Woodlawn Trustees, Inc.

At Woodlawn Trustees, we are stewards of the land. It is our mission to: - Ensure that persons of modest means have an affordable place to call home - Find the balance between development and preservation of our land’s natural beauty A visionary city planner, William Bancroft founded Woodlawn Company—now Woodlawn Trustees, Inc.—in 1901. He was passionate about serving his community. Mr. Bancroft focused on providing affordable housing for people of modest means and providing open space and developed areas for the community. AFFORDABLE HOUSING In 1902, recognizing the need for workers’ housing, Woodlawn began developing The Flats, a community of rental units in Wilmington. At a time when most construction was oriented to owner-occupied houses, this neighborhood-based rental community was an innovation in housing. Today, there is even a greater need for affordable housing. The Flats are being redeveloped while capturing the historic spirit of the original community. PRESERVATION OF OPEN SPACE AND PARK LAND Known as the Father of the City Park System, William Bancroft had a genuine concern for open space and park land. Through funding from carefully planned development of portions of its lands, Woodlawn has preserved a large portion of land for hiking, walking, and horseback riding—free for public use. Much of Brandywine State Park and the First State National Historical Park are the former lands of Woodlawn. Throughout the early 1900s, Mr. Bancroft also purchased and donated lands to the Wilmington Park System. ORDERLY PLANNED DEVELOPMENT Long before there were planning and zoning codes, Woodlawn established development and building standards to serve our community. Today, our activities include land exchanges and the sale and long-term leasing of lands. Woodlawn’s design standards for leased lands include attractive landscaping and high-quality material selection. These standards are a signature of Woodlawn development.