BERLIN, Md. - The Berlin Town Council is considering new uses for the vacant Heron Park property. It has served as an extra parking lot near downtown and the town has set an asking price of $1.2 million for interested parties.
Demolition of the old warehouse at Heron Park began on Monday. The primary debate is whether the property should be used for business or housing.
Nearby business owner Kim Hardt supports another business moving in. "It was developed for businesses, and then only three businesses filled in, so they filled in the spaces with housing. What's there already on that strip is businesses so it would be logical to put another business in there," Hardt said.
The town has five interested parties: Burley Oak Brewing Company, Natelli Properties, Coastal Ventures Properties, Bluewater Development, and Shore Craft.
Lauren Presto, an employee at Burley Oak, welcomes any development over the current rundown building. "Anything but that kind of deserted building. I think in town, the more the merrier. We have more businesses, more anything. Maybe an extension of the park, housing, anything that would look nice and be usable right," Presto said.
With the demolition ongoing, Presto is eager for the future. "It's been kind of at a standstill and just at an eyesore so anything would be better than just having it unused, I think."
The town will hear several proposals at Monday night's council meeting, though no final decision is expected.
