By Mike McClure
Less than a week after Community Bank held its ribbon cutting to celebrate becoming the first new tenant in the Nylon Shopping Center, developer Rob Herrera of the 9th Street Development Company spoke at the Western Sussex Business and Economic Development Breakfast last Tuesday at the Nanticoke Senior Center in Seaford about what is next. Representatives from the city of Seaford also spoke about other city projects (see story on page nine).
Herrera said when his company purchased the Nylon Shopping Center it had 285,000 square feet of retail space, 87 percent of which was vacant. The 22-acre parcel was also mostly asphalt. He added that the project has been full of surprises, including holes in the ceiling of an existing structure, especially since they were not able to get into the building before closing. The existing businesses (from before) are Rite Aid, Sal’s, and Dollar Tree.
Robert Herrera of Ninth Street Development Company spoke at Tuesday’s Western Sussex Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Breakfast.
New tenants will include: Community Bank (now open), BrightBloom (finishing construction, certificate of occupancy expected next month), Delaware Tech, The Mill, Vanderwende’s (expected to be open by the end of the year), TidalHealth (with over 21,000 square feet), and Fingertips Nail Salon.
A road will go through the center of what was once the Woolworth’s building, connecting Stein Highway and business in the front to the tenants in the back part of the property (TidalHealth, Del Tech, BrightBloom, The Mill). There will also be three pickle ball courts which will be open to the public as well as an outdoor amphitheater and concert venue. There will be an outdoor area for TidalHealth’s physical therapy patients.
The Mill co-working space will feature 15 small 1-10 person offices with a shared event space as well as a shared pantry and podcast area. Herrera said there will be a lot of activity on the property in the next six months.
The middle of the former grocery store has been demolished to provide natural light. Pillars from that building will be used to make benches which will be located around the site.
Among the top public wants for the center are: bowling lanes, pickleball, and a grocery store. According to Herrera, the company has been in talks with grocery stores and has a footprint for one if an agreement is reached. A potential bowling lanes operator has not yet been found and Herrera said he is not sure how many of the current 20 bowling lanes will be kept.
