LEWES, Del. - The former Army Reserve Center building in Lewes, which sits on more than five acres of land, will be transformed into a new municipal complex serving the city, police department and the Board of Public Works — but what that transformation looks like remains undecided.
After a city and BPW joint meeting Monday, city officials are still weighing two options: renovate the aging structure or demolish it entirely and build anew.
“Maybe that building has seen better days,” said Lewes local Dino Costas.
City leaders say the final decision will depend on cost and environmental concerns.
“Like most projects, it’s going to involve a lot of time and money and disruption,” said Costas, saying he just wants whichever is most cost-effective.
Phase one of an environmental site assessment performed by Environmental Alliance has been completed, testing for contamination and hazardous materials.
At the Monday meeting, city officials discussed wanting a phase two study to provide deeper insights into the condition of the site — particularly given the lack of environmental records from the building’s early decades.
The city said that the Army did conduct their own study years ago and found some asbestos containing material in the building.
Additionally, inside the building was tested for lead by the Army in 2021, where the city says they found very large amounts that exceeded their standards and would cost about $500,000 to alleviate.
The building has been used by the Army since 1959.
Patricia Nielsen, who lives near the property, hopes the city opts for preservation.
“I hope that they don’t tear it down,” said Nielsen. “Fix it up, like they did with the school.”
With no firm timeline in place, city officials say additional testing will guide the next steps.