Monthly Archives: August 2017

It is extraordinarily difficult to find notice of this evening’s “special workshop” on the downtown hotel and proposed demolition of the Birely Tannery. There’s no mention of it in the obvious place under the Historic Preservation Commission’s meetings list on … Continue reading →

by Peter Samuel 2017.08.28 Commissioners: Central to the applicants’ narrative that the Birely Tannery building must be removed is the proposition that this site is clearly the best available for a downtown hotel and conference center. A veto on demolition, … Continue reading →

The Birely Tannery building was marked for preservation in the original 1991 master plan for development of Carroll Creek and also in another more detailed 2003 park plan.

Having lost a 2014 state grant of $350,000 because the 3-year deadline for use passed mid-year the City’s hotel project manager Richard Griffin says “The process is taking a little longer than expected.” (Frederick News-Post 2017.08.26) So how much longer? … Continue reading →

The State took the unusual step of refusing to extend the June 30 deadline on a FY2014 grant of $350,000 for the downtown hotel project, so the City has lost the money. Earmarked for purchase of land for the hotel … Continue reading →

The City has relented and released the Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) site analysis of 2013. The eight page document is titled Downtown Hotel and Meeting Space Site Analysis and consists of illustrations and notes in spreadsheet form. The Jones Lang … Continue reading →

Members of the Commission: In the materials submitted by the co-applicants in support of the case for demolition of the Birely Tannery building was a four page Memorandum on Bates Architects letterhead dated June 15, signed Jim and addressed to HPC … Continue reading →

Ms Nickols: further to my immediate protest against the City’s withholding of a copy of the Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) hotel site analysis I now have legal advice to the effect that your action is almost certainly in contravention of … Continue reading →

City Attorney Saundra Nickols has written denying a request for a City consultant’s analysis of sites for the proposed downtown hotel conducted in 2013/2014. In advocacy Richard Griffin the City’s hotel project director has repeatedly cited the outside expertise on … Continue reading →

Demolition of the Birely Tannery building looks highly unlikely because it requires the agreement of both state and city historic preservation agencies. Both have ruled that the old tannery is of unusual importance historically.  The state preservation officer Elizabeth Hughes … Continue reading →