Our plans for the Richards Building took a step forward recently when our proposed facade improvements, as seen in the rendering above, were approved by the Dover Historic Preservation Committee. (To be clear, we still need final approval on some of the details, like the mural art. And other details are still TBD, like the name of our market and lunch counter.)
We were careful in our design work to modernize the building while remaining true to the building's history. So our plans include removing the faux wood paneling, reformatting the storefront entrance, and restoring the clerestory windows and additional storefront entrance along Sussex Street. Awnings and signage are also meant to be roughly consistent with historic examples, as are the restored brick columns along Blackwell Street. You can see echoes of all these proposed changes in the historic pictures below.
From a construction perspective, in the near future we will be submitting plans to add a new interior stairwell (so the fire escape can be removed) and address some structural issues in the north brick wall, adding some new windows in the process. We are also working on construction plans for the facade reconfiguration and refinishing as shown in the image at the top of this post.
We also continue to make progress on finding (or creating) the tenants that will occupy the building and, once again, make it a vibrant contributor to Dover's downtown. More details to come in the near future, but for now here is a quick summary:
Flexible Education and Office Space at 7 North Sussex: Work, educate and collaborate! We will have a variety of spaces - offices, conference rooms and classrooms - available to rent by the hour or with a long-term lease.
Market and Lunch Counter at 1 W Blackwell St: We've been meeting with potential vendors/operators to finalize our business plan, even as we put the finishing touches on our plans for the interior fit out.
Finished Basement at 11 N. Warren St: plans are still at early stages, but we are looking very closely at a plan to create an 8,000 sq ft art space where artists, musicians and performers can make art, teach art, and show their art to the community.
If you have any interest, feedback, or questions, regarding any of our plans, don't hesitate to reach out!
Excited to see these plans for the Richard's Building! The inclusion of educational, art, and public enjoyment space is wonderful. Icing on the cake is your respect for the history of the building. Good luck with every stage of your revitalization!
It will be a nice addition for Dover, especially if County College of Morris sets up a satellite campus. Hopefully, the recent grant they received will provide opportunities for Dover residents to advance their skill's.
Very impressive. I love Dover history, and this project honors it.