DelDOT to purchase Bests’ Five Points property

The Department of Transportation has received approval to purchase the Best property at Five Points.

Secretary Jennifer Cohan announced the news at the Five Points Working Group meeting April 29 at Beacon Middle School. The 4-acre property includes Bests’ Ace Hardware and a piece of property that had been eyed by Royal Farms.

Drew Boyce, DelDOT director of planning, said the property will be used to fix some of the major problems in the Five Points area. He said DelDOT is planning to accelerate short-term fixes at a nearby intersection popularly known as Malfunction Junction, the intersection of Plantation Road, Beaver Dam Road and Route 9. He could not offer a timeline, as it is still being worked out within DelDOT.

A portion of the short-term fix includes a direct connection from Route 1 to the Route 9 traffic signal at Malfunction Junction, a shortcut through the Best parking lot many motorists already use.

“No matter what we come up with, it will involve that piece of property one way or another,” Boyce said.

Randy Best, son of founder Tom Best, said his family was surprised by the announcement, as they had not yet been notified. However, he confirmed an agreement has been reached.

“After it was made clear that Royal Farms would not get their needed approvals, DelDOT began the process of offering an advanced acquisition,” he said. “We are working with DelDOT to lease back our building for a number of years.”

Boyce said DelDOT likely will not need the land on which Ace Hardware sits for the short-term fixes.

“It is our hope to stay and operate out of our current location for as long as possible,” Best said.

Knowing DelDOT will need the hardware store land at some point, Best said, they are keeping an eye out for potential new locations.

“Our family has proudly served the local community since 1932 and have been in our current location since 1968,” he said. “It is our hope and plan to continue to serve the local hardware needs of the Lewes area for many more years to come.”

Plans for a new Royal Farms convenience store at Five Points surfaced at Sussex County Planning and Zoning Commission. During the commission's Nov. 29 meeting, the preliminary site plan was denied because of parking concerns on the parcel.

The short-term solution also includes moving the Plantation Road/Beaver Dam Road intersection away from Route 9 to create more space for vehicles waiting at the traffic signal. The current plan would call for a traffic circle to keep traffic moving, Boyce said.

The property also includes a historic African-American school behind Ace Hardware. DelDOT Director of Community Relations C.R. McLeod said there aren’t plans to use that property right now. 

“However, that could change as the Five Points improvement plan develops,” he said. 

McLeod said the price tag for the property is not public record at this time.