Chesapeake Community Development, subsidiary of The Arc Central Chesapeake Region, and a community development corporation based in Linthicum, Md., recently acquired two parcels of land from Perdue Agribusiness in Easton, Md. The lots, located at 505 Brookletts Avenue and 410 Needwood Avenue, will be the future homes of two mixed-use communities: Easton Crossing and Silo Square.

“Our vision is to bring a vibrant multi-purpose space to the community that incorporates a wide range of amenities and resources, including much-needed housing,” Consulting partner and VP of Community Development, Ross Benincasa, said.

Chesapeake Community Development works to make Maryland a better place to live by creating communities that are equitable, accessible, and fully inclusive. In practice, that looks like developing properties like Easton Crossing, where services, affordable and market-rate housing, retail, and beautiful green spaces flow seamlessly throughout one location.

“Our goal is to partner with the community to create a vibrant multi-purpose space called Easton Crossing on the Brookletts property. Easton Crossing will feature a mix of housing, including opportunities for affordable and market-rate rentals, as well as homeownership. The site will also include retail and recreational spaces and will reflect the diverse needs of the community around it,” said Jonathon Rondeau, President & CEO of The Arc Central Chesapeake Region. “On the Needwood property, Chesapeake Community Development is creating Silo Square, a thriving neighborhood that will support the various housing needs of the community by offering quality affordable and market-rate rentals.”

In the coming weeks, Chesapeake Community Development will announce the dates of its upcoming community meetings, where the organization will share the initial plans for Easton Crossing and Silo Square and solicit feedback that will influence further development of the site plans. All community meetings will be recorded, and the recordings and transcripts will be shared with all attendees. Additionally, an online feedback tool will launch in the early summer of 2024 for community members to submit their commentary virtually.

Pending engagement sessions and site plan approval, construction is anticipated to begin roughly in 2027.

Key local partners include:

• Rivers & Roads, an Easton-based community development firm, will support the development of the project, with partners Ross Benincasa and Sam Shoge taking on key leadership roles. Ross Benincasa will serve as Chesapeake Community Development’s Vice President of Community Development, while Sam Shoge will act as Chesapeake Community Development’s Director of Outreach & Partnerships.
• Chesapeake Neighbors, a subsidiary of The Arc and provider of affordable rental housing throughout the mid-shore, will serve as the rental housing lead. Judi Olinger, Executive Director of Chesapeake Neighbors, will maximize opportunities for affordable and market-rate housing at both Easton Crossing and Silo Square.
• RAUCH, Inc., an Easton-based architectural firm, will be the design & architecture lead. Virginia Richardson, Vice President of Architecture, will coordinate the design and architecture activities for Easton Crossing and Silo Square.
• BuilderGuru Contracting (BGC), a long-time partner of Chesapeake Community Development, will serve as the construction lead. Ben Harries, owner, will provide support with pre-construction services and other general contractor services for phases of the projects. As the project moves forward with construction, he will incorporate shore-based contractors on the project, providing a boost to the local economy.
• The Arc Central Chesapeake Region, a regional organization and significant service provider on the Eastern Shore, will serve as a project manager in partnership with Chesapeake Community Development.

For all questions, please contact the Chesapeake Community Development team at hello@ccdmaryland.org.