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 St.
Mary's County Community Development Corporation
"Community
development begins in the everyday lives of local people."
Margaret Ledwith 2005: 1
The Community Development Corporation serves residents of St. Mary's by
promoting public and private investment in communities throughout the
County. The Corporation is a catalyst for positive change in
communities where commercial and residential redevelopment is needed.
The Corporation was created in 1985. It is an independent,
non-profit entity. The Board of the Development Corporation is
composed of representatives of the community at large, business,
finance, commercial and residential development, the defense contracting
community, the Patuxent River Naval Air Station, the St. Mary's County
Housing Authority, Department of Social Services and Department of
Economic and Community Development.
Since 2000, the Development Corporation has focused almost exclusively
on commercial revitalization in the older commercial areas of
Lexington
Park. Projects such
as the redevelopment of Lexington Manor and the reconstruction of Great Mills Road
are typical of initiatives undertaken by the Corporation to focus
federal, state and local resources on enhancing this older area.
Improving older communities throughout St. Mary's County creates an
attractive environment for new business growth and helps existing
businesses prosper. These actions fuel a stronger and more diverse
tax base and increase employment and shopping opportunities for
residents County-wide.
A Catalyst for
Positive Change
The Development Corporation provides the following services to
individuals and businesses.
Jobs Connection Program
- Connecting great people to good jobs, the Program
offers job development and placement services to job seekers and
pre-screening of qualified applicants to employers.
Business Loan Guarantee
Program
- Designed to support start-up or early stage companies with an 80%
guarantee for a conventional loan for commercial projects in St. Mary's
County.
Lexington Park
Property Landscaping Program
- Matching grants for landscaping commercial properties located in the
Lexington Park Revitalization District.
Enterprise Zone Tax
Waiver & Job Creation Tax Credit Program - To support business start ups or expansions and to encourage new
investment in real property for businesses located in the Lexington Park
Revitalization District.
Redevelopment
and Infrastructure Improvement Projects
The Community Development Corporation manages several key projects
designed to increase property values, improve traffic flow and the
esthetic appeal and overall safety of the older commercial area of
Lexington
Park.
Lexington Manor Redevelopment Project
- A multi-million dollar project designed, in the early phases, to
eliminate blight and residential encroachment on Patuxent River Naval
Air Station and, in the later phases, to redevelop the 91-acre parcel
for commercial and recreational use.
Great Mills Road Streetscape Project
- A $4.6 million streetscape and roadway improvement project along a 1.4
mile stretch of Great Mills Road from N. Coral Drive to the entrance of St.
Mary's Square. This project will entail the installation of
sidewalks, a partial median strip, storm water management, traffic and
pedestrian safety improvements, enhanced landscaping and replacement of
sewer and water lines within the project scope.
Patuxent
Park
Roadway Reconstruction Project –
A multi-year project starting in
2009 to rebuild roads, sidewalks, storm water inlets and to replace
sewer and water lines throughout the
Patuxent
Park neighborhood.
Pathways to Schools
Project - A
$400,000 streetscape project designed to compliment the renovation and
expansion of the Lexington Park
Elementary School.
This project entails the construction of sidewalks, decorative lighting
and enhanced landscaping along
South Shangri-La Drive.
Quality of Life
Improvement Projects
The following list is typical of projects that the Corporation has
participated in by playing a supportive but significant role to enhance
the quality of life, well-being and cultural diversity of our community.
Three Notch Theatre
- The establishment of the County's first black-box, community theater.
Three Notch is home of the NewTowne Players who provide a year-round
schedule of performances and community based activities.
Bay District Fire
Department and Social Hall
- A $6.2 million project to replace and enlarge the 61-year old fire
station with a state of the art facility and social hall on newly
acquired property in the heart of
Lexington
Park.
Patuxent River Naval
Air Museum and Visitor Center
- A $12 million project to construct a new 24,000 square foot museum and
visitor center to showcase the past, present and future developments in
naval aviation technology.
Lexington
Park
Post Office
- The post office opened in July 2000 on land purchased, cleared and
prepared by the Development Corporation as part of an earlier project to
eliminate commercial blight in the core area of
Lexington
Park.
Lexington Park
Library - A
$6.5 million project to construct a new 24,000 square foot community
library to replace the former 30-year old structure featuring the
County's first coffee bar and full seven day per week library service.
Nicolet,
John G. Lancaster & the Great Mills Road Park - New or expanded
regional parks that provide the very newest recreational experiences for
County residents including a handicapped accessible pool,
state-of-the-art skate park and boundless playground.
Keeping the
Information Flowing
The Development Corporation assists area business owners and managers to
work together to address community issues and concerns.
Great News – A electronic publication distributed to business and property owners to
provide information on revitalization activities in and around the Great
Mills Road Corridor.
B-Alert Program
- Provided directly through the St. Mary's
County Sheriff's Office, the program is designed
to increase coordination between the Sheriff's Office and businesses to
address crime issues or concerns in and around area businesses.
How to Contact
Us
The Community Development Corporation is located in
Lexington Park,
Maryland.
St. Mary's County
Community Development Corporation, Inc.
21783 N. Coral Drive
Lexington Park, Maryland
20653
Robin A. Finnacom, President/CEO
robin.finnacom@stmarysmd.com
Community Development Corporation: 240-725-5786
Jobs Connection Program: 240-725-5785
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