August 11, 2008
Housing project turned down
Cannery Village to seek other funds
By Charlene Polk
Staff Writer
BERIN -- Cannery Village, a work force housing development set to be built in Berlin, hit a major setback recently when its application for a $600,000 infrastructure grant was denied.
"It's bad news," said Don Bibb of the Housing Commission of Talbot County, one of the forces behind the project. "It means we have to find an alternative source for those funds. We've requested a meeting with the state to see what options we have."
Bibb was counting on the funds from the grant to pay for the project's infrastructure, which has to come before any of the project's afffordable homes can be built. Bibb said that numerous other grants associated with the project were time sensitive and could be affected by the denial of the CDBG grant application.
"Unfortunately, bureacracy doesn't always give you the results you want," Bibb said. "But my agency and Frank Gunion's agency (the Berlin Community Development Corporation) are committed to making this happen. If we have to bang on doors, that's what we'll do."
cpolk@dmg.gannett.com
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4 comments:
They knew they were not going to get the financing as it became apparent realtor/developers Peck and Patti Miller jumped up with the idea of turning the 'church' building at the cannery into a Performing Arts Center. The first meeting indicated that they had private money behind them if the county would commit to supporting the project with an estimated re-modeling cost of about 2mill. Then in between the 2nd and 3rd meeting the cost jumped from 2mill to 5mill.
They got the community all whipped up to support the project and went before the Worcester County Commissioners to ask for the money.
Turns out they didn't even have a written business plan, or a board of directors. It was complete hot air.
These two must be in with Frank Gunion in a principle position, grasping at straws in this downward economy.
There is no need for worker housing anymore.
Anyone can rent anything in OC at affordable prices as there are over 4000 condos on the market as I write this post.
Get a grip Worcester County, this is a sham!
A good percentage of this "developement" would have been "subsidized" low income "families". If developed, in 5 years it would have been a dump and a burden on the town.
but that's guaranteed gov. $$$ isn't it?
Well don't forget, Peck Miller is a realtor. He has "his" best interest at heart.
Gee, we need cultural arts like we need another hole in the head! How about we fix some other things in the area first?
Peck and Patti... please stay in Ocean City. They need you more there than we do here.
As far as a TIF?....no thank you. We'll take care of our own.
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