Cambridge officials look for change to Hearn building development

CAMBRIDGE, Md- Cambridge city commissioners are calling to send the Hearn building project back to the drawing board.

The submitted plan would have the downtown building filled with 100 percent subsidized units, but commissioners want the building to be more mixed-use, offering commercial and retail spaces, and offering units at varying price points instead.

One commissioner, Brian Roche of the 5th ward penned a letter to housing secretary Jake Day to help free up funds to allow the developers an alternate funding source to help make that pivot possible,  but the body ultimately voted not to send it.

Roche says he stands by the letter, and what he says is clear research that 100 percent subsidized housing units would be a bad fit for the downtown project.

“The healthiest buildings have a percentage of subsidy, have a percentage of market rate, and then have a variety of uses, significant uses, particularly in a downtown, to make sure that it’s an urban fabric that’s healthy and appealing to the residents as opposed to just all housing,” Roche said.