Nearly a decade after the passing of Campbell’s Soup heiress Dorrance Hill Hamilton, her estate in Radnor Township is about to enter a new phase, one shaped by a unique mix of personal connections, longstanding relationships, and a rare development opportunity on the Main Line.

The estate, located a short walk from downtown Wayne, is slated to become Strafford Walk, a community of 29 neo-traditional single-family homes on approximately 7,500-square-foot lots. Prices are anticipated to start at $2.8 million.

For Greg Lingo, President of Media-based Rockwell Development Group, the project carries both personal meaning and professional significance.

“There’s not a better location that we’ve developed in the past,” said Lingo. “This is as good as it gets.”

Lingo’s mother-in-law worked on Hamilton’s accounting team, giving him a lasting and positive impression of the billionaire philanthropist and longtime Main Line resident years before the property ever came into play as a potential development site.

“I’ve known my entire adult life what a great person she was — a great benefactor and philanthropist,” Lingo said of Hamilton, the granddaughter of Campbell’s Soup founder John Dorrance.

Hamilton’s passing in 2017 left uncertainty surrounding the future of her Radnor estate. But years later, when Rockwell learned the property might eventually be sold, the opportunity quickly captured Lingo’s attention.

He knew a project of this scale would require not only vision, but also a trusted financial partner capable of moving quickly.

For Lingo, that partner has long been Firstrust Bank.

His relationship with the bank traces back decades through a personal friendship with Senior Vice President Joe Rago, whom Lingo has known since childhood.

“I’ve known Joe since we were in grade school,” Lingo said. “When he joined Firstrust (in 2011), he introduced me to the bank.”

That introduction led to a professional relationship that has supported multiple projects over the years.

“We’ve done many communities with them; we’ve done both for-sale and rental properties with them,” Lingo said. “It’s been nothing but a great relationship.”

In the world of real estate development — where projects often involve complicated acquisitions, extensive permitting, and significant capital — having a responsive banking partner can make a critical difference.

Lingo said Firstrust’s entrepreneurial approach has consistently helped Rockwell move forward on ambitious projects.

“They’re an entrepreneurial bank that has a streamlined decision-making process,” he said. “That’s really beneficial for clients like us.”

Just as importantly, he said the relationship provides confidence when competing for highly sought-after properties.

“Without the benefit of knowing that a bank like Firstrust is there to support us, we could never execute on projects like this,” Lingo said. “It gives me additional confidence when I’m submitting offers, that I know I can pull off what I’m proposing.”

That confidence proved essential as Rockwell pursued the opportunity to develop the Hamilton estate.

The path forward was complicated by legal disagreements between Radnor Township and the trust overseeing the property regarding what type of development would be permitted.

“We were able to broker a settlement offer that worked,” Lingo said.

That agreement ultimately paved the way for a lower-density residential plan consisting of approximately 29 single-family homes rather than the townhouse development that had previously been under discussion.

Strafford Walk will feature a carefully designed neighborhood that reflects the architectural character of the Main Line.

Rather than building a modern subdivision, Rockwell is embracing a “neo-traditional” approach — one that draws inspiration from historic neighborhoods while incorporating contemporary construction and amenities.

“A neo-traditional community basically takes architecture and harkens it back to a prior day,” Lingo said. “The homes will feel like they’ve always been there, even though they’re brand new.”

The goal, Lingo said, is to ensure the homes blend seamlessly with the surrounding neighborhoods.

“We want it to feel like other properties in North and South Wayne in terms of the architecture,” he said.

Rockwell is currently finalizing permitting, and construction will begin later this year.

“We’re hoping to start clearing in the spring, site work in the summer, and then potentially begin sales toward the end of the year,” said Lingo.

The result will be one of the most noteworthy residential communities built on the Main Line in recent years.

“Being able to do something like this in Radnor Township is special,” said Lingo. “The location is second to none.”

Learn more about Firstrust Bank, a family-owned bank that has fostered trust and stability through generations.