Darley Green/Claymont DE Gossip?

[TeddyP27]

Good Afternoon, PhilaSpeakers!

After 7 years back in the city my partner and I are heading to the 'burbs later this year. Does anyone have any "dirt" on the Darley Green complex in Claymont, DE? The only thing I found thus far were some Fire Inspection pictures/comments that were indicative of some fire safety concerns, but nothing along the lines of Westrum's issues. Darley Green was featured in an HGTV designer challenge show about 18 months ago and the repeat is shown every so often.

Thanks!

[Alley]

You are moving to Delaware WHY?! Have you really thought this through?! Just kidding! I moved to Philly from North Wilmington in 2008. Darley Green I think is the low income housing they bulldozed down and re started a new community. They look nice and the area is good for easy highway access. Keep in mind it is not Philly you will drive everywhere. There are some nice parks down the Road (Philadelphia Pike). Bellevue State park and Fox Point. I used to meet early AM and run with a friend who lived in Claymont never any safety issues. There is a section not near Darley Green that is not good.

[TeddyP27]

Very much thought through. Even with a longer commute (both UPenn employees) we have friends that live in Claymont (also work for UPenn) so we'll share that burden whenever possible. We like the proximity to 95 and the parks and understand that suburb life means driving more and we're OK with that. We currently rent in a Westrum product and thankful we didn't buy here given the lack of quality and professionalism. Thanks!

[Alley]

If you rented/bought in Darley Green you could walk to the Claymont train station. I know people that commute from Claymont station to Philly. It is not a bad commute if you want to live in the suburbs. North Wilmington for me was good because of the easy access to the highways. I would pick North Wilmington over anything South of Wilmington. South of Wilmington there was too much built and traffic is insane. I love living in Philly now so it is hard to image someone moving to North Wilmington :-) There is a new Superfresh on Philadelphia Pike that is nice. Brandywine Town Center is good for shopping you will find a Trader Joe's and Target there. The downtown and Brandywine YMCA (off route 202) are amazing fitness facilities and inexpensive.

[TeddyP27]

Its official! Contract signed - estimated late summer completion. I also found out last night that Wegmans is building on Rt 1 about 15 minutes away. WEGMANS, PEOPLE! I hope they don't revoke my PhilaSpeaks membership! ;-)

[HallieLou]

Congrats on your signing!

Claymont doesn't have much in the way of good retail or restaurants, but North Wilmington in general does have a lot to recommend it, if you're going to live in the suburbs. I grew up off of Harvey Rd. Make sure to check out the concert series at the Gild Hall (that is the way they spell it) in the town of Arden, off of Harvey. That's a nice community, a mix of former hippies, artists, and professionals. They have a fair every labor day weekend that's been going on for over 100 years. That's also where the New Candlelight Dinner Theatre is - they're showing The Producers this month. Two Stones pub is a locally owned gastropub with a huge, Monk's-like beer selection, in N. Wilm. You'll probably find yourself on Concord Pike a lot for shopping. Many of the restaurants there are chains, but there are a few gems, like Lucky's Coffee Shop (very mid-century mod interior). Charcoal Pit is our old-school diner. Downtown Wilmington is nearby, and has really come a long way in recent years, with the World Cafe Live at the Queen Theatre on lower Market, Trolley Square which is a lot like University City, a little jazz club called Nomad on 9th & Orange Sts, the Grand Opera House which hosts concerts, and several Philly-quality restaurants like the Green Room in the Hotel DuPont, Deep Blue, Piccolina Toscana, Domaine Hudson wine bar/restaurant, Mikimoto's sushi (mm, probably not Philly quality, but still the best sushi in the area), Orillas Tapas, Fresh Thymes Cafe (emphasis on local/vegetarian food). There's a small arthouse theatre in Wilmington that plays a couple of indie or foreign films every weekend. Of course, working at U.Penn, you'll probably still fill those social needs in Philly, but should you not feel like bothering with the drive and just want to go out on a Saturday night closer by, there are options in Wilmington.

If you're looking for towns to explore on a Sunday afternoon, check out Newark DE (college town, it's no U. City, but maybe worth seeing one time), Kennett Square PA.

I'm sure you know the parks, but Bellevue is small but nice, Fox Point park is on the river, Brandywine Creek State Park is just west of Concord Pike and has a lot of walking trails (the one next to the Brandywine is especially scenic - and it's the only place in Delaware I've ever seen chipmunks). There are a great variety of hiking/biking trails in White Clay Creek State Park, in the Pike Creek area 20-25 minutes south of Wilmington.

I've heard Brandywine Blvd in Claymont has developed a little since I've seen it last - there is at least one interesting cafe there.

Best of all, the Delaware beaches (which are smaller but generally cleaner and more upscale than the Jersey shore) are not far of a drive. If you've never been, check out Lewes, the oldest town in Delaware. It's adorable, and the Lewes / Rehoboth area is known for some of the best restaurants in the state. Rehoboth is a refreshingly harmonious mix of gays and straight families, though the surrounding farmland is very conservative.

Welcome! I'm doing the opposite of you - grew up in N. Wilmington, now living south of Wilmington, and getting ready to move to University City. I am ready for city life, but I think North Wilmington is a perfectly pleasant place to live, and getting better (as far as more progressive, more things to do) all the time. The school system is decent. I may well retire there, if not in Lewes.

[3rd&Brown]

Delaware and Pennsylvania do not have tax reciprocity. Thus, you will be paying all three (DE state, PA state, Philly Wage). And DE income taxes are not low, in spite of its reputation for tax free everything.

[sharkey]

Hometown of Valerie Bertinelli and location of Vice-Pres. Biden's alma mater Archmere Academy.,

[TeddyP27]

At our realtor's recommmendation we did "Claymont Steaks" for lunch and it was really good! Our friends/coworkers live off of Harvey and spent a lot of time wooing us with the lay of the land and taking us to the new waterfront development in Wilmington! They also briefed us on the tax situation so it was part of the calculations in the cost-benefit-analysis of moving to DE. Thanks for the 411, HallieLou! (are you a RPDR fan?)