Neighborhood Conservation Districts

Neighborhood Conservation Districts (NCD) are designed to maintain the ambiance of the historic streetscapes. The architectural controls in the NCD focus on "the bigger picture" and are somewhat less stringent than those found in the 12 City Historic Districts.

As an example, some newer, composite architectural materials are allowed for the rehabilitation of a building, as long as the finished appearance is the same as the historic appearance of the building.

Currently, there is only one Neighborhood Conservation district in Wilmington. The Forty Acres district is bound roughly by Delaware Avenue, Union Street, Wawaset Street and Lincoln Street.

Maintenance work in this district can generally be reviewed by the Planning Department staff. Proposed work that involves a change in design or the "footprint" of the building, new construction, or demolitions will be referred to the Wilmington Design Review and Preservation Commission for consideration.