Page 32 - Bernardon Response to Request for Proposal-Dennis Farm

The Weldin House

Owner/User: State of Delaware Division of Historical & poor condition; those additions were recommended for
Cultural Affairs removal. Adaptive reuse as a community or business office
occupancy on the first and second floors was selected as
Location: Wilmington, Delaware
the best programmatic option. A key goal is preserving
Design Statement: The Weldin House is a historic home the interior finishes and details in the main section of the
located in Wilmington’s Penny Hill Terrace neighborhood. house. New electrical, mechanical and plumbing systems
Originally dating from ca. 1795, the structure is a will provide a completely modern interior working
prominent icon in the local community. When the building environment. The exterior will be restored with original
was threatened with demolition to make way for a new stone and wood materials. A new rear entrance porch
commercial facility, the State of Delaware obtained the and ADA ramp will provide a welcoming public entrance.
Weldin House to ensure its preservation. The Bernardon The 1.36-acre property will be preserved as a community
Team was engaged to provide a conditions assessment to garden, open to public access.
develop a program for its restoration and adaptive reuse.
Existing historical documents were reviewed and the The restoration and adaptive reuse of the Weldin House
building was surveyed to assess the existing conditions. is an opportunity to return this historic landmark to
That research guided the team to recommend restoring the its formerly dignified state and return it to its place of
Weldin House to it’s ca. 1890 configuration and appearance, prominence in the Penny Hill Terrace community.
judged to be its architectural period of significance. Post
1900 additions obscured the earlier structure and were in

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