OCEAN CITY, Md. - Ocean City and the non profit Ocean City Development Corporation are one step closer to breaking ground on a mixed use facility that would provide more workforce housing for police officers. The council approved money for a construction manager that would oversee the project’s cost. The project’s site is the parking lot at the intersection of South Baltimore Ave and Somerset Street. According to councilman Mark Paddack, the construction manager will ensure the project runs efficiently.
“Having a construction manager provides a third party eye at looking at the overall cost for a project and attempting to save money and get the best product for the buck,” Paddack said.
The plans call for a facility that would include 25 beds for seasonal police officers, a bus stop, and public bathrooms. Some council members say they are concerned that building the facility would take away some parking spaces. Ocean City Development Corporation President, Kevin Gibbs says the benefits of the project outweigh the costs.
“We've added a lot of parking downtown, what we lack is the housing and especially for police force downtown. Ocean City Police need a new facility for the bikes, we've added a housing component and a parking component in order to cover the basis for what the downtown really needs,” Gibbs said.
Currently, OCPD shares a facility with the Ocean City Beach Patrol. According to OCPD’s spokesperson Ashley Miller the department needs the beds.
“When OCDC brought us this plan it was the option to help expand our bike locker and work station for our bike unit which we do heavily deploy downtown,” Miller said.
The next steps are for Ocean City leaders and OCDC to draft a memorandum of understanding. Kevin Gibbs is hopeful they can break ground this fall.
