Halpern Enterprises has been awarded the tree preservation award by the Wilmington Tree Commission for its preservation of the “Ogden Oak.” The award was announced at Wilmington’s City Council meeting on May 15, 2018. Halpern relocated the 200-year-old tree during development of Ogden Market Place, located at 7144 Market St., in Wilmington.
“We were never in favor of just cutting down the tree,” said Carolyn Oppenheimer, Halpern’s executive vice president. “We felt lucky to have this beautiful piece of history on our property and we were determined to preserve it.”
Totaling 72,782 square feet and anchored by Publix, Ogden Market Place was completed in 2017. During development, Halpern worked with expert arborists and Wilmington’s mayor and city council to move the Ogden Oak out of the path of construction and relocate it on the shopping center property.
“I hope the Ogden Oak flourishes for another 200 hundred years,” Oppenheimer said.
Annually, the Wilmington Tree Commission presents awards for properties that demonstrate outstanding tree maintenance, preservation, landscape design and reforestation.
ABOUT THE WILMINGTON TREE COMMISSION
The Commission’s purpose is to promote and endorse programs and policies to support, maintain and grow our urban forest, increase public education, and establish award and recognition programs as incentives to encourage a healthy, safe and attractive natural environment for the City of Wilmington.