Moving Carefully On St. Mary's Plans

Public Support Sought for Capital Projects

St. Mary's College of Maryland and Historic St. Mary's City are hoping to avoid public backlash by working with the community in planning their next big capital projects.

The Capital Design Advisory Committee, formed after the community's outcry over the boathouse built on the shores of the St. Mary's River in 2007, held an open house last week on the reconstruction of Anne Arundel Hall and the construction of the historic city's new visitors center, the Maryland Heritage Interpretive Center. Another public meeting is scheduled this week.

The committee's first project this winter was collecting feedback on a proposed $1.5 million footbridge over Route 5 to link the two projects. But the majority of the feedback was negative, and plans for the bridge were tossed in favor of other methods to keep pedestrians safe.

"We've learned better how to explain things to the community and how to ask for feedback," said Regina Faden, executive director of the Historic St. Mary's City Commission. "We had surveys last night, and we are asking for feedback."

The plan is to raze Anne Arundel Hall and Margaret Brent Hall and construct an estimated $33 million facility that would house classrooms, offices for the city's curators and archaeologists and for college students and faculty members. There also will be space to hold the city's collections.

The visitors center, estimated to cost nearly $16 million, would be built within the historic triangle of St. Mary's City, off Route 5, adjacent to the original 17th-century town center and the reconstructed statehouse. Preliminary plans include instructional areas, exhibition space for permanent and temporary exhibits and a large gathering space, Faden said.

Students working on senior projects in museum studies would be able to develop some of the temporary exhibits in the center and collaborate with the professional curators, said Charles C. Jackson, vice president of planning and facilities. Archaeology students would work in labs with the city's archaeologist, among other collaborations, he said.

"The college's academic programs, the city's archaeological programs and the city's interpretative programs -- they are separate now, but the idea of putting them all co-located on one site where students and faculty of both organizations will work together is an opportunity that no other college has," Jackson said. "It is really at the heart of why the college exists and why the city exists: to celebrate Maryland's first capital down here."

Both buildings are looking at environmentally friendly design options, such as green roofs, a geothermal system and recycled-water systems. Archaeological studies also will be conducted.

The majority of the project is slated for state funding, but about $2.5 million must be raised for the interpretive center, Faden said.

Some residents say they are not convinced the collaborative process will work for the benefit of the community.

Peggy Bailey, who has lived south of the college campus for 24 years, said she is concerned about the location of the buildings and transportation-safety issues. She said that she also is bothered by the amount of money being spent during rough economic times but that she did not attend last week's open house.

"The reason I didn't go is because I feel they have already done irreparable damage," said Bailey, who noted that the two new buildings did not concern her nearly as much as the boathouse. "I feel as if these people give lip service to the fact that they listen to the community, and then they do what they want to do."

The next public meeting about the new structures will be in the Auerbach Auditorium of St. Mary's Hall at 7 p.m. Wednesday