CAMBRIDGE, MD - The redevelopment of the Hearn Building in downtown Cambridge is gaining momentum as developers, Green Street Housing, present their site plans to the Cambridge Planning Commission on Tuesday night. The aim is to transform the historic structure into a mixed-use building.
Green Street Housing says it is committed to completing this project. For years, the building has stood as a mere shell, with just four walls and a roof.
People in town say they have high hopes for this project. "We've had ups and downs where it looked like something was going to happen and then nothing did. I think people are really committed to making something good happen now," said community member Deborah White.
Chase Powell, Director of Development at Green Street Housing, acknowledged the lengthy process involved in reaching this stage.
"This is the byproduct of lots of time, energy, and effort with the planning and zoning folks, and feedback from the Historic Preservation Commission," Powell said.
The current plan envisions commercial use on the ground floor, which could include office space or retail shops. The upper floor is slated for 44 units of workforce housing, with an additional 10 units planned for the building next door. The ground floor of the adjacent building, facing Race Street, will also feature commercial space.
"We are preserving a historic building. We are providing housing. We are providing office space on a block that desperately needs it. There needs to be activation. There needs to be people downtown. There needs to be people going to businesses," says Powell.
He went on to say that housing is needed. "There needs to be people grabbing steak from Simmons Center Market. There needs to be people going to Black Water Bakery in the morning. One of the ways you do that is you put people downtown and you do that by building apartments."
Local business owners are optimistic about the potential impact on Cambridge.
"If they put some commercial businesses downstairs, as you can see farther up the block, we have a lot of new businesses doing very well. So, we can hope they would do well down this end too," said Mark Simmons of Mark's Mulch.
Tuesday night's meeting with the Cambridge Planning Commission will allow for discussion and comments on these plans. Green Street Housing hopes that if all goes well, construction could begin by early 2025.