AWARD:
Award of Excellence – Maryland Building Industry Association, Land Development Council
This award-winning project is an exceptionally executed in-fill development within the larger historic Warfield property in the Town of Sykesville, MD. MRA worked closely with the master developer (The Warfield Collaborative, LLC), the Town of Sykesville’s Planning and Historic District Commissions, Lennar homebuilders, and Elm Street Development, and provided the land planning, site engineering, surveying, landscape architecture, and builder services required to help create a unique residential environment that exceeded all design, sales and pricing expectations.
Parkside was the first major component of the “Warfield at Historic Sykesville” redevelopment, so there were a lot of unknowns going into the review and approval process. Site planning and architectural design for the neighborhood rose to the top as critical factors in meeting an extensive array of regulatory requirements, most notably an easement on the property by the Maryland Historic Trust and Design Guidelines which were adopted by the Town almost 20 years prior to any development taking place.
MRA’s site plan had to address significant grading challenges between an adjacent property and the Town’s Carrie Dorsey Park, while addressing critical site lines from the neighborhood to the existing historic buildings across the park, while also achieving the necessary density to make the project work financially, and finally, meet the myriad of regulatory requirements from the Town and County – most notably – stormwater management. The development team was not only able to craft a plan that met all these requirements but also created a unique neighborhood that promotes engagement by the residents thru a variety of open space and recreational opportunities. In the end, 145 townhomes have been successfully sold and built on approximately 15 acres. The townhomes are 20 feet wide with 22 feet endcaps, each with two car rear garages.
