Date: March 25, 2026
I would like to take a moment to acknowledge the recent passing of a remarkable local preservation advocate, Carl Larkin. A beautiful tribute to his life can be found here.
Carl was widely respected for his commitment to historic preservation, and his deep, thoughtful analysis of legislative proposals. Though a quiet leader, he had important things to say and delivered compelling testimony. He was occasionally joined by one of his grandsons, which I considered to be a meaningful way to pass on the value of civic engagement to the next generation. I also appreciated having his support during long-running public hearings. I held Carl in the highest regard and am deeply grateful for all that he taught me.
Continuing the vein of preservation and advocacy: earlier this month, Mayor Littmann, alongside other city, county, state, and federal officials, announced the release of a transformational $35M FEMA resiliency grant. Obtaining such highly competitive federal funding in a challenging economic climate is no small feat, and the City deserves recognition for it. We applaud their accomplishment and are proud to have served as preservation voice and advocate during the FEMA consultation process last year. We share a deep commitment to strengthening resiliency measures downtown to protect the integrity of our historic landscape, including the properties we care for within the flood-prone area.
The City’s approach to City Dock resiliency incorporates a range of strategies that should consider historic views, long-term costs, maintenance needs, and overall sustainability. While the challenge is complex, there is broad agreement on one essential point: advancing resiliency measures to protect City Dock is both necessary and a top priority.
However, we remain deeply concerned about one element of the City Dock plan that is separate from its resiliency goals – the proposed Maritime Welcome Center (MWC). We continue to pursue a legal challenge to the Historic Preservation Commission’s approval of the MWC and the precedent it will set by classifying it as a separate structure, not an addition. Building an oversized structure at the water’s edge is not a resiliency strategy and will not prevent the flooding that threatens downtown.
We understand that the MWC design is being modified following the decision to eliminate the below-grade basement. However, these revised plans have not been shared publicly, leaving uncertainty about potential above-ground changes, programmatic uses, or modifications to the surrounding site. At the same time, we are being told that this building is integral to the project and cannot be modified without significant cost, claims which raise additional questions.
To be clear, we are not asking to delay or stop this project or any aspect of resiliency work. We do not oppose an appropriate addition to the historic Burtis house. Our concern is scale. As proposed, the MWC is too large for its location and would obscure views of the historic harbor, diminishing City Dock’s openness and character. We remain committed to preserving this beautiful, iconic view to and from the water – for this generation and generations to come.
I invite you to take a walk down Main Street to Hopkins Plaza and look toward the water. The temporary location where the Burtis House now sits is approximately where the MWC would be built, though the proposed structure would be roughly twice its size. In effect, if the MWC is constructed as planned, the water view will be twice as obscured as it is today.
As we continue to engage with our community, we hear clearly from our members, neighbors, supporters, and friends that advocacy and preservation are central to our mission. We believe that change can be positive when pursued thoughtfully and intentionally, ensuring that Annapolis’s unique feeling, character, and sense of place that connects yesterday with today and tomorrow endures.
We welcome an opportunity to engage with the City to address our concerns. Absent that, we will continue to keep you informed as our legal challenge proceeds to the Court of Appeals. Thank you for your continued support of our advocacy efforts and in the work of maintaining, as a good friend often says, what makes Annapolis, Annapolis.
Warm regards,
