BERLIN, Md. -- Town officials could approve a request for proposal to demolish an old chicken plant at Heron Park at a meeting on Monday. If approved, companies would be able to submit bids to accept the demolition work.
The RFP would get the ball rolling on a process that has seen some ups and downs. Back in August, the majority of Berlin councilmembers voted to halt negotiations for any future development at Heron Park.
Getting rid of the building itself is still high up on the priority list. Mainly because the town needs to use a $500,000 grant it received from the Department of Housing and Community Development to tear down the building by June 30th, 2024.
Councilmember Steve Green said the time for action is now.
"Really need to be rolling here over the winter time," said Green.
The $500,000 grant does not just cover the cost of demolition. It also pays for engineering.
"So the work for the actual demolition is a little less than $500,000," said Mary Bohlen, the town administrator.
It means only select parts of the building can be taken down. Those parts have been numbered 1-8. An area with a higher number is more structurally sound and therefore, less likely to be torn down.
"As you start demolishing parts of a single structure you also have to stabilize the parts that remain," said Bohlen. "So it's not pure demolition, some of it will actually be making sure that what remains is safe."
While that means any future developer could take advantage of the parcels left over, it wasn't always in the cards to keep certain sections up.
"We had hoped to be able to take the whole thing down but interest has been expressed in being able to use parts of the building," said Bohlen.
Regardless of how much of the building gets taken down, the plan is to revitalize the area. Something Green is going to be very pleased to see.
"I don't want to see it sit still, sit idle, it's an eyesore for the town of Berlin in a town full of beautiful buildings and properties," said Green.
Berlin, looking to set the demolition of a blemish in motion.