The latest on the old hospital site in Havre de Grace

A developer wants to build 45 single-family homes for residents 55 and older on the site of the former Harford Memorial Hospital in Havre de Grace, and the city’s planning commission gave the preliminary plan a green light Thursday night.

What’s happening: Trademark Homes, led by Clark Turner and Bob Ward, is proposing to tear down the vacant hospital and replace it with age-restricted cottage-style homes on the roughly 4.6-acre property near Union Avenue and Washington Street. The planning commission voted unanimously to approve the preliminary subdivision plan.

What this means: A preliminary plan approval is not a final green light to build. It is an early step in the approval process. The developer still needs to complete additional steps, including final platting, before construction can begin on most of the site.

About the homes: The houses would range from about 1,450 to 1,950 square feet and are designed to help older residents stay in their homes as they age. Features include first-floor master bedrooms, step-free garage entrances, step-free showers, and wider doorways. Lots would range from about 4,000 to 6,000 square feet. The developer said 462 people have already expressed interest in buying one of the homes. Turner assured residents that there were no apartments or townhomes planned for the site.

The site: The former Harford Memorial Hospital has been vacant for about two years. The seven-story building and surrounding structures are set to be demolished. Turner said demolition is underway on smaller buildings, with the main tower taking longer because crews need rubble from other structures to reach its upper floors. The hospital site currently has no power, which Turner said is required before a demolition permit can be issued.

What’s planned for the property:

• A public park called Harford Memorial Park at the corner of Revolution and Union streets, featuring two large trees already on the site, a sculpture of a doctor, and displays honoring the hospital’s history
• A green space running through the middle of the development with seating areas, fountains, and gardens, available to residents and their guests
• More than 60 trees planted throughout the development
• New sidewalks where none currently exist
• Lodge Lane rebuilt and reconnected as a public road
• Rear-entry garages to preserve the streetfront character of the Oldtown neighborhood

By the numbers: The hospital site is currently 77% covered by pavement and hard surfaces. Under the proposed plan, that figure would drop to 28%, adding back more than 2 acres of green space. The developer said the taxable value of the property was zero as a hospital. As senior housing, he said it would generate more than $30 million in assessed value when complete.

Water line work: Turner told the commission this week that water lines on Lewis and Revolution streets will need to be replaced because they are too corroded to serve the new homes. The developer said Trademark Homes will pay for that work.

Age restriction enforcement: The homes fall under the city’s “silver housing” rules, which require that at least 80% of residents in the development be 55 or older. A homeowners association will be formed and will enforce that requirement through its governing documents. City Attorney April Ishak said the HOA covenant approach is how other communities handle age-restricted housing because federal fair housing law prohibits outright age discrimination.

Phase two: A section of the project was held back from Thursday’s application. Turner said he recently signed a contract to purchase the former Harford mental health services building across the street, and he wants to incorporate that parcel into a second phase. He said he expects to bring that plan back to the commission within about two months.

The path forward: Turner said he expects to begin work immediately on lots along Washington Street and Strawberry Lane, where only a parking lot currently exists. He said the full project would likely take about three years to complete from start to finish.