Habitat Eyes Berlin Mixed-Use Development

BERLIN – A new Habitat for Humanity project in downtown Berlin could provide housing and retail space as well as annual income for the organization.

On Monday, the Berlin Town Council agreed to support plans presented by Habitat for Humanity of Worcester County to pursue financial assistance from the state to develop a Washington Street property. Officials from the nonprofit outlined plans for a 6,000-square-foot mixed use development that would include retail space and apartments.

“The idea is to get into projects like this so we can be sustainable,” said Lauren Bunting, vice president of Habitat for Humanity of Worcester County’s board of directors.

According to Andrea Bowland, the nonprofit’s executive director, the organization is seeking funding from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development to purchase a piece of land on Washington Street, demolish the structure that’s currently there and design a mixed-use development. Bowland said her organization had plans for a six-unit development that would consist of retail space at the street level topped by apartments. Bowland said the idea was to sell the apartments to artists who could then rent the retail space below.

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