Will the rehabilitation of Warfield affect the small-town feel of the area?
As part of this project we feel that it’s important to preserve the natural surroundings and charm of Sykesville, and that of course includes its historic resources. Warfield has been around since the late 1800s, it is already an integral part of the Sykesville area, and preserving and repurposing these historic buildings solves a number of issues.
Preservation is expensive – more than double the cost of new construction. Thus, creative solutions and collaboration between the private sector and government are important to finding a way to fund preservation. The good news is that whatever is built here will not only save the buildings, it will generate tax dollars as well, and public/private investment will benefit the residents of Sykesville and Carroll County. Preservation combined with economic development will be a win for everyone.
Is it true that there will be a convention center and hotel on the grounds?
The current approved preliminary plan shows a hotel and we are still marketing one of the parcels fronting Route 32 as such. As for a conference center, we’re continuing to explore how to integrate an event space into the project with or without a hotel. We would love to see something in one of the historic buildings as part of a multipurpose community space. Nothing is in stone at this point, and we will publish updated information as it evolves.
As a long-time resident of Sykesville, I’m concerned about Warfield opening the floodgates for mass development.
It’s important to understand that the Warfield project is about historic restoration first and foremost, and is not in the same category as any other proposed development (often called “greenfield” development). Warfield being redeveloped is not a gateway for other development because the circumstances surrounding the property are so unique.
The Warfield complex has been around for over 120 years. When the state sold the property to the town about 20 years ago, preservation was a condition of the sale. This condition runs with the property, as does the condition that the property be redeveloped in accordance with smart growth principals. The idea that Warfield would be redeveloped to support preservation is not a new idea—it’s just a matter of what uses will ultimately go there. This special circumstance is due to the historic nature of the property and that it was formerly owned by the state. The entire goal is to preserve this historic resource.
