It's apparent that the leaders of Wilmington are delusional.
http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/2015/10/10/city-safety-piece-wilmingtons-pitch-chemours/73652050/A key concern about downtown Wilmington safety has become one factor in negotiations to keep The Chemours Co. headquarters in the DuPont Building, with police committing to increased patrols following a fatal Rodney Square stabbing. City officials are working to convince the chemical company that the incident was isolated.
“A number of department heads have met with senior levels of Chemours management to ensure they have their needs met, and public safety is one of them,” said Wilmington Economic Development Director Jeff Flynn, who has been involved in talks with executives on behalf of the city.
The performance chemicals company is in the process of finding a permanent central office after spinning off from DuPont in July. The temporary headquarters in the DuPont Building overlooking Rodney Square houses about 680 workers, making it one of the largest employers in Wilmington.
New Castle County, state and city officials are preparing various incentive packages to keep the headquarters, although details have not been released. Sites in Salem County, New Jersey, and Delaware and Chester counties in Pennsylvania are said to be under consideration.
Chemours officials have said they will decide on a permanent location by October 2016.
Flynn said the city has been talking about a financial package and touting its cultural amenities, among other factors. Meetings also have been held with Mayor Dennis P. Williams and police Chief Bobby Cummings.
The company would not discuss negotiations. However, Chemours spokeswoman Janet Smith said there have been “recent conversations about safety with law enforcement and public safety officials.”
“We have not asked that they take specific actions, but we have asked about their plans for enhancing safety in the downtown area,” Smith said in an email, adding that some employees also have been the victim of theft. “It’s likely that other companies with a downtown presence have had similar discussions with local officials.”
Williams said more strict patrolling of Rodney Square has been part of the talks, and he has emphasized the stabbing last month was a rare case that didn’t reflect the overall safety of the central business district.
“It wasn’t somebody going after people just because they work downtown or live downtown,” Williams said, adding later, “It could happen anywhere.”
The incident, which killed Thomas “Cannibal” Cottingham, 27, of Wilmington, happened a short distance from the DuPont Building. Cottingham was stabbed as he tried to a protect a mother and her child as a man chased them with a knife. The man, Wilmington resident Calvin Hooker III, 25, of Wilmington, has been charged with first-degree murder, possession of a deadly weapon and aggravated menacing.
The killing prompted a series of vigils for Cottingham, who was hailed as a hero for protecting the woman and child. Wilmington police increased foot and bike patrols and New Castle County Police dispatched officers on horses.
County police Chief Elmer Setting said the mounted units were requested by the Wilmington Police Department as a show of force.
"Chief Cummings asked for our help in the city. I don't recall him saying anything about Chemours, but there are a lot of people afraid they are leaving the city," Setting said.
The murder was in one of the most iconic parts of downtown, surrounded by major commercial centers.
Williams said the incident was a shock to the city. It was unusual for the area around Rodney Square, which typically sees more issues like property crime and robberies, city crime data shows. Thirty incidents of minor crimes like theft, assault, larceny, burglary or obscenity were reported within five blocks of the DuPont Building during September.
“It was a blow to us. It felt like somebody sucker punched me after I had been building up this protection and positivity downtown,” Williams said.
For years, advocates of downtown development argued executives moving from their office buildings to downtown restaurants and amenities were isolated from the city's crime problems. In January, The News Journal reported on a push by downtown executives pressuring the city to address the problem of low-level crime in the city.
Police activity in the square has long been a contentious point of discussion as it serves as the a public transit hub, commercial heart and hangout for those from all walks of life.
Marty Hageman, executive director of Downtown Visions, a nonprofit group focused on improving the central business area, said the city, his organization and the Delaware Transit Company have in recent months changed the layout of some bus stops and benches through a federal grant. Other work will focus on the landscaping and fountains in the square.
“We’ve been working to give it a new and better appearance,” Hageman said. “It is something that has been going on for months. It is not directly related to Chemours, but hopefully they will enjoy the changes.”
Hageman’s organization patrols Wilmington’s 70-square block business improvement district, 16 hours a day, seven days a week. Hageman recently met with Cummings to request more night patrols because more people are beginning to live downtown – something seen as an asset to retaining businesses in the city.
“If you have a 24-hour community, you have to change your game. It is necessary to change your resources because you have more people downtown,” Hageman said.
New Castle County Chief Administrative Officer David Grimaldi said local officials are all working to ensure the central business district remains safe.
"I think we all realize that Rodney Square is basically the center of commerce for the state of Delaware. All levels of government are vested in ensuring its safety and vitality," he said.
City spokeswoman Alexandra Coppadge said a comprehensive safety package was presented to Chemours alongside economic incentives.
“They are trying to make sure that everyone is safe and people are not lingering in the park when it is too dark," Coppadge said.
Williams said Chemours officials have made optimistic remarks about the recent feel of downtown.
For the city, losing Chemours would reduce wage and profit taxes. Unknown is how the company's challenging financial outlook will play a role in its commitment to Delaware.In August, the 8,400-worker company announced the shuttering of its titanium dioxide production center in Edge Moor, cutting about 200 local employees as part of an effort to cut $350 million in costs over the next two years. The company cut 5 to 7 percent of its workforce prior to the split.
If Chemours leaves, it would mark the second time the historic DuPont Building has lost its largest tenant, after DuPont Co. moved to Chestnut Run after the July spinoff. The 1904 building also includes the Playhouse at Rodney Square, the 217-room Hotel du Pont and a bank branch.
Hageman, of the Downtown Visions business group, said Chemours moving out would leave a scar on downtown. He hopes they can overcome any concerns.
“They are still a major employer. Chemours is still DuPont company, so to speak,” he said. “They have a lot of the same people that are part of our community. It would be difficult to even think about downtown without that presence.”
Contact Xerxes Wilson at (302) 324-2787 or xwilson@delawareonline.com. Follow @Ber_Xerxes on Twitter.
