Candidates urge study, caution for redevelopment of idle hospital site

At an OPEC candidate forum, several candidates discussed options for the vacant Hartford Memorial hospital property, emphasizing that the University of Maryland system currently owns the site and that the city’s direct control over final uses is limited.

The forum’s candidates said they would press for studies, advance options for public benefits and urge careful attention to site remediation. "I would love to see, like a bridal, maybe re maybe some kind of retail, smaller business retail, and residential," Matthew Ellis said, while adding that 400 housing units he has heard mentioned would be excessive given limited road access. "I understand University of Maryland owns that property," Ellis said.

Johnny Boker said the city can use zoning powers to entice particular uses and described ongoing, unspecified negotiations and county-level leverage: "We know what our power is as a council working together, and we can rezone things to actually meet and entice a new builder to come in," he said, referencing Article 11E and city code sections noted on the city website.

Dave Martin urged study of the property’s parking garage and suggested city acquisition of land for public purposes if the university parcels property for sale. "Perhaps we could get them to make some land available to the city for either an area for park there," Martin said, adding that demolition and soil capping could make parcels more usable for single‑family houses similar in style to the historic downtown.

Scott Karg and Victoria Miller emphasized uncertainty about contamination and structural condition. Karg recommended that the city and developer consider remediation costs and traffic impacts before approving dense development. "I don't know what remediation on the site that's been an industry for quite a while ... would be," Karg said. Miller said she had worked on older buildings and believed demolition might be the practical option for the hospital shell but that some health‑care or youth‑oriented uses could be considered.

Candidates raised several common caveats: University of Maryland Medical System is the owner and will make business decisions about sale or reuse; any redevelopment may require site remediation and traffic study; lower‑density residential or mixed retail uses were preferred by several candidates rather than very high‑density housing; and the city can use zoning and incentives to influence outcomes.

The topic was repeatedly described as one that needs formal study and intergovernmental coordination rather than immediate local action. Several candidates suggested the city explore ways to secure public uses—parks, parking or youth facilities—if and when the property is parceled for sale, but none asserted the city had unilateral authority to require a particular reuse.

The discussion concluded with candidates urging further information and study before the city commits to a preferred option.