Water Damage Restoration in Wilmington, DE

New renderings show what the new Constitution Yards Beer Garden will look like when it relocates and reopens in late spring.

Workers have been at the beer garden's original site at 308 Justison Street along the riverwalk on the Christiana River all week, preparing to move across the street to 303 Justison St.

The beer garden first opened in 2014, will move to an open corner lot bounded by Justison Street, West Street, and S. Madison Street next to a strip of shops that includes Riverfront Pets, Riverfront Bakery, Currie Hair Skin Nails, and Ciro Food & Drink.

The goal is to reopen by Memorial Day weekend, Constitution Yards operators Imian Partners told Delaware Online/The News Journal on April 8.

The renderings show the new amenities, including an elevated Sky Deck overlooking the beer garden and ballfield, a pair of big-screen televisions for sports, and a more natural hardscape design with turf, pavers, and gravel replacing the wooden deck at the original location.

One image shows an entrance arch with "Constitution Yards" spelled in red, white and blue lettering.

Another depicts the view from the Sky Deck, looking down at neat rows of picnic tables with umbrellas on one side and gravel pits with Adirondack chairs on the other.

The orange, instantly-recognizable shipping container with "Constitution Yards" spelled in white block lettering used at the original site's entrance will now be at the backside exit to the ballfield, framed by the twin televisions.

The shopping containers are expected to make the move across the street the week of April 14 as work begins at the new location, which is currently a vacant grassy field with no sign of what's to come.

The popular beer-and-entertainment hub is moving so its owners, Wilmington developers Buccini Pollin Group, can build a planned seven-story, 162-unit luxury apartment building on the waterfront.

The new location is about the same size as its original 30,000-square-foot footprint. Still, organizers promise an elevated experience while keeping the past programming and amenities, including cornhole, ax throwing, kickball, sports leagues, live music, and beer festivals.

Operators said the new-look Constitution Yards will also have 25 draft beer lines ― up from 13 ― to allow for more variety and local breweries, along with a new culinary team in charge of the kitchen with a menu of established favorites and expanded options with weekly specials.

The new location will have a 20% to 25% larger beer garden and about 35% of the lot will be a field for wiffleball, kickball and more.

Imian Partners also operates The Beer Garden at Whitehall in Middletown, along with Philadelphia's Mediterranean restaurant Spice Finch, Mexican restaurant/bar El Poquito and several other East Coast destinations.

Have a story idea? Contact Ryan Cormier of Delaware Online/The News Journal at rcormier@delawareonline.com or (302) 324-2863. Follow him on Facebook (@ryancormier) and X (@ryancormier).

Insufficient funding and overdue repairs may lead to nearly half of SEPTA’s service to be taken away, including Delaware’s main regional rail line.

The regional transit company released its budget for the 2026 fiscal year, with grim outlooks for many of its existing services unless the Pennsylvania Legislature passes legislation that would cover funding to support it.

Hearings will take place throughout May, and a rally is planned in an attempt to save some of the services proposed to be cut.

Here’s what to know.

What does SEPTA's budget say?

SEPTA’s most recent budget outlook for the 2026 fiscal year was presented April 10 and showed a projected 45% reduction in services to be implemented in stages during the fall of 2025 and the winter and spring of 2026.

If more funding is not approved by state Legislature, beginning this fall, SEPTA is planning to implement a 21.5% increase in fares across all services and to reduce the frequency of service across all modes of transportation – including eliminating 32 bus routes and shortening 16 more.

By winter or spring of 2026, SEPTA will carry out a “broad dismantlement” of bus and rail infrastructure.

This would include stopping all rail service at 9 each night and terminating regional rail services that operate over Amtrak territory. This would include eliminating the Wilmington/Newark line beginning in January 2026.

SEPTA also announced that it would freeze hiring and raises for employees and alluded to the potential for layoffs within its already understaffed workforce.

Why is SEPTA making cuts?

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, SEPTA faces a $213 million annual structural deficit, which has compounded over the years as pandemic-era aid has run out and state and local investments have not been strong enough.

In its budget, SEPTA expressed that without additional funding, the system would not be able to support major events happening in and around Philadelphia next year, including the 2026 World Cup, the 250th anniversary of the United States, the MLB All-Star Game, the PGA Championship and more.

“With reduced service, buses and trains will become overcrowded and unreliable – quickly pushing people to drive more – fueling gridlock and worse quality of life,” the budget overview states.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposed budget includes five annual payments of $292.5 million for the state’s mass transit systems, which faces an uphill battle in the state’s divided Senate.

Public hearings on the operating budget, which are required in order to increase fares, will take place in mid-May at SEPTA’s headquarters, located at 1234 Market St. in Philadelphia.

A rally will be held April 11 at Philadelphia City Hall from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. to support fully funding mass transit.

Molly McVety covers community and environmental issues around Delaware. Contact her at mmcvety@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter @mollymcvety.

It may not look like it yet, but Constitution Yards Beer Garden is about to be on the move at Wilmington's Riverfront.

The 9-year-old beer-and-entertainment hub will reopen later this spring at a new location, making way for the construction of a luxury apartment building at its current home.

In a twist, the beer garden will not move a half-mile south to a vacant lot on Justison Street between Hyatt Place Wilmington Riverfront and Homewood Suites by Hilton Wilmington Downtown, as operators Imian Partners said last fall.

Instead, it will move to the larger vacant corner lot at 303 Justison St. at West Street, just across the street from Constitution Yards' current location, Delaware Online/The News Journal can exclusively reveal.

It will sit next to a strip of shops that includes Riverfront Pets, Riverfront Bakery, Currie Hair Skin Nails and Ciro Food & Drink.

"This area is a little bigger and allowed us to not compromise the design," said Carter Messman, one of the five partners who run Connecticut-based Imian Partners.

Constitution Yards should open at its new home by "late spring," hopefully in time for Memorial Day weekend, Messman said.

The new location is about the same size as its current 30,000-square-foot footprint, but organizers promise an elevated experience while keeping the past programming and amenities including cornhole, ax throwing, kickball, sports leagues, live music and beer festivals.

In recent days, workers have been seen at the beer garden preparing for the move. The colorful, easily movable shipping containers that create the beer garden's unique look will be moved across the street next week before being repainted.

"Within the next week or two, there will be significant visual changes to both spaces," Messman said.

Among the changes coming to the casual, family-friendly spot:

The new location will have a 20% to 25% larger beer garden and about 35% of the lot will be a field for wiffleball, kickball and more. Unlike the current location, which needed to be a deck on risers for environmental reasons, the new spot will feature a full hardscape with turf, pavers and gravel.

The beer garden will lose its Christiana River view, however. But Messman said research showed the river was not a major draw for patrons.

"It wasn't necessarily a negative to have it, but it wasn't a huge positive. Most people sat wherever – not next to the river," he said. "There is some kayaking out there and the tall ship coming through sometimes, but it wasn't that scenic or engaging to people. I don't think it will be a huge loss."

It was last May when Delaware Online/The News Journal first reported that the beer garden would have to move to make way for the construction of the planned seven-story, 162-unit apartment building by Buccini Pollin Group, which also operates Constitution Yards in partnership with Imian.

Plans submitted to the Zoning Board of Adjustment last year showed a 93-foot-tall apartment building planned for the northern third of what is now Justison Landing Park.

The remainder of the property would remain public park space controlled by the Riverfront Development Corp., the public-private entity that has long steered development along the Christina and Brandywine riverfronts.

At first, the move to a new location was scheduled for this year, but then organizers opened the possibility it could remain at 308 Justison St. for one more year. However, a final decision has now been made and Constitution Yards Beer Garden 2.0 will be here in less than two months.

The need for relocation may have been a surprise for some of the beer garden's customers, but it wasn't for its operators – Buccini Pollin Group's development of the land was always part of the long-term plan for the site.

Imian Partners will continue to operate the beer garden in the new location. Imian also operates The Beer Garden at Whitehall in Middletown, along with Philadelphia's Mediterranean restaurant Spice Finch and Mexican restaurant/bar El Poquito.

Constitution Yards first opened in 2016 as the first beer garden in Wilmington, which is now also home to the Makers Alley beer garden in downtown.

Have a story idea? Contact Ryan Cormier of Delaware Online/The News Journal at rcormier@delawareonline.com or (302) 324-2863. Follow him on Facebook (@ryancormier) and X (@ryancormier).

(This story was updated to correct an outdated photo caption and add a map.)

Ciro Forty Acres in Wilmington has closed its doors permanently after nearly five years in business.

The closing was announced on social media. The 3,746-square-foot business was inside a building at 1836 Lovering Ave. that dates back to 1925. The cafe business had been listed for sale on commercial real estate websites.

Venu Gaddamini, who owned Ciro Forty Acres with chef Michael DiBianca, said the last day of service at the breakfast and lunch cafe was Sunday, April 6.

He said brunch now will be offered on Saturdays and Sundays at Ciro Food & Drink, a restaurant the pair have operated at 321 Justison St. at the Wilmington Riverfront since 2019. The first day for brunch service will be Saturday, April 19.

Gaddamini said he expects to be open for weekend brunch at Ciro Food & Drink from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Some menu items will remain from the Forty Acres cafe and he said DiBianca will add new dishes.

Ciro Food & Drink has a liquor license, unlike Ciro Forty Acres, so Gaddamini said the restaurant will offer a full bar service, including mimosas and Bloody Marys.

Gaddamini and DiBianca began leasing the space that was home to the former De La Coeur Café et Pâtisserie in 2020 when Delaware's restaurant industry had been severely impacted by the pandemic and seating capacity was still limited.

They renovated the interior of the cafe, created a new kitchen and began offering breakfast and lunch in July 2020. Before De La Coeur, the space housed the Fresh Thymes Cafe from 2009 to 2015.

DiBianca had formerly operated the Wilmington restaurant Moro from 2002 until 2016. While at Moro, DiBianca, a New Jersey native, was named as a semifinalist for the James Beard Foundation’s Best Mid-Atlantic regional chef award.

Patricia Talorico writes about food and restaurants. You can find her on Instagram,X and Facebook. Email ptalorico@delawareonline.com. Sign up for her Delaware Eats newsletter.

This story has been updated to correct the name of the General Services Administration in the section "What do the lease terminations mean for Delaware?"

In Delaware, 12 federal offices are listed under “lease terminations” on Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency website, including some offices tethered to Joe Biden's presidency.

Some leases were terminated by the agencies, specifically those under the Secret Service in Wilmington and Rehoboth Beach. Those leases were cut last year before Joe Biden's last day in the Oval Office.

Other agencies are working “to secure alternate work environments” or “consolidating underutilized offices.”

On the DOGE website, under “leases,” there is a list of 657 “lease terminations totaling 7,919,726 square feet and about $350 million in lease savings.”

The list includes the following offices in Delaware:

The lease for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration field office for law enforcement in Salisbury, Maryland, was also terminated, but the position is still filled. It is the only NOAA law enforcement field office on the entire peninsula.

The monthly leases according to DOGE range from $4,403 per month for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in Wilmington to $48,059 per month for “Rural Housing Service,” probably referring to the USDA Rural Development office in Dover.

What do the lease terminations mean for Delaware?

Delaware Online/The News Journal reached out to the federal agencies impacted by the lease terminations on the DOGE website to discuss the impact. Not all agencies responded to all of our questions.

Here's what we learned:

At the Federal Railroad Administration, spokesperson William Wong said in an email, “We can confirm that the FRA received a notice of termination from the General Services Administration for our regional office in Wilmington, Delaware, and the date of termination given was September 30, 2025.”

“We are working with GSA to secure alternate work environments,” he said.

The cost of the lease is $90,124 annually, about $7,510 per month, which includes fees for GSA services.

Wong said 12 employees work at the Wilmington office.

A U.S. Geological Survey spokesperson said by email the agency is working with the General Services Administration, which manages federal property “to ensure that every facility and asset is utilized effectively, and where necessary, identifying alternative solutions that strengthen our mission. These efforts reflect our broader commitment to streamlining government operations while ensuring that scientific endeavors remain strong, effective, and impactful.”

As far as if any workers will lose their jobs, the spokesperson said the U.S. Geological Survey does not comment on personnel.

A U.S. Department of Agriculture spokesperson said by email that USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins “fully supports President Trump’s directive to eliminate wasteful spending and ensure taxpayer dollars are used effectively. USDA is optimizing building capacity and consolidating underutilized offices to reduce inefficiencies while continuing to prioritize frontline services for farmers, ranchers, and rural communities.”

The spokesperson did not respond to how many workers are at the Dover USDA office and referred questions about lease terminations and lease costs to the General Services Administration.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration referred us by phone to the Department of Labor, which referred us to the General Services Administration, which did not respond by March 31.

The Food and Drug Administration in Wilmington referred us to the FDA district office in Philadelphia. The person who answered the phone at the district office said they have no information specifically on the Wilmington office, but said “most” of the district offices are open. Any announcements about cuts would probably be through the Department of Health and Human Services, he said.

The Small Business Administration did not respond by March 31 to messages about lease rates, possible cuts or the number of workers at the Wilmington office.

Secret Service 'demobilizes' from Delaware

The Secret Service, Department of Defense and General Services Administration terminated leases in Wilmington, Rehoboth Beach and Philadelphia. While these terminations are listed on the DOGE website, they are not attributed to "mass modifications," which generally means the decision was made by the agency itself.

The agencies saved nothing in terminating these locations, according to the DOGE website.

On March 18, President Trump announced that Joe Biden's adult children Hunter and Ashley Biden would not receive any more protection from the Secret Service. By law, the Secret Service protects presidents and their current spouses for the rest of their life, unless they decline protection.

According to a Secret Service spokesperson, multiple physical locations were operated near Biden's homes in Wilmington and Rehoboth Beach by the Secret Service, the Department of Defense and the DHS so that Biden could be protected, communicate and govern as Commander-in-Chief and President. The spokesperson said the Secret Service secures the immediate premises but also tries to have the physically closest location to the President for quick response.

Ashley and Hunter Biden were supposed to have protection until July, but that is ending early and continuing the demobilization process. The spokesperson said "demobilization" is transitioning the agency's resources from a sitting president to a former one.

Secret Service presence and worksites will remain around Joe and Jill, the spokesperson said, but it will not be as robust. A field office for the agency remains in Wilmington.

Reporter Ben Mace covers real estate, development and business news. Reach him at rmace@gannett.com. Shane Brennan covers New Castle County with a focus on Newark and surrounding communities. Reach out with ideas, tips or feedback at slbrennan@delawareonline.com. Follow @shanebrennan36 on X, formerly Twitter.