The Crossings at Salem plans to convert the current Glasgow Trailer Park into a mixed-use development with a substance abuse treatment center, housing and offices.
The mobile home park, which sometimes goes by the name Glasgow Court, is located off Salem Church Road near its intersection with Route 40 in Bear. The site is a short walk from the Salem Village Square shopping center which has restaurants, service businesses and a Food Lion store.
No formal plan submitted
Preliminary documents have been submitted to the New Castle County Land Use Department. Salem Crossings staff did not respond to an Email request for comment on the project.
David Tackett, County Council member for the area, said the project is in its early stages, with the applicant proposing a large mixed-use redevelopment and rezoning of the 114-acre property.
According to Tackett, proposed uses include retail, restaurants, office, apartments, rehabilitation center with dormitories, clinical offices, nursing facility, senior living apartments, community centers and recreation areas.
The Land Use Department confirmed preliminary plans were submitted in 2016, but no formal proposal has been presented.
The site in the Bear-Glasgow area was in the news in 2014 when plans were announced to close a portion of the complex, with a proposal at the time calling for apartments. The News Journal story said owners cited problems with crime and drugs in a section of the park as well as an inability to pass along added costs through lot rent increases.
The property is adjacent to Sparrow Run, a rental townhouse complex.
The Sparrow Run name was changed several years from Brookmont Farms, due to its reputation as a site for criminal activity. New Castle County and other agencies have launched outreach efforts in that community.
Section blocked off
In the meantime, a portion of the Glasgow Trailer Park site near the shopping center has been blocked off. Mobile homes have been demolished as the site as cleared.
As recently as last year, abandoned mobile homes in the park have posed a problem, with arsonists setting off blazes, once of which injured a firefighter.
Development has continued in the area, with the Capano interests building a large apartment complex that borders a small portion of the trailer park.
Mobile home parks have been facing increased rent and relocation regulations after controversy over lot rent increases, primarily downstate.
At the same time, many mobile home occupants are elderly who live on fixed incomes and sometimes have few affordable relocation options.
Salem Crossing developers have been active on social media, with Facebook posts focusing on substance abuse.
A focus on substance abuse and treatment
One post described Salem Crossing as “a community within a community. People need treatment and life skills based off of who they are as individuals. There are so many stigmas attached as well as anger to this epidemic that is killing people.”
The post continued, “We hope to change that by committing our property and life to not only getting people treatment but to create an environment where they can rebuild their lives becoming independent and productive. We believe that by encompassing sober living, commercial and numerous other uses this will be possible.”
The post went on to report that developers will be holding a community forum and discussion panel in the next 30 days.
Developers also took note of a partnership with Peace by Piece, a nonprofit that will provide transition housing, job skills and life skills programs.