OCEAN CITY — State officials this week announced over $18 million in neighborhood revitalization grants including $100,000 that could help jumpstart what has been called the “poster child” for seasonal housing in Ocean City.
Gov. Larry Hogan on Wednesday announced over $18 million in grants through the state’s Community Legacy program and the Strategic Demolition Fund for 116 projects in 21 jurisdictions, including several on the Lower Shore. Among the recipients for the grant funding was the Ocean City Development Corporation (OCDC) including $100,000 for the proposed redevelopment of the existing Alibi Room property on the corner of Baltimore Avenue and Wicomico Street.
The project, designed by Avitable-Cirile Architecture, includes the future demolition of the old Alibi Room bar and restaurant, which has had different occupants over its long history, and replacing it with a new and improved 3,200-square-foot restaurant and bar on the first floor. The second, third and fourth floors will hold seasonal workforce housing capable of hosting as many as 75 summer workers, many of whom will be J-1 summer work and travel students.
The top floor will hold an apartment for the property manager, who will oversee the season worker tenants. The Ocean City Planning and Zoning Commission in September approved the site plan for the major redevelopment project.
OCDC Executive Director Glenn Irwin this week said the $100,000 state grant for the project through the Strategic Demolition Fund will help jumpstart the ambitious redevelopment project for the old Alibi Room property.
“This $100,000 will probably cover the cost of demolition and some of the redevelopment costs,” he said. “We were lucky to get these grants. It’s extremely competitive because the Community Legacy program grants about $5 million and there are around $37 million in requests.”
The gap between requests for funding from projects all over the state and the available funding through the various programs was wide indeed. Considered one of the state’s most flexible revitalization programs, Community Legacy awarded $5.5 million to 56 projects in communities throughout Maryland, while another $3.8 million in Strategic Demolition Fund money was awarded to just 15 projects around the state.
“These investments will help revitalize cities and towns across Maryland, leading to an increase in economic development and more jobs for Marylanders,” he said. “The awards will help local communities achieve their unique redevelopment goals and improve the quality of life for our citizens.”
The $100,000 award for the Alibi Room redevelopment project was one of many for the resort area and the entire Lower Shore. The OCDC was also awarded $75,000 for its highly successful façade improvement program in Ocean City. Aimed at revitalizing Ocean City one building at a time, the OCDC has completed over 175 façade improvement projects in the downtown area since the program’s inception.
Other projects to receive state funding through Wednesday’s announcement included a $100,000 grant to the Town of Snow Hill for its ongoing commercial building improvement program in the downtown area. Pocomoke received $100,000 for the painting of the exterior of the historic Costen House, another $45,000 for the new HVAC system at the Mar-Va Theater and $30,000 for its downtown building improvement program. Salisbury received a $100,000 grant for new street lights from Division Street to Mill Street.
