Pile driving for new foundation on Hickman Street in Rehoboth
Rehoboth Beach residents know this is the time of year for construction, and a large portion of the square-mile city was recently treated to two days of pile driving at 216 Hickman St.
The work was being done by Frankford-based Sun Pile Foundations. According to employees on site, there were 29 steel I-beam pilings driven 20 feet into the ground for what will be a 10-foot-deep hole to be dug for a basement. They said the beams will allow them to build a retaining wall, which will prevent the dirt from falling into the hole as an excavator digs out soil for a new foundation.
The dirt kept falling in from the sides as the hole was being dug before, said one employee.
Precautions were made for surrounding properties related to seismic activity, said another employee. Sensors were set up near neighboring houses, and a report was issued saying the vibrations had been at an acceptable level during the pile driving, he said.
The city issued a demolition permit in January 2020 for the old one-story beach cottage that used to be on the property. According to county sales records, the residential property was sold twice in 2020, first in February for $1 million and then again in August for $1.25 million.
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. He’s a graduate of the University of Maine and the Landing School of Boat Building & Design.
