpected.”
DRB Coastal Eastern Shore Division is one of 13 divisions of East Coast builder DRB Group, which is based out of Rockville, Md. Ciavarra said the larger company’s footprint includes divisions from Atlanta to Pittsburgh.
DRB has been in Sussex County for roughly 18 months. Ciavarra said projects are taking shape, with the company developing or having built a number of communities – Lovetts Reserve in Lewes, White Creek at Bethany, The Estuary in Frankford.
Ciavarra said DRB “coastalized” a number of existing floor plans with first-floor living, open floor plans and outdoor features like wrap-around porches. There are 13 different floor plans for the company’s single-family homes, he said.
Ninety percent of the plans are set up for comfortable first-floor living, said Ciavarra. There’s more space with upstairs options, he said.
The designs allow everybody to be involved with what’s going on, said Ciavarra. It’s not a bunch of chopped-up rooms, he said.
Valerie Crow, DRB Coastal general sales manager, said the company developed a whole new product line for the local division. The coastalized look is also in the details, she said.
Larger islands in the kitchen and modernized trim options are just a couple examples of how the company has evolved its choices, said Crow.
Ciavarra said the targeted customers are people who are looking to move down to enjoy the coastal, relaxed lifestyle. He said two-thirds of buyers are from the New Jersey, New York and eastern Pennsylvania markets, while the other third are from Maryland and Virginia.
Ciavarra said the company’s next big development is Chase Oaks off Robinsonville Road, outside Lewes. It will have 250 homes, with models opening in May, he said.
In addition to new communities, DRB Coastal will be opening a showroom off Plantation Road outside Lewes. Customers will be able to come in to see all their options and make all their choices, said Crow. It’s a big investment, she said.
Ciavarra said DRB has plans to build in Kent County and Wicomico County, Md., but chose to invest in coastal Sussex County first because of market demands. The plan is to expand, but it was important to get set here first, he said.
As of now, Ciavarra said DRB has 1,000 home lots to build out over the coming years. The company is going to be in Sussex County for the foreseeable future, he said.
Ciavarra said the division has grown to include 14 employees in the short time they’ve been in the area, and they’re hiring. There’s a need for project managers, supervisors, administrators and more, he said.
For more information on DRB Coastal Eastern Shore Division, go to drbcoastal.com or call 302-485-0202.
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 and random stories on subjects he finds interesting, and he also writes a column called Choppin’ Wood that runs every other week. Additionally, Flood moonlights as the company’s circulation manager, which primarily means fixing boxes that are jammed with coins during daylight hours, 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.
