LOCATION: West Bank of the Christina River in Wilmington, Delaware

PROPOSED USE: Non-profit educational children's museum, including indoor exhibit halls with major exhibits on Money and Banking, Human Body, Nature and Environment, Funky Forest, Transportation, Art Workshop, and outdoor patio exhibit, stage, and gathering area along the waterfront.

SITE BACKGROUND: The site was historically part of Wilmington's shipyard complex. The large, high-roofed steel building was formerly a warehouse for the shipyard during World War II, and more recently contained a restaurant and entertainment center throughout the 1990's until it closed in 2006.

SIZE: 6.65 acres

PARTNERS: Delaware Children's Museum Board of Directors, Harbor Associates, Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, City of Wilmington, Tevebaugh Associates (architect), Lee H. Skolnick Architecture + Design Partnership, Environmental Alliance, Inc. (Brownfield consultant)

COST: Environmental $250,000, Total Development Cost $11 million

SYNOPSIS: The interior of the industrial building (37,000 square feet) is being reconstructed with museum exhibit halls and supporting offices. All interior painted surfaces containing lead are to be encapsulated. Restoration of the exterior concrete patio area (19,000 square feet) will require removal of exposed historical fill soils that are contaminated by metals and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, and demolition of raised concrete platforms that were damaged by a fire. The restored patio will feature a concrete cap covering the site soils, providing space for exhibits, picnicking, and gathering areas. One of the existing concrete platforms will be repaired and remodeled to create an elevated stage. The patio restoration is scheduled for summer 2009 and the completion of the exhibit areas is scheduled for end of 2009 with the museum to open in early 2010. For the nonprofit group, the use of the DNREC Brownfield program was critical in developing this site. DNREC provided up to $1 million in grant money for environmental issues and, the consultant Environmental Alliance agreed to be paid by the grant program, which eased cash flow concerns for the project and allowed the redevelopment to proceed in a more expedited timeline. Without the DNREC Brownfield Grant Program, this project would have been much more difficult. In addition to the contribution of the Brownfield Grant Program a collaboration of several donors is providing the building with a solar panel array that will offset some of the electrical utility cost and supports the Green Building concepts adopted by the DCM. Currently, the DCM anticipates over 135,000 visitors per year to the educational museum which will support the continued redevelopment and economic revitalization of the Wilmington Riverfront.