250 homes,” Mayor Cook details.“We saw a number of apartment buildings that have been approved, and Doverbrook, which is a state voucher program, did a complete rebuild of all the apartments and added 14 units.” The town’s Housing on the Hill initiative demonstrates creative preservation merged with affordability.“The town had a DHCD grant for a few million dollars where we actually bought and renovated homes and then sold them at an affordable price,” Mayor Cook explains. Mueller adds context: “These homes may not catch your eye at first, but they have incredible historical value. It both addresses affordable housing and preserves this community that was becoming lost to time.” Infrastructure improvements underpin residential growth. The town has launched multiple projects including stormwater management systems to address flooding, sidewalk construction, and a comprehensive traffic signal upgrade.“All the traffic lights in town that the town controls will have new radar detection and new ADA signalized pedestrian crossings,” Mayor Cook notes. The Complete Streets initiative takes a holistic approach to urban planning. “Phase two is in our budget, which we hope to get voted on by the council next month,” Mayor Cook says.“We’re addressing not just vehicular traffic, but making sure that people in cars, on foot, and on bikes have equal access to the roads and a safe way of getting from one side to the other.” ARTS, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITY VISION Easton’s cultural infrastructure rivals that of much larger cities, anchored by institutions that draw visitors from across the mid-Atlantic region. The Avalon Theatre, celebrating over a century of operation as one of America’s finest Art Deco theaters, serves as the community’s cultural heart piece alongside the Academy Art Museum. Since we moved from Virginia to Maryland eight years ago, we’ve experienced an outpouring of support. Husein Sharaf CEO Cloudforce Business.Maryland.gov Get Going at: 9 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 07 EASTON, MD
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