BERLIN – Town officials reviewed concept plans for a renovation and addition at Maple Avenue’s Wolfe Terrace apartments this week.
On Wednesday, the Berlin Planning Commission was presented with concept plans for renovation of the existing Wolfe Terrace apartments as well as the addition of 34 new units at the complex, which will be renamed Willows at Berlin.
“It’s a very attractive project and it’s much needed,” commission member Pete Cosby said.
David Holden, development principal at the Ingerman Group, and Dave Rovansek of George, Miles & Buhr LLC met with the commission Wednesday. Holden said the new apartments would be a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units. With the new units, he expects an additional 50-60 residents at the complex, which is accessed by Maple Avenue. As proposed, the project has more than enough parking area as well as a community center. Dave Engelhart, the town’s planning director, added that in redeveloping the site the Ingerman Group would work with nearby property owner Homes for America to improve stormwater management in the neighborhood.
When asked whether the units would be considered subsidized housing, Holden said the company couldn’t not rent to someone because they received Section 8 aid. He added that renters would have to pass criminal and credit checks. Holden said he expected rent for the three-bedroom units to be around $1,100 and rent for the one-bedroom units to be around $850.
Holden said the Ingerman Group had similar projects in Salisbury and Millsboro.
“We have over 100 of these we’ve built and own and manage,” he said.
Engelhart encouraged commission members to visit the company’s website to look at its other projects.
“They have some nice communities on there,” he said.
Holden stressed that the company was committed to creating successful developments.
“It takes a year to build it and then it runs for 30 years,” he said. “Everybody focuses on this phase. We want to make sure it’s going to be successful 10, 20, 25 years from now.”
Rovansek and Holden were set to meet with the town’s technical review committee Thursday. The project will eventually return to the planning commission for site plan review.
