LEWES, Del.- The vacant land at Route 1 and Cave Neck Road, once proposed as the Overbrook Town Center, may soon be home to a large residential subdivision--double the acreage of the original Overbrook Town Center proposal.
A new plan by Seaside at Lewes LLC proposes building 359 single-family homes on this expanded 241-acre property, a significant increase from the original 114 acres.
The parcel is the northeast corner of the intersection.
Overbrook Town Center History: 2015-2018
Public outcry
The Overbrook Town Center proposal, first introduced by developer TD Rehoboth, LLC, aimed to create an 850,000-square-foot shopping center, which would have been the largest in southern Delaware. However, the project faced strong public opposition, with concerns about its impact on traffic, the environment, and the character of the area. The development even prompted the creation of a grassroots group.
This sign stood next to what would be the Overbrook Town Center for years.
Back-and-forth hearings and appeals
In 2016, Sussex County Council voted 4-1 to deny the rezoning application for Overbrook Town Center. Following a court order questioning aspects of the voting process, the council revisited the application in 2018, ultimately rejecting it again in a narrow 3-2 vote. Proponents of the project pointed to potential economic benefits, including transfer taxes, permit fees, and the creation of hundreds of jobs. But opponents argued the development was incompatible with the area and would bring unwanted congestion.
Shopping Center Scrapped, Houses Proposed
After years of legal battles over the commercial proposal, developers brought a new Overbrook Town Center plan: one of single family homes. In 2018, Planning and Zoning discussed a proposal to subdivide over 60 acres into 135 single family homes.
According to a 2019 Memorandum of Agreement between DelDOT and Overbrook Real Estate Partners, LLC, 236 homes in total were proposed for the 114 acre property. The MOA also referenced the developers' agreement to participate in construction of the impending Cave Neck Road overpass.
A public hearing is scheduled for November 20.
Adjacent Parcel Purchased, Lot Doubles in Size
According to the 2024 plans for the parcel, in 2020, Seaside at Lewes LLC acquired the adjacent parcel that belonged to the Hopkins family. Kenny Hopkins was one of the most vocal critics of the Overbrook Town Center.
Seaside at Lewes' application brings the total proposed development area to 241 acres. The current proposal is a cluster subdivision with 359 homes. Application documents link Seaside at Lewes' physical address and email address to developer Reed Ventures, who tout Cannery Village in Milton and Windswept in Lewes among some of the residential projects in their portfolio.
Development linked to Cave Neck Road Overpass
DelDOT documents from December 2023 show the connection between the Cave Neck Road overpass to the Seaside development and other impending developments such as Chappell Farm across the highway. According to the documents, project development levels and overall population growth would "require alteration" of the overpass project design. Additionally, the new documents show three roundabouts proposed for the area.
This graphic from a DelDOT document in 2023 show multiple roundabouts as well as the grade-separated intersection (i.e. overpass) at Cave Neck Road and Route One.
Public Hearing Scheduled
A public hearing for Seaside at Lewes' 359-home subdivision is scheduled before the Sussex County Planning & Zoning Commission on Wednesday, Nov. 20, at 3 p.m., where the latest plans for this long-debated site will be reviewed.