$4.5 million investment enhances security, improves employee and visitor experience

WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney, along with Lt. Governor Bethany Hall-Long, members of the General Assembly and members of his cabinet cut the ribbon on Tuesday to celebrate the completion of the first phase of renovations to the Carvel State Office Building in Wilmington.

“The Carvel State Office building serves as the state’s primary administrative operations hub in Wilmington. Over one thousand individuals enter the Carvel State Office building each workday,” said Governor Carney. “The completion of this first phase of renovations to this building marks a milestone in our efforts to invest in our facilities, address deferred maintenance statewide and improve the environment for our employees and building visitors.”

“The renovations to the Carvel State Office lobby and mezzanine include enhancements to security, improved traffic flow, reconfigured entrances and upgrades to the building HVAC systems. Informal meeting areas for employees and visitors have been added and Delaware scenes from local artists have also been incorporated into the project,” said Office of Management and Budget Director Mike Jackson. “I’d like to thank Governor Carney and members of the General Assembly for their support of this project, and to all those who worked to complete these renovations.”

Security upgrades, including a new command center for Capitol Police will improve safety and security in the building. Brighter and more energy efficient LED lighting, replacement of building HVAC systems and designing areas for employees and visitors to informally gather will improve the building environment.

Opened in 1977, the Carvel State Office building is comprised of 302,500 square feet over twelve floors. The building houses operations for nineteen agencies, commissions and other elective offices.

The $4.5 million project was designed by Studio JAED architects and GES Construction, Inc. served as the general contractor.

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MILLVILLE – DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation has announced that parking lot renovation and road construction upgrades will begin at Holts Landing State Park in mid-April. The project includes new paving to the main parking lot and creation of a “roundabout” traffic circle, to aid boaters.

During the construction period, expected to last until late spring, delays or restrictions on vehicles and boat trailers will be necessary. In addition, boat ramp activity could be temporarily delayed on some construction days. Notices of restrictions will be available via www.destateparks.com. The park will remain open to walkers and cyclists, and visitors can still access other areas of the park during the construction period.

Funding for the project was provided in part by Community Transportation Funds from State Senator Gerald Hocker and State Representative Ron Gray.

The Delaware Seashore State Park Regional Office manages Holts Landing State Park. For more information, contact Park Superintendent Doug Long at 302-227-2800 or visit www.destateparks.com for restriction updates and project progress.

Contact: Beth Shockley, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 49, No. 85

LEAD PAINT POISONING PREVENTION:
RENOVATION, REPAIR, AND PAINTING WORKSHOPS
FOR BUSINESSES

DOVER – The Delaware Division of Public Health invites businesses to attend free Renovation, Repair, and Painting compliance workshops offered statewide. Individuals and firms performing lead-based paint activities in the State of Delaware must be certified by the Division of Public Health (DPH). Children poisoned by exposure to lead paint dust can suffer lower intelligence, behavior problems, and learning disabilities. Women who are pregnant are at risk of harming their developing fetus when exposed to lead paint dust. And all adults exposed to lead paint dust can suffer from nervous system effects, high blood pressure, fertility problems, and even kidney damage.

“It is important for businesses to understand the new safe work practice standards adopted by Delaware,” said Division of Public Health Director Dr. Karyl Rattay. “Repairs that create even a small amount of lead dust are enough to poison children and put all family members at risk. If homes, apartments or daycare centers were built before 1978, untrained workers could spread lead paint dust when doing even minor repairs.”

Workshops will be held on three dates:

• New Castle County – Wednesday, May 13, 2015, 9:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m., Fox Run Office Complex, 2540 Wrangle Hill Road (Routes 72 and 40), Bear, DE 19701.
• Kent County – Wednesday, June 17, 2015, 9:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m., DPH Training Center, Edgehill Training Center, 43 S. DuPont Highway, Dover, DE 19901.
• Sussex County – Wednesday, June 24, 2015, 9:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m., First State Community Action, Stanford L. Bratton Bldg., 308 N. Railroad Ave., Georgetown, DE 19947.

The DPH Healthy Homes and Lead Poisoning Prevention Program oversees enforcement of lead regulations in Delaware and monitors compliance of the regulated community, including individuals, firms, and training providers.

Attendees to this free Renovation, Repair, and Painting compliance workshop will receive information on maintaining proper records and given forms to ensure compliance with state and federal requirements. Registrants will receive advice from an experienced program auditor and will take home tips on documenting receipt of the “Renovate Right” pamphlet, current work site requirements, and sample marketing materials.

The Renovator Workshops are free, but seating is limited. Registration includes a free continental breakfast and a complimentary lead test kit for the first 25 to register at each location. To register, contact Jo Ann Freddo at joann.freddo@delaware.gov or 302-744-4772.

A person who is deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind, or speech-disabled can call the DPH phone number above by using TTY services. Dial 7-1-1 or 800-232-5460 to type your conversation to a relay operator, who reads your conversation to a hearing person at DPH. The relay operator types the hearing person’s spoken words back to the TTY user. To learn more about TTY availability in Delaware, visit delawarerelay.com.

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. DPH, a division of DHSS, urges Delawareans to make healthier choices with the 5-2-1 Almost None campaign: eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables each day, have no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time each day (includes TV, computer, gaming), get 1 or more hours of physical activity each day, drink almost no sugary beverages.

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Rita Landgraf, Secretary
Jill Fredel, Director of Communications
302-255-9047, Cell 302-357-7498
Email: jill.fredel@delaware.gov

Delaware Health and Social Services – Division of Public Health

DELAWARE CITY (April 11, 2013)  – The last of three community meetings on the future of the Historic Fort DuPont Complex will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 18, at the Delaware City Community Center, located at 250 Fifth Street (5th & Bayard).

After dozens of stakeholder interviews, two prior community meetings that attracted more than 120 people each, and extensive market research and analysis, the project team will present details of its recommendations to the public. The work also included a building-by-building condition survey and in-depth topographical studies. 

After the presentation, participants may ask questions of project experts on historic preservation, planning, design and financial analysis.

The project team is led by Sasaki Associates of Watertown, Mass., a planning and design firm that has worked on many similar projects, including former military sites. 

Fort DuPont, named after Rear Admiral Samuel Francis DuPont, originated during the Civil War. Along with Fort Delaware and Fort Mott, New Jersey, the fort successfully defended this strategic point along the Delaware River from naval attack through 1921. Of the three, Fort DuPont was the main defense site during World War I. The fort housed prisoners of war from Germany’s Afrika Corps during World War II, and was decommissioned after the war ended. Governor Bacon Health Center opened on the site in 1947. 

The site contains six Endicott Era (1885-1905) gun batteries, named for President Grover Cleveland’s Secretary of War, William C. Endicott. DNREC maintains a boat launch into the Branch Canal adjoining Delaware City, and historic groups have adopted some of the buildings for renovation. Trails within the park are frequented by birdwatchers. 

 Contact: Lee Ann Walling, DNREC Planning Section, 302-739-9006, or Michael Globetti, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902 

Vol. 43, No. 141

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