(Nov. 27, 2014) Showell-based Vista Design Inc. caused a stir in the Berlin community last May when it released a massive conceptual plan for a proposed Tyson’s Park complex.
The blueprint, a repurposing of the old Tyson Chicken plant on Old Ocean City Boulevard, includes an indoor and outdoor recreation center as well as festival fairgrounds, an outdoor amphitheater, hiking grounds, fishing and bird watching areas, and even room for Frisbee golf.
The design was leaked, presumably, as a way to jumpstart the conversation for a new recreation complex in Berlin. Vista representatives originally declined to comment, but with demand for such a facility reaching a fever pitch in recent weeks, Vista Marketing Director Mike Goldberg agreed to speak with the Bayside Gazette about the merits of the park.
“The idea is to hopefully get the town to take interest in it,” he said. “We prepared a conceptual plan to use it as a park, but it’s only a concept plan. Whether or not the town of Berlin will actually acquire the property remains to be seen.”
Goldberg said he was not aware of the status of any negotiations involving the property or its development. The property is owned by Berlin Town Council member Troy Purnell.
“Park use, in our estimation, is a particularly good use for the property,” he said. “The location would lend itself to that and certainly meet many of the needs of the residents of the town of Berlin. I believe it would also help attract people from outside of the town of Berlin.”
Goldberg also said he did not have any estimate of the cost of such a project.
“You have to keep in mind this is only a concept plan,” he said. “This is one of many different uses. We’ve thrown everything in there from skate parks to venues for concerts and other large public gatherings, farmer’s markets, etc. If you were to go forward with a project like that, it would undoubtedly be pared down because it’s not a unilateral decision.
“In the event the town of Berlin were to purchase the land and choose to develop a park, then it would be up to the local government, and I’m sure they would also want to consult with the residents of Berlin to see what their needs and desires are,” Goldberg continued.
Conceptual designs like the Tyson plan are a “typical” part of the process, according to Goldberg.
“Our firm also did a comprehensive parks plan five years ago for the Town of Berlin,” he said. “Part of that process was sending out a questionnaire to all of Berlin town residents to get their input. What is it that you want? This is your town, these are your parks. We would like to know what it is you want and then, for all those items where there is a consensus, we can help to come up with a concept plan accordingly.”
Goldberg said the plan is “all about the town of Berlin.”
“It’s not about the property owner – it’s not about Vista Design – it’s about what would ultimately work best for them,” he said. “There’s many other possible uses for that property. This is just one that we feel would make it desirable for the town of Berlin to acquire the land. There is also always the possibility that a private buyer is out there, in which case I’m sure they would choose to develop it for some kind of commercial use.”
Goldberg did not believe the property had the potential for residential use due its location near the intersection of two major highways.
“It would certainly be a highly visibility location for commercial use, but having a park like that could really be a nucleus for redevelopment of industrial areas, and because of its visibility it just has an enormous amount of potential,” he said.
If the town does move on developing the property into a recreation complex, construction of the various components would likely come in phases.
Ivy Wells, Berlin’s new Economic and Community Development Director, has experience writing grants for recreation facilities on a slightly smaller scale and could play a vital role in raising public money for such a project.
“I wrote a Community Parks and Playgrounds grant for the town of Sykesville for South Branch Park and received $256,000 for it,” she said. “We used that money to build an ADA accessible playground, to make improvements for parking, and we added a picnic pavilion as well.”
Wells said additional money from the grant would fund a riverfront pedestrian walkway, as well as fishing and kayaking areas.
Speaking hypothetically, Wells said state and federal grants could continuously fund a project like Tyson’s Park.
“You have to use up old grant money before you can apply for new grant money,” she said. “They really want to see progress and they want to see their money put to good use, so if you’re using the money correctly and expediently they’ll see that you’re staying on point and give you more money when you apply for money to further the project.”
The blueprint, a repurposing of the old Tyson Chicken plant on Old Ocean City Boulevard, includes an indoor and outdoor recreation center as well as festival fairgrounds, an outdoor amphitheater, hiking grounds, fishing and bird watching areas, and even room for Frisbee golf.
The design was leaked, presumably, as a way to jumpstart the conversation for a new recreation complex in Berlin. Vista representatives originally declined to comment, but with demand for such a facility reaching a fever pitch in recent weeks, Vista Marketing Director Mike Goldberg agreed to speak with the Bayside Gazette about the merits of the park.
“The idea is to hopefully get the town to take interest in it,” he said. “We prepared a conceptual plan to use it as a park, but it’s only a concept plan. Whether or not the town of Berlin will actually acquire the property remains to be seen.”
Goldberg said he was not aware of the status of any negotiations involving the property or its development. The property is owned by Berlin Town Council member Troy Purnell.
“Park use, in our estimation, is a particularly good use for the property,” he said. “The location would lend itself to that and certainly meet many of the needs of the residents of the town of Berlin. I believe it would also help attract people from outside of the town of Berlin.”
Goldberg also said he did not have any estimate of the cost of such a project.
“You have to keep in mind this is only a concept plan,” he said. “This is one of many different uses. We’ve thrown everything in there from skate parks to venues for concerts and other large public gatherings, farmer’s markets, etc. If you were to go forward with a project like that, it would undoubtedly be pared down because it’s not a unilateral decision.
“In the event the town of Berlin were to purchase the land and choose to develop a park, then it would be up to the local government, and I’m sure they would also want to consult with the residents of Berlin to see what their needs and desires are,” Goldberg continued.
Conceptual designs like the Tyson plan are a “typical” part of the process, according to Goldberg.
“Our firm also did a comprehensive parks plan five years ago for the Town of Berlin,” he said. “Part of that process was sending out a questionnaire to all of Berlin town residents to get their input. What is it that you want? This is your town, these are your parks. We would like to know what it is you want and then, for all those items where there is a consensus, we can help to come up with a concept plan accordingly.”
Goldberg said the plan is “all about the town of Berlin.”
“It’s not about the property owner – it’s not about Vista Design – it’s about what would ultimately work best for them,” he said. “There’s many other possible uses for that property. This is just one that we feel would make it desirable for the town of Berlin to acquire the land. There is also always the possibility that a private buyer is out there, in which case I’m sure they would choose to develop it for some kind of commercial use.”
Goldberg did not believe the property had the potential for residential use due its location near the intersection of two major highways.
“It would certainly be a highly visibility location for commercial use, but having a park like that could really be a nucleus for redevelopment of industrial areas, and because of its visibility it just has an enormous amount of potential,” he said.
If the town does move on developing the property into a recreation complex, construction of the various components would likely come in phases.
Ivy Wells, Berlin’s new Economic and Community Development Director, has experience writing grants for recreation facilities on a slightly smaller scale and could play a vital role in raising public money for such a project.
“I wrote a Community Parks and Playgrounds grant for the town of Sykesville for South Branch Park and received $256,000 for it,” she said. “We used that money to build an ADA accessible playground, to make improvements for parking, and we added a picnic pavilion as well.”
Wells said additional money from the grant would fund a riverfront pedestrian walkway, as well as fishing and kayaking areas.
Speaking hypothetically, Wells said state and federal grants could continuously fund a project like Tyson’s Park.
“You have to use up old grant money before you can apply for new grant money,” she said. “They really want to see progress and they want to see their money put to good use, so if you’re using the money correctly and expediently they’ll see that you’re staying on point and give you more money when you apply for money to further the project.”