Politics & Government

College Park to Receive Thousands in State Funds for Vacant Building Demolition

The funds will come from a community revitalization program.

College Park will receive $75,000 in state funds to use toward .

The city requested $140,000 to knock down three buildings and market up to five properties to attract potential developers.

The city's economic development coordinator Michael Stiefvater said the planning department expected only some of the request to be awarded, but they will now reanalyze the scope of the project.

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"Given the reduced amount, we’ll have to reconsider our plan but based on our initial estimates the amount should cover the demolition of two buildings and potentially some marketing as well," Stiefvater said in an email.

The initial proposal suggested the demolition of the former Mandalay Restaurant and Cafe at 9091 Baltimore Ave., a former Chinese carry-out restaurant at 8430 Baltimore Ave., and a former Enterprise Rent-A-Car at 9339 Baltimore Ave.

Find out what's happening in College Parkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The grant is part of the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development's Community Legacy program, which announced last week it will grant over $3.9 million to 35 municipalities and community groups, for revitalization efforts. The goal of the program is to expand neighborhood business and job development, homeownership investment, commercial revitalization and green initiatives, according to a DHCD press statement.

"The Community Legacy Program is one of our most flexible tools for assistance for downtown revitalization given the broad range of activities it can support," said DHCD Secretary Raymond A. Skinner.

Stiefvater said the city has successfully received grants from the program in past years. "We’ve used previous funds to acquire land for the eventual Enclave project and the city’s downtown parking garage among other projects," he said.


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