(Edgewood, MD) – – On Thursday, August 20, 2009 at 10 AM, Harford County Executive David Craig, the Department of Community Services, Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, will celebrate Edgewood’s renaissance at the Washington Court Groundbreaking ceremony on Cedar Drive in Edgewood.
Washington Court, a 26 acre tract of land purchased by the U.S. Government in 1941 and located in the heart of Edgewood, has sat abandoned and dilapidated for 15 years. Once used for military housing and residential purposes, Washington Court is now a modern day ghost town –abandoned and boarded up, overgrown with weeds, walls littered with graffiti, an unhealthy dwelling for the homeless, and an ideal home for crime.
In 2006, Harford County Executive David Craig announced plans for the complete restoration of the site; since that time, the Administration and the Department of Community Services has worked diligently to obtain funding for the project and, working with stakeholders and community groups, to determine what will most benefit Edgewood.
As part of a $50 million redevelopment effort, a new mixed housing development will be constructed, including affordable senior housing and a variety of new for sale homes, providing a variety of quality housing options for Harford County residents and breathing much needed new life into the Edgewood area.
“The revitalization of Washington Court will help ensure quality living in Edgewood and will rejuvenate not only the surrounding neighborhood, but enrich the lives of those living there,” stated County Executive David Craig. “In 2006 I made a promise to improve this area and today we see the fruits of our labor become a reality and the promise fulfilled,” Craig stated.
Shelter Development has been selected as the developer and is partnering with Kinsley Construction and Ryland Homes to complete the project. The proposal submitted by Shelter Development meets the County’s objective for the redevelopment of Washington Court to improve the economic conditions, quality of life and long-term sustainability of the surrounding community.
The project includes the following features:
– For sale housing: 41 single family homes, 44 front-loaded 1-car garage townhomes, and 102 rear-loaded 2-car garage townhomes
– Senior housing: 101 rental units and exclusive amenity space available to residents of that community
– A community green inclusive of a clubhouse, walking paths, a gazebo and a water fountain
– 6.4 acres of open space: which is 22% of the total site and over 10% more than required by Harford County regulations
– A new baseball field located southeast of the property
Those participating in this special event of the Washington Court groundbreaking included Val Twonmoh representing Senator Barbara Mikulski, Michael Baker, representing Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger; DHCD Secretary Raymond Skinner, Harford County Executive David Craig, and County Councilman Dion Guthrie (District A).
The Harford County Department of Community Services is receiving a $3.5 million HUD Section 108 Loan; $1.5 million in Neighborhood Conservation Initiative (NCI) funds through the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD); $450,000 in Community Legacy funds (also through DHCD); and a Community Development Block Grant under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 in the amount of $285,179 for the redevelopment of Washington Court.
The project is estimated to generate annual financial benefits of nearly $1 million to Harford County at full build out. The redevelopment of the site is anticipated to generate nearly $900,000 in one-time taxes relating to recordation and transfer of the property.
For more information, contact the Department of Community Services at 410-638-3389.
A lot of great revitalization going on in the Edgewood RT 40 Corridor. Keep up the great work Edgewood/Joppa community. Whats even more encouraging is the recent graphic in the Sun which points out Edgewood home values have increased when compared to other Maryland areas.
Kudos to the Edgewood community and its dedicated advocates and supporters. And hats off to Mr. Craig. While I don’t always agree with him, he is right on target here. The people from Edgewood and initiatives like this make me proud to be a Harford Countian. Let’s all keep up the hard work. It’s worth it.
I’m sorry to say that I heard the Giant Food Store at Tollgate really IS going to close. I’ve shopped there since it opened, signed a petition to keep it open when the new owners wanted to close it a number of years ago, and want to tell them again to keep MY Giant OPEN!