Burtis House, Property Acquired By Annapolis To Expand City Dock

ANNAPOLIS, MD — City Dock is expanding. After negotiating for more than nine months with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the Burtis House and adjacent property known as the "Frank" parcel has been offered to the city as "surplus property." In a letter dated Nov. 7, DNR Land Acquisition and Planning Director Heidi Dudderar asked the State Department of General Services to initiate the process to transfer the property to the city.

The property at 67-71 Prince George Street is planned to be used as a visitor center, including strategic maritime uses for the Annapolis Harbormaster. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has requested an easement for continued use of the docks for state emergency and ice-breaker boats. Mayor Gavin Buckley said he will accept those terms so the city can take possession of the property.

“As we move into the final phase of the City Dock Action Group and Working Teams report, the Burtis House was always a crucial piece of the puzzle,” said Buckley in a statement. “We needed to take possession of the property in order to connect the city’s resiliency efforts to those of the U.S. Naval Academy. It’s the keystone of our City Dock resilience strategy.”

The Burtis House also may serve as a place for further historic interpretation. With the recent UNESCO Slave Route Project marker designation, the mayor said he envisions Burtis as an ideal location to tell more of the story of the City of Annapolis.