Demolition of the abandoned silos and storage buildings on Brookletts Avenue is underway.

The tearing down of the former Perdue AgriBusiness operation is one step in The Arc Central Chesapeake Region’s plan to build Easton Crossing, a mixed-use development, on about 6.29 acres between Brookletts Avenue and South Street.

Ross Benincasa, who is senior vice president of community development at Chesapeake Community Development, a subsidiary of The Arc Central Chesapeake Region, said the demolition will take six months. He said some of the material from the silos will be salvaged for potential future use.

Although demolition has begun, the project still requires site plan approval from the Easton Planning Commission. It is scheduled to go before the Planning Commission on Thursday. Following site plan approval, the project will need standard grading and building permits.

Easton resident Maury Schlesinger was walking his dog Monday when he noticed demolition was underway. Although he has some concerns with future plans for the site, Schlesinger said he thinks the demolition is “appropriate.”

“Something has to happen there,” he said.

According to the draft site plan for Easton Crossing, if approved, the development would create 123 multi-family units, including 29 affordable apartments priced below the market rate. It would also bring parking, stormwater management, and landscaping to the property.

The property would have six buildings, with some buildings that include commercial spaces. The first building, which would have 15 units, is expected to open in December 2027 if the plan is approved.

Benincasa said project plans “emphasize public green spaces.”

“We want the community as well as our tenants to enjoy the space, which is why nearly 30% of the property will be open public space,” he said.

According to Planning Commission documents, town staff would like the developers to address scale and consistency concerns with one of the proposed buildings.

Schlesinger also has concerns with that building. He said it would bring too much density to one area of the property.

“I think it needs to be relooked at,” he said.

Schlesinger brought up concerns with traffic and the need for traffic improvements.

“I’m not opposed to a redevelopment project on that site, and I think that there’s some really good stuff they’re trying to do here,” he said. “It just could be moved from being a good project to a really great project that the town could be really proud of and could show off as good, small-town urban redevelopment.”

Benincasa said community feedback has been helpful. He said feedback helped the developers define what types of units are wanted in the area as well as determine which materials are “more reflective” of the town’s historic architecture.

Schlesinger said he hopes the Planning Commission “does the right thing.”

See the original article published in the Star Democrat here.