Wilmington Friends School is suing its neighbors in Delaware Chancery Court over the rejection of plans to put its two schools on one site.
Friends claims that the school is allowed within deed restrictions in the Chancery action and attempted to work out a solution.
The Alapocas Maintenance Corporation argues that combining the upper and lower schools at one site violates deed restrictions put in place by Woodlawn Trustees, an organization managing property accumulated by the Bancroft family.
The Bancroft family operated one of the nation’s largest textile mills in Wilmington. Woodlawn uses proceeds from sales of property for parkland and housing. Woodlawn is not a party in the Chancery suit.
In a letter to the Friends administrators, the corporation argued that “the Lower School Project would significantly, substantially, and irreparably alter the character of Alapocas by introducing buildings and vehicle traffic that are out of scale and character of the neighborhood. The new building construction, additional noise, and building height, new parking, new roadways, new entranceways, and additional traffic, both individually and in the aggregate, would have a material adverse impact on the neighborhood, including neighbors’ outlooks from their homes and enjoyment of their properties. The proposed Lower School Project thus is not in harmony with the surroundings. Nor is it suitable for our quiet, peaceful, beloved neighborhood.”
The letter went on to state that two-thirds of property owners in the neighborhood outside Wilmington, where home prices average around $700,000 are opposed to the expansion.
The suit against the Alapocas Maintenance Corporation is an outgrowth of the Friends board agreeing to sell the site of the lower school for $50 million to neighboring Incyte Corp., which has been expanding its headquarters and research operations.
In a post on its website, Friends stated that the sale of the land would bolster its endowment and scholarship programs, The post denies that the 275-year-old private school needed the money to shore up its finances.
See earlier story below. Click here for a copy of the lawsuit.
Incyte agrees to pay $50 million for portion of Friends School property
