Seaford revitalization project kicks off

SEAFORD, Del. – Big things are happening along the Nanticoke River in Seaford.

On Tuesday, partners broke ground on Phase 1 of the revitalization of the old J.B. Robinson Oyster House site along the Seaford River Walk. The goal of this phase is to give residents and visitors better access to the Nanticoke River by the Spring of 2021.

Chesapeake Conservancy Board Member Randall Larrimore said, “It’s extending the Seaford boardwalk if you will and offering a space for kayaks to launch and boats to dock and people to fish.”

Crews will also be planting a living shoreline and setting up a platform stage for teachers to use for outdoor classes or for concerts, giving residents something to look forward to.

Larrimore said, “They’ve heard promises for years about things happening along the river but now they can see a huge crane that’s down there and work start and I think that’s going to create an incredible amount of excitement.”

The Mayor of Seaford hopes all of this will encourage more people to visit the downtown area. He also hopes it will attract more developers and businesses to the waterfront.

Mayor David Genshaw said, “We do hope to see restaurants and things start to gather around here that people see the opportunity for retail for a place to really enjoy the waterfront that Seaford has to offer.”

Several more phases are planned to take place over the next five years. Each phase will provide benefits that the community can immediately enjoy upon completion.

The total cost of Phase 1 is $1.2 million. That money is coming from a mix of private and public resources.