Transportation Secretary Beverley K. Swaim-Staley announced today that the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) has issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) seeking a developer to build a mixed-use development on nearly 12 acres (11.77 acres) of prime waterfront real estate in Cambridge, located in Dorchester County, Maryland.

This rare opportunity includes hundreds of feet of waterfront with an 18-foot water depth located on the banks of the Choptank River, off Route 50 and just down river from the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Resort.  Governor Martin O’Malley designated this property, the Cambridge Marine Terminal / Sailwinds, a Smart Site last fall, making it eligible for state interagency coordination and assistance.  The property is currently owned by MDOT’s Maryland Port Administration and leased to the City of Cambridge.

“Redeveloping this prime waterfront property in the center of Cambridge is a perfect example of what the Smart Site designation is all about,” said Governor O’Malley. “Together, we are investing in job creation, retail development and mixed-use housing in one of the oldest cities in Maryland.  This project will spur economic development in Dorchester County for years to come and will continue to create a Smart, Green and Growing Maryland for future generations.”

This RFQ process is being used to select a master developer or development team, who will design, entitle, finance, construct and market a waterfront mixed-use development.  A map of the project location can be viewed online at http://www.mdot.maryland.gov/News/2011/May 2011/Cambridge Site Map.pdf.  More information on the RFQ is available online at http://www.mdot-realestate.org/featured.asp , including:  a market study, dock repair study, depth sounding study and a printable RFQ.  

To read the full press release from MDOT, please click here.