BERLIN – Years after initial plans received approval, construction of the Berlin Activities Depot is underway.
Crews have started groundwork at the Old Ocean City Boulevard site destined to be developed into a 33,000-square-foot youth activity center.
“We’re just taking our time, making sure we’re ready,” said Carmella Solito,
Solito, who owns Twisters Gymnastics, first presented town officials with plans for the Berlin Activities Depot in 2011. She has spent the ensuing years arranging financing and fine-tuning details of the facility.
The first phase of the Berlin Activities Depot will include a building with space for pre-school, gymnastics, laser tag, golf, an aerial ropes course, trampolines, adult fitness space and a snack bar. Solito, who’s hoping construction will be done in the first half of 2015, says she’s not sure whether she will move all operations from the existing Twisters facility on Route 113 when her new building is ready or not.
“We’re really not sure yet,” she said. “We might move the programs over in increments. We’re going to want to get staff in and trained.”
The new building, she explained, would be completely paperless. Classrooms will be outfitted with interactive whiteboards, students will use mobile tablets and anyone accessing the building will do so with a keycard.
In the future, Solito hopes to offer even more at the Berlin Activities Depot. She said she planned to add onto the building in three more phases — with two, 10,000 square-foot additions and one, 20,000 square-foot addition. She’s not yet sure what activities the expansions will bring to the facility. Possibilities include an indoor pool, additional aerial ropes courses and a sports arena.
“We’re trying to make it a one-stop shop,” she said.
Solito said she had lots of interest in the facility from area parents.
“There’s not a lot for kids to do,” she said.
The new space will allow Solito to double the number of children she serves at Twisters. It will also give her room to expand her gymnastics program so that she can host competitions and camps with Olympic level gymnasts.
“It’s going to bring people into the area,” she said.
Solito said the Berlin Activities Depot would also mean more jobs for Berlin. She plans to have each facet of the facility managed by a different individual.
She is excited to see the project moving forward and thanked local officials for their assistance during the process.
“The Town of Berlin has been working hard to help out in any way it can,” she said.