LEWES, Del. — With $8 million secured to acquire the Fourth Street Preserve, a new charitable fund has been established at the Greater Lewes Foundation to support restoration of the 30-acre site between Virden Way and Ocean View Boulevard.
Thomas Panetta, a Lewes resident and president of the board for Lewes Board of Public Works, and his partner Richard Scalenghe made the first $2,000 contribution to open the fund, adding to earlier donations for the purchase.
“We are happy to support the acquisition phase and now even more delighted to initiate the fundraising for the Preserve’s actual restoration,” Panetta said.
One of the tracts of land that the Lewes Open Space Preservation is trying to saved is the Fourth Street Preserve. Courtesy Horizon Philanthropic Services.
The restoration will follow a Master Plan developed by landscape architect Rodney Robinson and his team, which is under review by the City of Lewes. Robinson estimates about $825,000 will be needed to carry out the plan, though costs could change based on final approvals and site engineering.
The preserve is the last open space within Lewes city limits and is home to diverse wildlife. The restoration plan includes new trails, ditch crossings, interpretive signage, native plantings and a specially engineered wetland at the east end of the property.
According to Pam Costanzi, director of fund development at the Greater Lewes Foundation, the organization will oversee fundraising through private donations and public grants, just as it did for the acquisition effort. Appeals to people who live in Lewes are expected to be mailed within the next month.
Fourth Street Forest
Robinson said it may take up to three years to fully complete the restoration plan. After that, an additional $35,000 will need to be raised each year for a decade to cover new plantings and maintenance, until the Preserve is fully restored.
Closing on the purchase is expected on or before Sept. 15, 2025. Once completed, the City of Lewes will own the land under a conservation easement managed by the Delaware Forest Service. The easement requires no built structures on the property and guarantees public access along natural walking paths set back from nearby homes.
Donations can be made at fourthstreetpreserve.org or mailed to the Greater Lewes Foundation, PO Box 110, Lewes, DE 19958.