DUNDALK, Md. (WBFF) – It’s been a long-standing debate in Baltimore County: the proposed sale of the North Point Government Center. For now the proposal has been put on hold by the State Board of Public Works.Many Dundalk residents have expressed frustration, outrage and concern over the proposal, hoping that state leaders will vote against it and help the county find a better solution.”It literally disgusts me,” says Bob Staab, former Director of Baltimore County’s Dept of Recreation and Parks. “Because to sell off park land is unheard of and here we have Baltimore County selling valuable park land for the first time.”State leaders say there are too many community concerns to move ahead on the proposal to sell the building to a commercial developer.The developers want to build a shopping center, complete with offices, a gas station and restaurants. The County says the 62-year-old building requires more than $18 million in improvements to bring it up to code. Leaders say the proceeds for the sale would be used to build a new community center. But residents say they don’t want to lose what they have.”We’re not against development,” says Bud Staigerwald, who volunteers at the center. “We want smart development that makes sense and is really good for the community.”The county plans to sell the building for $7.6 million. A county spokesperson told FOX45 that if a new community center is built it would provide 4,000 more square feet of space than the old one.
Millers Island resident Mr. Staigerwald is also a long time volunteer of North Point Government Center Park youth activities. As mentioned in the forthoward.org October 6, 2015 post Mr. Staigerwald’s wife is a 25 year volunteer director of the Sky is the Limit Theater in the NPGCP building.
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