On Tuesday, Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley hosted a signing ceremony to celebrate the transfer of deed for Burtis House from the State of Maryland to the City of Annapolis. The Burtis House is a 19th Century waterman’s cottage along the waterfront in the state capital. The State of Maryland/Department of Natural Resources surplused the property to the City during a three-year process that was championed by Mayor Buckley and advocates for a revitalized City Dock.
Signatories on the transfer included Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford, Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Sec. Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio, Comptroller Peter Franchot, former Treasurer Nancy Kopp, and Mayor Buckley.
“We consider Burtis House to be a keystone of the City’s efforts to revitalize City Dock,” said Mayor Buckley. “The leading phase of our climate resilience project in downtown will require us to not only shore up the property but to work with the US Naval Academy to ensure that flood protections are in place along the length of our harbor waterfront. We have tremendous cooperation from the state and the Academy and I am grateful for that support.”
Burtis House is a two-story residential building, located at 69 Prince George Street, in addition to a dock directly in front of the house and adjacent to Susan Campbell Park at City Dock.
The first phase of work on Burtis House will begin soon through a partnership with the City, National Park Service (NPS) – Chesapeake Office, and Preservation Maryland via its Historic Property Redevelopment Program. Grants and financial assistance for the project have included $100,000 from the Maryland Heritage Areas Program, $75,000 from the Maryland General Assembly, and $155,173 from the NPS Chesapeake Gateways program.
Initial work will include safeguarding the building from coastal flooding by elevating the structure above the 100-year flood elevation, conducting archeological investigations, and preserving the exterior and interior structure and spaces.
Burtis House is a unique and important remnant of the maritime history of Annapolis and is the last surviving structure within the downtown working maritime area known as Hell Point. The Hell Point neighborhood was demolished during the expansion of the United States Naval Academy in the mid-20th Century. All modifications to Burtis House will be consistent with the Historic Preservation Commission’s (HPC) Historic District Design Manual and will require HPC review and approval as well as oversight by Maryland Historic Trust.
“The preservation of Annapolis’ historical Burtis House is key to the future of City Dock,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “Our administration is proud to support this gateway piece of the broader project, which will be enjoyed by Marylanders and tourists for years to come.”
“The transfer of the Burtis House represents the culmination of a partnership between the State of Maryland and the City of Annapolis to preserve an important historical landmark, reflecting the city’s rich maritime history,” said Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford.
“Historic Annapolis is grateful for the City’s leadership and commitment to the reinvestment and reuse of the Burtis House. This model project will help foster a greater connection to our maritime past,” says Robert Clark, President and CEO of Historic Annapolis.
“The Burtis House represents the quintessential Annapolis water-centric story that deserves both preservation and telling,” said Senator Sarah Elfreth. “I’m proud that we have all the right partners – the State, the City, Preservation Maryland, Historic Annapolis, the National Park Service, and more – who are all dedicated to saving Burtis and turning it into a public asset.”
