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MARCH 5, 2026
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BERLIN • NORTH WORCESTER COUNTY• OCEAN PINES
FREE
Mayor, council meetings will shift to library Temporary space required because of renovations
TARA FISCHER/BAYSIDE GAZETTE
MAKING WAY Demolition began last week at the Ocean Pines Volunteer Fire Department’s south station, which is being leveled to make room for a new $6 million facility. The original station at 911 Ocean Parkway was built in 1981 and is now inadequate.
Retail project planned for Rt. 589 Developer takes site plan for mixed-use center before county review committee By Brian Shane Staff Writer (Feb. 27, 2026) A developer is planning a mixed-use commercial center for an empty parcel on Racetrack Road that would bring new retail, office, and restaurant space to
the Route 589 corridor. Worcester County’s Technical Review Committee had a major site plan review at its Feb. 11 meeting for what’s being called the 589 Group Project. Plans call for four retail buildings. The grassy 11.05-acre parcel is located to the north of Abi’s Diner, and south of the new TidalHealth Gudelsky Family Medical Center. The property owner is 589 Group, LLC, which
state business records show is based in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Preliminary site plans by Vista Design show two 7,000-square foot and one 4,625 square foot building designated for retail, office, or restaurant. Another 4,000 square foot building could be used for a fast-food eatery in addition to office space. To the rear of the property are three buildings for self-storage or See ANOTHER Page 3
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By Tara Fischer Staff Writer (March 5, 2026) While Berlin’s Town Hall building undergoes its major renovation, meetings of the mayor and Town Council will be at the Berlin branch of the Worcester County Library at 13 Harrison Avenue. Per the Town of Berlin’s website, meetings of the parks commis- ‘When we originally sion, the historic came up with the district commission, the plan- amount we thought ning commis- we would need for sion, and the Town Hall board of appeals renovations, that will be held at was us throwing the Berlin Police Department, lo- something against cated at 129 Dethe board.’ catur Street. — Mayor Zack Tyndall Last month, the Berlin mayor and council awarded the construction contract for the Town Hall project to the Keller Brothers for a total of $3,156,693. This amount includes a base bid of $2.391 million, a contingency of $260,000, an elevator at $204,999, and, conditional on the future presentation of an itemized list to be actioned by the council, $300,703 for furniture. At a council meeting on Feb. 9, Berlin Mayor Zack Tyndall explained that the project was initially expected to cost about $2.5 million. “When we originally came up with the amount we thought we would need for Town Hall renovations, that See TOWN Page 3
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