Del. neighbors fight to save historic ‘yellow brick road' ahead of gas line work

Residents of Wilmington’s Trinity Vicinity neighborhood are working to preserve the distinctive look of North Monroe Street as Delmarva Power prepares to replace a gas line beneath the block.

Neighbors say they understand the work is necessary but they are concerned about what will replace the street’s approximately 140-year-old pavers once construction is complete.

North Monroe Street sits alongside larger buildings in the historic neighborhood and is known for its distinctive buff-colored pavers. Residents say they recently learned the street could be repaved with red bricks after the utility work is finished.

One block away, similar gas line work is scheduled to begin, and residents there are expected to receive replacement pavers in a red color.

North Monroe Street neighbors say their block has a visibly different appearance and should be restored with pavers that closely match the originals.

“It’s more of a yellow buff color you can see in the light,” resident Kathie said. “I realize that it’s just bricks but to us it’s a unique feature of our neighborhood.”

Kathie said she has spent more than a year communicating with Delmarva Power and city land use officials about the issue, sharing concerns from residents about preserving the street’s historic character.

Neighbors said they were disappointed to learn that their requests had not resulted in a different restoration plan.

“It’s just nonsensical and feels a little disrespectful by the planning agencies involved only because I know this had been communicated thoroughly over the past year and change,” neighbor Chris Harris said.

Residents also argue that homeowners in historic districts often face strict requirements when making changes to their properties and believe the same level of consideration should apply to work affecting the neighborhood’s streetscape.

Delmarva Power told NBC10 it selected a brick color approved by the city. However, after NBC10 inquired about the issue, the company said it would revisit the matter with its contractor to determine whether a lighter, more historically sensitive brick could be used.

Del. Gov. Matt Meyer, who is in the process of selling a home he owns on the block, also became involved after NBC10 reached out. His office contacted Kathie and requested additional information about the pavers.

“The difference in those bricks — first of all this is one of a few in the city that had this buff color that’s unique, we think of it as the yellow brick road, Wizard of Oz. We love it that much,” Kathie said.

NBC10 also reached out to Wilmington Mayor John Carney’s office about the issue but we have not yet heard back.

NBC10 will continue following the story and provide updates on what type of pavers are ultimately used on North Monroe Street.

This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC Philadelphia. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC Philadelphia journalist edited the article for publication.