January 2007

Partner, The Buccini/Pollin Group, Inc. Chris Buccini

Chris Buccini with Beverley Baxter and Brian Bailey

Wilmington history may just label this the  Buccini/Pollin era.  Following passage of the Financial Center Development Act in 1981, the 1980s saw the banking era.  The 1990s saw MBNA buildings sprouting up one after another in what felt like an "era."  Since1999, when the DuPont Company announced that it was selling the Nemours, Brandywine and Tatnall Street Buildings to a group including The Buccini/Pollin Group, Inc. through this month's announcement of a $25 million community shopping center on the South side of the Christina River, we've seen one cutting-edge project after another from The Buccini/Pollin Group, Inc.

It's easy, now, to dismiss the skeptics, but they were aplenty when Buccini/Pollin created The Residences at City Center in the Nemours Building.  They were there, as well, when BPG bought the fire-ravaged Delaware Trust Building and produced the Residences at Rodney Square.  They lingered at Christina Landing, at least until the 63 townhomes sold out in less that 4 weeks and later resold for nearly twice the original price.  They were more in awe at the Residences at Christina Landing, a 22-story luxury-apartment building, followed by the 25-story condominium tower.

This year, on June 7, ground was broken for Justison Landing, a $500 million mixed-used project–the largest in Wilmington history-to include nearly 700 townhouses, condominiums, loft units, and apartments  as well as 75,000 square feet of retail and 300,000 square feet of commercial space and 12 levels of on-site garage parking on 11 acres along the Christina Riverfront.

To help revitalize the corridor between their residential properties on Rodney Square and the Christina, BPG is investing in multiple properties along Market Street.  And to help provide amenities for all of this new residential development, BPG plans a shopping center, complete with a ShopRite supermarket-the first supermarket in Wilmington in 20 years-and pharmacy, a block from Christina Landing.

Chris Buccini will tell us what is happening and what is next for Buccini/Pollin and for Wilmington.

Beverley Baxter