That part of the city is seeing a turnover from old, dilapidated businesses that have since disappeared such as a Boston Market and Friendly's. The nearby Jersey Mike's looks like a new, fresh store in the strip of South College Avenue that's lined by hotels and gas stations en route to the University of Delaware.
The troublesome Rodeway Inn, at 1110 S. College Ave., could be the location of a Dash In convenience store, gas station and car wash should the City Council approve its special use permit at a meeting on Monday. The Dash In would join two potential Wawa stores.
This plan has been in the works for a while now. First, the area needed to be rezoned from parkland to a general business zone. Then, it needed three special use permits to be allowed to continue in its full plan, the first one being to allow for grading the land out of a floodplain.
The project is being planned in a floodplain of the Christina River, which extends past the motel. The area has had issues with flooding in the past, according to city officials. City Manager Tom Coleman said tropical storms usually lead to buildings on that property needing evacuations.
"There's certainly a social benefit to getting that hotel moved out of the floodplain or whatever replaces the hotel out of the floodplain," Coleman said.
Improvements being made to the nearby I-95 interchange are helping lift the area out of the floodplain, Bensely said. Peter Yingst, developer of this project, said the city approved plans to grade the project in a way that removes it further from the floodplain.
Flooding evacuations have not been the only issue that has been caused by the Rodeway Inn, according to city officials. It was declared a criminal nuisance property by the Delaware Department of Justice in 2017. The city anticipates a 50% reduction in calls to a convenience store compared with the Rodeway Inn, according to Newark Director of Planning and Development Renee Bensley.
"I frankly do not understand why they were allowed to resume operations, and I am looking into that," council member Corinth Ford said in an email.
The Rodeway Inn expects to function through 2025, according to an employee. Public documents regarding the project include the demolition of the infamous hotel.
The second special use permit allows gas pumps. It was also approved.
The sticking point for the project's approval has been the addition of a car wash, which three City Council members have voted against. The council was deadlocked the last time this project came to vote, voting 3-3 with one member absent. The project was approved without the car wash, but Yingst said Dash In wants to provide its full services on the project and the car wash would be included.
"Their plan includes the car wash, and they really need that to have a viable project here," Yingst said.
While those City Council members are in favor of the project, they said the car wash wastes water. Ford said the ongoing drought increases sensitivity to the concept, but she is negotiating with the developer. Council member Jay Bancroft said the Christina is a "precious resource" and said there is a car wash nearby. White Glove Car Wash is steps away from the proposed site.
Yingst said the car wash uses recycled water and that he plans to explain that to the council at Monday's meeting. Newark gets its water from the White Clay Creek and from wells near Delaware Stadium.
Another part of this project is the potential addition of green space around it, replacing the pavement and concrete of the aging motel. The council's approval would be a major step forward, but would require additional reviews from different city departments before it breaks ground, Yingst said.
The demolition of the Rodeway Inn seems to be the uniting factor for this project's support.
"It's going to be a major improvement over what's currently on the site," Yingst said.
The council meeting is at 7 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 25, at the municipal building on South Main Street. Public comment on the Dash In project can be made at the meeting or emailed to [email protected] by 5 p.m. Monday.