2021 Year-in-Review from the Preservation Maryland Team

Smart Growth Maryland

In 2021, Smart Growth Maryland, a campaign of Preservation Maryland which advocates for a more environmentally and economically sustainable future that creates opportunities for all Marylanders through better development patterns, supported and helped accomplish:

• In Charles County – advocated for an expanded  boundary – by 15,000 acres – to include the Mattawoman watershed. In December, 2021, the Maryland Board of Public works approved the designation of 64,000 acres to officially create the new Nanjemoy-Mattawoman Forest Rural Legacy Area.
• Implementation of the Livable Frederick Master Plan remained one of the main focuses for the Smarter Growth Alliance for Frederick County (SGAFC) throughout the year and will continue to be a focus in the years to come. Despite a remote legislative schedule due to Covid-19, the coalition successfully advocated for legislation that put Frederick County at the forefront of protecting environmental resources at the local level.
• In Howard County – advocated for smart growth and preservation policy in the county and worked with County officials to ensure the inclusion of smart growth priorities in the final General Plan.
• In Brunswick – provided support on preservation and smart growth issues and serving on the Brunswick Preservation and Revitalization Committee. The committee was charged with charting a course to foster investment that preserves and enhances the historic downtown, an important element of our smart growth work. We are happy to report that the Committee’s work has resulted in the passage of a conservation district ordinance that will provide protection for their historic community, which serves as a model for similar Maryland communities.

Historic Property Redevelopment Program

2021 was a prolific year for our Historic Property Redevelopment program, working on projects across the state and making direct investments in Maryland’s historic places through the restoration, rehabilitation, and revitalization of historic structures and the communities in which they reside. Here are our highlights:

HAGERSTOWN

417 N Jonathan Street

• Close to $330,000 invested in rehabilitating the cabin. The result was an almost 300-year-old cabin saved, owner-occupied affordable housing created, and the local workforce supported by hiring a construction team of local contractors. This project has received quite a bit of media attention, including a front-page article from The Baltimore Sun, the Washington Post, and local television. You can also hear our President & CEO Nicholas Redding discussing this project on NPR.

Robert W. Johnson Community Center

• $500,000 from DHCD to invest in the Jonathan Street neighborhood. Funds are supporting the preparation of a conditions assessment report and subsequent high priority rehabilitation needs at the Community Center.
• Over $80,000 for broadband service and equipment upgrades that will help the Center increase and enhance its services.

Asset Mapping

• Over $30,000 from the 1772 Foundation to complete a community asset mapping project in the Jonathan Street neighborhood that has seen conversations with residents, community leaders, and city officials, with engagement events being planned for the new year, to produce a resource that can be used for community-based planning and preservation of the places that matter to those from and residing in the historic neighborhood.

ANNAPOLIS

Burtis House

• Over $330,000 to begin the rehabilitation of the Burtis House, conduct an archeological investigation, and erect interpretive displays. PM hired a local, minority-owned architectural firm to begin the design phase, and procurement of archaeological services is underway.

BRUNSWICK

Snoots House

• As a result of public participation and PM’s advocacy, the Snoots House—a historic property in downtown Brunswick with a wealth of historic fabric and stories to reveal—will be afforded a new life. $150,000 from DHCD has been awarded to PM for adaptive reuse work.

ELLICOTT CITY

Old Ellicott City Jail

• $250,000 from DHCD for costs associated with assessing feasibility for reuse of the Jail as a center for climate, heritage, and preservation studies and for potential A/E and stabilization costs.
• Groundwork is also being laid to ensure that descendant communities and underrepresented voices are engaged in the historical analysis and future interpretation of the site.