hd2architects.com
hd2architects.com
ANNAPOLIS, MD - On Monday, November 11, 2024, work began on the Historic Burtis House on Prince George Street in preparation for structure stabilization, part of the Phase I of the Rehabilitation Plan. At the conclusion of this preliminary phase of work, the historic Burtis House will be stabilized and damage from previous flooding events will be remediated. These efforts will protect this last-of-its-kind building ahead of final repairs and future use by, and for, the community. The stabilization work will be overseen by Preservation Maryland and is contracted to Richard Hammond Builders of Centreville. Architectural work on the project is being conducted by HD Squared Architects, an Annapolis firm.
The Burtis House is the only waterman’s cottage left in an area that was once a thriving waterman’s port – with canneries, seafood packing houses, and freight rail service (where State Legislature offices are now located on Bladen Street) that transported the bounty of the Chesapeake Bay.
“The importance of saving a humble structure like this is it connects visitors and the community to the story of the working waterfront,” said Nicholas Redding, President & CEO of Preservation Maryland. “This project is not just a pilot for Maryland, but also a demonstration project for the rest of the country. Anywhere you go in the world, historic resources sit at the water’s edge. We must protect these resources and heritage, particularly those affected by an ever-changing climate and sea level rise.”
Originally owned by Capt. William Henry Burtis, the Burtis House was home to three generations of Burtis family members. In 1971, the State of Maryland acquired the property and for the next five decades used the site for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the Sailing Hall of Fame. The house was last occupied in 2019. The property includes docks on Spa Creek adjacent to City of Annapolis docks. The Annapolis Harbormaster manages all City Dock and Burtis House docks.
When the Burtis House was deeded to the City in an arrangement with the State of Maryland, State Senator Sarah Elfreth named Preservation Maryland to take on a leading role in stabilizing and revitalizing the structure.
In Phase II, the City of Annapolis will elevate the Burtis house and place it on a new, raised foundation. Phase II will also include site improvements. The structure will eventually become part of the larger City Dock Resiliency Project and will connect to the Harbormaster headquarters and Visit Annapolis as part of the Maritime Welcome Center (MWC). The Maritime Welcome Center will provide the necessary accessible access, required under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as well as restrooms and an elevator service to the second floor.
Funding for the work has come from the Maryland Heritage Area Authority ($100,000) and the State of Maryland ($75,000), National Park Service (NPS) Chesapeake Gateways program ($155,173), and the City of Annapolis (Phase II: $1,000,000).
Preservation Maryland is a non-profit harnessing the power of historic places by revitalizing and reinvesting in communities, advocating, and building the historic trades workforce for the benefit of all Marylanders. Fore more information, visit www.preservationmaryland.org/
