Cultural Resource Review

Overview

The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development supports thousands of projects each year, from fixing up storefronts on Main Street to large multi-family housing developments. We are dedicated to helping preserve Maryland’s historic communities.

Sometimes, it isn't possible to preserve every building. In some cases, we need to remove unsafe, damaged buildings or improve the area to better serve the community.

As required by State and Federal law, we work with the State Historic Preservation Office (Maryland Historical Trust) to evaluate how our projects affect cultural resources such as historic buildings and archaeological sites. We try to avoid, limit, or address any harm. This process is called "Section 106 Review".

For more information, visit Maryland Historical Trust - Section 106 Review Process.

Current Projects Seeking Comment

We review many projects with the Maryland Historical Trust each year. Only a few projects harm historic sites and need special attention. This page will be updated with information about selected projects that we are asking for feedback from the public. Your feedback will help us identify important historic sites and guide our decisions on how to address them.

Blight Removal on Main Street

Location: 16 E Main St, 13 Cherry St, and 19 Cherry St, Rising Sun

Project Overview: The Department of Housing and Community Development awarded a Strategic Demolition Fund grant to the Town of Rising Sun to demolish three blighted structures. The properties have been vacant for many years and suffered from deferred maintenance. The City has determined that the properties are unsafe, and the extent of repairs makes fixing them impractical. As a result, the Town acquired the properties with the intent to demolish them to clear the land for future development.