 "Photo: Ayelet Daniel")
Daffy Deli, which closed Aug. 21, will soon be replaced by an apartment building with commercial space on the first floor if passed by Newark City Council.
The Newark Planning Commission unanimously approved the rezoning and special use permit for the proposed building at its Nov. 3 meeting after discussing the plans.
The rezoning of the Elkton Road property has changed from neighborhood shopping to a central business district.
At the meeting, Director of Planning and Development Roy Lopata said that the rezoning is not a problem.
“In this case the difference is almost meaningless, because the lot is a quarter of an acre,” Lopata said.
Kevin Heitzenroder of Elkton Road, LLC said the building is not his first project in the Elkton Road area. He was also the builder and developer for Amstel Square, the Amstel Square townhouses and the apartment building next door to Daffy Deli at 119 Elkton Road, where a Pizza Hut used to be.
“As we were building the project at 119 Elkton Road, we would get lunch every day at Daffy Deli,” Heitzenroder said. “I kind of befriended the owner of the deli, and through conversation I knew way back when we acquired the old Pizza Hut that she was interested in selling, but we weren’t quite able to come to terms.”
He said over time, however, he and the owner of Daffy Deli settled in agreement.
Elkton Road, LLC bought the property in Sept. and Pappoulis is now retired after 30 years of business.
“I wish it worked out better a long time ago,” Heitzenroder said. “So we could build one building instead of two, but that’s okay.”
The building will be comprised of three stories with six apartments on the second and third floors, sharing an entrance with the building next to it.
Lopata said the plans for the building reflect the current transformation of Elkton Road.
“The Planning and Development Department recommended in favor of the project because it conforms to the city’s plans for the redevelopment of Elkton Road, including the addition of downtown type structures on this roadway, with upper floor residences and first floor commercial uses,” Lopata stated in an e-mail message.
Heitzenroder said he thinks the project is consistent with the idea of Elkton Road becoming an extension of Main Street.
“From a planning standpoint, I feel like what we’re proposing is very consistent with the vision of the area so the feedback we’ve had so far has been positive,” he said.
At the meeting, Lopata said the committee viewed the project as an attractive addition to Elkton Road.
“We’re using similar construction materials to keep some continuity up and down the street,” Heitzenroder said. “We’ve used similar materials on the townhouses, Amstel Square, 119 and now 111. The building will be similar in size, I suppose, to 119, but it will just look a little different in the architecture and in the material used.”
A member of the planning commission Kass Sheedy said redevelopment of the site seems appropriate, but she would personally like to see more variety.
“If you look at the designs that are coming up all along Elkton Road, there’s not a whole lot of variation. It’s a lot of the same builders and basically their designs that make maximum use of the space, which is good,” he said. “Design certainly has cost implications, and I think there are other people that believe that consistency of design is a good thing, but I think a more interesting environment occurs when you have more variability of design.”
One concern the planning commission had was over the issue of drivers making illegal left turns out of the parking lot onto Elkton Road.
“The most common terminology is, ‘right in, right out’,” Heitzenroder said. “So, as you’re heading toward the project from the south, you can only make a right-hand turn into the project, and when you’re leaving you can only make a right-hand turn out.”
He said the issue is very common on a busy road like Elkton.
“Their concern has already been addressed by DelDOT, and there will be sign postings there,” Heitzenroder said.
Lopata said the plan will be forwarded to city council for a final review and determination after it is revised in accordance to the planning commission's recommendations.
“If they approve the project, we’d like to start construction immediately,” Heitzenroder said. “I’m very excited to bring these projects forward and to make Elkton Road a better, more vibrant, downtown extension of Main Street. I think it’s great for the town, the residents and the area.”
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