CAMBRIDGE — After years as a blighted, empty lot, construction has begun to replace broken concrete and rusted metal with an environmentally friendly Green Parking lot on the 400 block of High Street.

Waugh Chapel United Methodist Church, with the assistance of Cambridge Main Street and Shore Rivers obtained grant funding to renovate the lot. The project is being completed by Nichols Lawn & Landscape and is slated for completion this spring, weather permitting. Support for the project was received from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) and the Chesapeake Bay Trust (CBT).

The parking lot will be available for public use in addition to regular church services and special events. Linda Henry, representing Waugh Chapel United Methodist Church shared her excitement for the project. “I am excited to see the improvements to the church property begin. It is truly a blessing.” The Rev. James C. Whitaker, pastor of Waugh Chapel shared, “On behalf of the members, we express our deepest gratitude to all of the community organizations that joined together to make this possible for our church and community.”

“This lot revitalization is the result of community partners working together to meet a community need, while also reducing the impact of storm water pollution flowing off our streets and into our rivers. This project will be another great example of supporting a growing Cambridge, while keeping water quality a priority.” Suzanne Sullivan, Shore Rivers.“This project was a win-win for Waugh Chapel, the 400 block of High Street, and downtown Cambridge,” shared Katie Clendaniel, executive director for Cambridge Main Street.

Cambridge Main Street has identified blight as a critical issue in many areas of the downtown. Ms. Clendaniel shared that this work will be an important asset to not only the Church, but to nearby businesses and organizations like the Woman’s Club, the Community Garden, and the Robin Hood Shop. “We were excited to partner on this project and hope to use this type of public, private collaborative model more in an effort to improve streetscape and engage property owners in the core.”

This is the second community partnership project on Waugh. The Church approved the Cambridge Community Garden in 2015, which starts its fifth season in 2019. The garden provides space for the community to gather, grow, eat and share the harvest.

More information about the project can be found at www.downtowncambridge.org.