An overflow crowd was on hand last week as Wilmington-based developer, The Buccini/Pollin Group, Inc. cut the ribbon on what the company described as “the first resort-style apartment community in downtown Wilmington.”
The Residences of Harlan Flats is at 401 Justison Street in the Riverfront. area. The community has 116 luxury apartments with amenities that include a courtyard swimming pool, outdoor lounge with fire pit, and barbecue area, fitness center, garage parking, resident lounge and business center.
Officials said the opening was a positive development for the city as it battles the negative impact and flurry of publicity arising from a high homicide rate.
“This too shall pass,” said Councilwoman Hanifa Shabazz, whose district includes the Riverfront. Mayor Dennis Williams acknowledged the difficulties facing the city, without mentioning the murder rate, but told the crowd that mayors in other cities expressed envy over the amount of development taking place in Wilmington.
Rob Buccini, co-president of the residential, commercial and hotel development and construction firm, praised the efforts of city officials and its oft-criticized licenses and inspections office for their efforts at ensuring compliance with codes while working to keep the multi-million dollar project on schedule.
“The Residences at Harlan Flats was designed to deliver a resort-style living lifestyle providing residents with all of the luxurious they would experience while on vacation in their very own home,” a release stated. The project takes its name from a shipbuilder that occupied the riverfront area for many years.
The apartments feature quartz counter-tops, low maintenance wood plank flooring throughout, stainless-steel appliances, a full size front load washer and dryer and floor to ceiling views of the riverfront and surrounding area The community will be smoke free, a first in the area and perhaps the region.
Monthly rents start at $1,465 for the one and two bedroom apartment homes. Apartments are available for immediate occupancy.
Demand has been strong for higher-end apartments in the city as the effort intensifies to attract more residents to downtown and the riverfront. Buccini/Pollin is also active in the Market Street area of downtown by buying and and rehabilitating buildings.
Also active in the riverfront area is Pettinaro, which saw its Star Building in the riverfront area become the headquarters for student lender Navient, a spin-off of Sallie Mae.
BPG kicked off the move toward residential development with the conversion of the former Delaware Trust building on the upper end of Market Steeet.
“Featuring upscale residences in a resort-style building next to entertainment options like an IMAX Theater and ice skating, restaurants, a waterfront boardwalk and an exciting calendar of entertainment and events, The Residences at Harlan Flats offers an all-encompassing 24/7 lifestyle just a short walk from the Amtrak/Septa station for ease of commuting to Philadelphia, Baltimore, D.C. and New York. The Residences at Harlan Flats Apartments is the fifth residential community and first 100 percent smoke-free environment introduced to our portfolio, and we fully expect these residences to be as well received as our previous offerings,” Buccini said in an earlier release.
Those seeking more information on The Residences at Harlan Flats, can call 302.757.9020 or visit www.harlanflats.theresidences.net.
The Buccini/Pollin Group is a privately-held, full-service real estate acquisition, development and management company with offices in Washington, DC, Wilmington Philadelphia and New York City.
Since 1993, Buccini/Pollin has developed and acquired hotel, office, residential, sports & entertainment, and retail properties throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast valued at more than $4 billion. The Buccini/Pollin group currently has under management or development 26 hotels, six million square feet of office and retail space, 10 major residential communities, and multiple entertainment venues, including PPL Park, home of the Philadelphia Union Major League Soccer team.
The company has 2,000 associates.
The ribbon cutting was another sign that commercial and residential development is continuing in the Riverfront and downtown.
In recent weeks, other redevelopment projects have been announced, including an extended stay hotel and the planned conversion to residential use of a former manufacturing plant. Both are on the northern edge of downtown, while the Riverfront marks the southern boundary of the sprawling area of the city.
