Capano gets prison in Riverbend development case

[TexasTowelie]

Longtime developer Joseph L. Capano Sr. promised buyers that he would build hundreds of high-end homes in the Riverbend community in south New Castle. Instead, years later, the community sits nearly empty, with a dried-out pool, unfinished clubhouse and entrance road that appears to be sinking into the marshy wetlands.

The few homeowners still living in Riverbend found some solace Wednesday as Capano, 75, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Wilmington to 21 months in federal prison, followed by a year of home confinement for crimes that contributed to the downfall of the development.

"I thought I would be there for the next 30 years, but now it looks really grim," said one homeowner, Calvin Mincey. "Because of that, he should have received more time."

Capano – a member of the prominent and notorious Delaware family of businessmen, developers and politicians – pleaded guilty in March to one count of bank fraud and one count of knowingly violating the Clean Water Act.

Raad more: http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/crime/2016/08/31/capano-sentenced-fraud-wetlands-case/89581830/

[jberryhill]

1. annnnnnnddddd......

http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2017/03/12/pike-creekdelaware-blaze-levels-abandoned-bowling-alley-charcoal-pit-sunday/99089274/

The Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the fire. The building was reported to be "a total loss" with damage estimates in excess of $500,000.

The bowling alley opened in 1988. But declining business led to the 32-lane center's closure in mid 2009. The adjoining Charcoal Pit restaurant remained open a little longer. The property is owned by the Capano family, who are prominent developers in New Castle County, and was eyed for an 80,000-square-foot development dedicated largely to retail in 2009 but has seen no movement.

[TexasTowelie]

2. I wonder if they needed the money

to pay off his defense attorneys?

Thanks for the update.

[jberryhill]

3. Demolishing a developed property and cleaning up a fire-damaged property...

...are two different things.

I don't think they got a payout on the abandoned and boarded up structure, but I think it puts them in an different position relative to having to demolish and re-develop. They had wanted to put in a Trader Joe's a while back, but got shot down by the county since there are already grocery stores at either end of Linden Hill Road. (although whether Trader Joe's would be considered duplicative of the other two is an open question IMHO)

Same thing happened at the old Bancroft Mills site down along the Brandywine a few months ago.

I live around the corner from this former bowling alley, and the timing here was perfect. Honestly, if you wanted to make sure you burned as much of it as possible, you could not have picked a better time.

It's perched across a wide parking lot facing a Wawa on the other side of Pike Creek Boulevard. As you might imagine, it's kind of hard to pull of shenanigans across from a Wawa, which has people coming and going at all hours.

Additionally, Mill Creek Fire Company has a station literally right around the corner from this place. The fire station actually backs up to this property with some woods and a small flood plain between.

They managed, by doing this at precisely the lowest traffic time for Wawa - in the very wee hours of a very cold Sunday morning - to get this fire to obliterate the entire space and all fixtures in it.

Betcha they let it go for a "big Wawa".