Stewart Dobson

Editor

(Oct. 29, 2026) After a long run of agreements, rejections and disappointments, the former poultry processing plant property at Heron Park has been sold for $1.2 million to Palmer and Sandy Gillis, Berlin Mayor Zack Tyndall confirmed Tuesday.

Now that the deal has gone through, the Gillises can proceed with their plans to convert the husk of the former Tyson Food plant and surrounding properties into a mix of commercial properties.

“I want to thank the citizens of Berlin, our local partners, and the State of Maryland for their continued support throughout this redevelopment process,” Tyndall said in a Facebook post Tuesday.

After the closing, a new Facebook page revealed the development’s new name, The Exchange at Heron Park.

“After 5½ years of hard work, patience, and perseverance, we are thrilled to announce that we have officially taken ownership of the property at Heron Park in Berlin,” the Gillises said on the Facebook post. “The Exchange at Heron Park in Historic Berlin — an exciting new development that we envision becoming a vibrant destination for professional offices, businesses, retail, and potentially a restaurant, bringing new opportunities and energy to our wonderful community.

A statement from the Gillises reports they will be working toward a completion date in fall 2027.

The rest of Heron Park still includes a lagoon with a trail on the north edge of the property. In the future, the remainder of the park will be home to a new skate park, new public works facility and a new access road.

The settlement marks the culmination of a long effort to return a portion of Berlin’s former Tyson Foods poultry processing property to productive use.

Discussions with the Gillises date to 2021, when the town began exploring redevelopment opportunities at Heron Park. The developers initially proposed a broader commercial redevelopment involving multiple parcels, but negotiations ended in August 2023 when the Town Council voted 3-2 against continuing discussions.

The town revisited the possibility in July 2024, when the council agreed to resume negotiations with the Gillises, focusing on Parcel 57 and the remaining buildings from the former poultry processing operation.

In April 2025, the council voted 3-1 to approve a $1.2 million sale agreement with Coastal Ventures Properties. The agreement included 15 sewer equivalent dwelling units and required construction of at least one office or retail building within two years of settlement.

Despite the agreement, the sale remained unfinished for another 18 months as the town and developers worked through disputes over property boundaries, subdivision plans and access-road arrangements.

In July, the Berlin Planning Commission approved plans for the initial redevelopment phase, including proposed medical office space and retail or restaurant uses.