What’s next for old Troop 7 building?

After it served nearly four decades as home to Delaware State Police Troop 7 and then three months as a Code Purple homeless shelter, the state is asking the public what the next use of the Route 1 property should be.

The 6,000-square-foot, two-story, modular building is about 37 years old and has a detached garage. Located on the southbound side of Route 1 outside Lewes, near the signal at the intersection with Wescoats Road, the property is surrounded by what’s left of the woods where the Ebenezer Branch of Canary Creek and Pot Hook Creek meet.

Office of Management and Budget spokesperson Bert Scoglietti said the 2020 Bond Bill authorizes OMB and the Department of Safety and Homeland Security to perform an adaptive reuse study for the old Troop 7. The new Troop 7, 19444 Mulberry Knoll Road, opened its doors to the public in December.

The objectives of the study are to assess the condition and functionality of the facility; provide options for the potential adaptive reuse of the facility; and consider the potential for the sale of the property. The study is supposed to be submitted to the co-chairs of the Joint Legislative Committee on the Capital Improvement Program no later than Friday, May 1.

Scoglietti has worked at OMB since February 1987, and in an email March 31, he said this is only the third time he’s been involved with a public outreach opportunity such as this, the two earlier times being a Division of Motor Vehicles building and the Emily P. Bissell Hospital in New Castle County. In the case of the DMV building, the property was transferred to the Colonial School District, with the requirement that 20 acres at the back of the property be given to Faithful Friends. The state still owns the hospital property.

Sen. Ernie Lopez, R-Lewes, and Speaker of the House Rep. Pete Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth, played a critical part in getting the state to agree to have the facility turned into a Code Purple homeless shelter this past winter.

Lopez said the current health crisis has shown the Cape Region needs more state support services. The local population is vulnerable, and multiple layers of services could be provided at the former Troop 7 location, he said.

“While we were blessed that the site of the former Troop 7 became available when it did to provide a temporary shelter through the winter season, all efforts need to be made now to ensure that location becomes a state service center for residents here in the Cape Region, and I will be working side by side with my legislative colleagues who represent the area to ensure that is the case,” said Lopez in an April 1 email. “We can't wait for Providence again. Together, on a bipartisan basis, we will continue to fight for this.”

Immanuel Shelter board member Don Peterson said he thinks the building would make a great homeless shelter, but would probably need to be modified to accommodate more than the 16 people it housed this season. There continues to be a great need in this area for multiple approaches to homelessness, he said, including a year-round facility, permanent supportive housing and a traditional Code Purple shelter.

“We can no longer count on a one-size-fits-all approach,” said Peterson in an email April 1. “The use of the former Troop 7 building could serve a useful role as part of the bigger need.” 

Due to current restrictions on public gatherings, all comments must be received by email or postal service by Friday, April 10. Comments can be submitted to Scoglietti at the Office of Management and Budget, 122 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. South, Dover, DE 19901, or sent by email to robert.scoglietti@delaware.gov.

Scoglietti said depending upon the volume of comments received, an additional comment period or a public meeting may be scheduled.

Scoglietti said OMB expects the bond bill committee to review the results of the study during bill drafting sessions prior to the end of the legislative session June 30.