The demolition of the vacant Daily Times building in Salisbury to make way for a new medical center and the redesign of the Brentwood Fire Station into a municipal center that will house town offices, the police department and a public meeting space are two of the 27 projects receiving grants through the Strategic Demolition and Smart Growth Impact Fund program.
The awards include $2.5 million to help Baltimore demolish long-time vacant buildings in strategic neighborhoods as part of its Vacants to Value initiative.
DHCD is announcing the award of $7.5 million to benefit 27 projects in 12 counties and Baltimore City. Those funds are expected to leverage an additional $178 million in public, private and philanthropic investments.
The Strategic Demolition and Smart Growth Impact Fund program compliments the Community Legacy program by providing the necessary predevelopment funding to jump-start transformational community and economic revitalization projects.
Established in 2012, the program funds such predevelopment activities as demolition, land assembly and infrastructure improvements that are critical to attracting other public and private investment. This funding is also available to local governments and nonprofit community development corporations, who many times are working with private entities and other partners invested in Maryland neighborhoods and focused on creating jobs and housing opportunities.
Please visit the Maryland DHCD Blog to see the full list of Fiscal Year 2015 awards.
