Maryland Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr., recently announced a $2.5 million dollar loan from the Maryland Economic Development Assistance Authority Fund (MEDAAF) to the Cecil County Board of Commissioners toward the redevelopment of the former Bainbridge Naval Training Center site outside of Port Deposit. The funding will assist in the acquisition of land and the construction of a 28,800 square foot office/light industrial building that will accommodate multiple tenants on the site.
“After years of effort, the Bainbridge Naval Training Center will once again be an exciting center of activity in Cecil County,” said Governor Ehrlich. “The redevelopment of the Bainbridge site will serve as an important component in the progress of the county, particularly now as we also prepare for the thousands of new jobs and new companies coming to the region as part of the BRAC decision to consolidate activities at Aberdeen Proving Ground.”
The Bainbridge Naval Training Center (BNTC) was a World War II naval training facility comprised of 1,200 acres of land capable of housing, training and educating 5,000 personnel, instructors and families. The Naval facility was closed in the early 1970s. In February 1999, the Maryland General Assembly established the Bainbridge Development Corporation (BDC) to guide the redevelopment of the site. In 2002, MTPM LLC, a consortium of private sector regional developers including Manekin Corporation, Michael Company, H & S Properties, and Clark Turner Properties, was formed to develop the 1,200-acre Bainbridge property into a mixed use site of residential, open space, business and office/light industrial space.
“The approval of this loan by our state partners now paves the way to jump start the job creation component of the Bainbridge redevelopment effort. This is the kind of investment that is good for the state and great for Cecil County. We are extremely pleased.” said Nelson K. Bolender, President, Cecil County Commissioners.
The MEDAAF funding will be loaned to MTPM LLC to acquire the land, prepare the site, and construct the building, tenant improvements and needed infrastructure improvements. Located in a State Enterprise Zone, the building will be marketed and promoted by the Cecil County Office of Economic Development, the Bainbridge Development Corporation and Economic Development Commission and other development partners.
Sixty percent of the building is expected to be leased for office use with the remaining space occupied by light industrial companies. Construction, which will begin in fall 2006, is expected to be completed in late Summer 2007.
“Working with Cecil County, the Bainbridge Development Corporation and our private sector partners, we envision a facility that will be a model program, one that incorporates best in residential, retail, business and office/light industrial uses, and open space,” said Aris Melissaratos, Secretary of Business and Economic Development.
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