By Josh Davis, Associate Editor

(Dec. 21, 2017) The Berlin Main Place plaza, which houses single-story medical and professional offices near the corner of routes 818 and 50, will add a 9,000 square-foot building.

The Berlin Planning Commission last Wednesday endorsed the project, the fourth building in a planned series of six.

Developer Palmer Gillis, president of Salisbury-based firm Gillis Gilkerson Inc., said the original goal for the complex was to build multi-story buildings with office and retail spaces on the ground level and apartments on the upper floors, similar to structures on Main Street.

“I don’t know if the economics will do that any more,” Gillis said.

Current Main Place tenants include a dialysis center and dermatology and chiropractic offices.

Berlin Planning Director Dave Engelhart said he is awaiting construction permits, before work on the building can start. He said stormwater work for the entire complex was done during the initial phase of construction.

Commission members, also during the meeting, briefly discussed a set of architectural design standards for the town. Engelhart is developing a draft based on county standards and is waiting on a series of sample photographs that would be unique to Berlin developments.

The commission is expected to continue work on the standards during future meetings. The next scheduled session is Jan. 10 at 6 p.m. at Town Hall.