Cohen Hopes for Solution After Downtown Renovation Plans Fall Through

Update (12 p.m.)—Mayor Josh Cohen issued a statement regarding the status of 110 Compromise St. Read the full statement here.

One day after plans to renovate a key downtown property were dashed, Annapolis Mayor Josh Cohen said there may still be hope. 

Cohen told Patch in a phone interview that he was disappointed that Mark Ordan, a developer that led a group of investors, decided to pull out of plans to purchase the old Fawcett Building Supply store at 110 Compromise St.

Ordan said he had planned to demolish the existing site and rebuild it into a new retail center, but became disenchanted with the concept after a group staged a protest to the plans. 

That group, the Coalition to Save Annapolis, is comprised of downtown business owners, residents and preservationists.

Cohen has scheduled a meeting Tuesday to gather together parties both for and against the renovation plans at City Dock to talk about their differences and hash out a solution.

"Being stuck in this deadlock is not good for the town, so we need to try to bring these two sides together and work out a solution," Cohen said.

The coalition's representative, Heather Ford, said in a press release that the group was concerned that unlocking height restrictions for the 110 Compromise St. site could set a bad precedent for other areas. The group also had concerns about parking spots downtown. To make way for the new development, the city would fold two adjacent parcels, currently used for parking, into the Fawcett site. 

Cohen said he was aware of these concerns, but called the protest premature.

"I understand that, but to have this coalition stage a protest and just say no without even entering a dialogue is just disappointing and counterproductive," Cohen said. 

Whether or not Cohen and the coalition are able to reach an agreement, the mayor said he spoke with Ordan on Monday and said the developer remained "noncommittal" on the prospect of moving forward. 

Related stories:

• Developer Cancels Plans to Redevelop Key Downtown Property
• Sale of Fawcett Building Would Pave Way for New View Downtown
• Officials Call Fawcett Rezoning 'A New Era' for Downtown