CROWNSVILLE — The former firehouse on Fifth Street in Pocomoke City is one of 16 projects statewide sharing more than $19 million in revitalization tax credits leveraging more than $92 million in additional investment to “breathe new life into our communities and towns,” said Gov. Larry Hogan.

The Maryland Historical Trust (MHT), a division of the Maryland Department of Planning, is providing the funds to “allow for refurbishments to revitalize sites in local communities across the state and serve as an effective investment tool for strengthening Maryland’s local economies and redevelopment across Maryland,” the governor added.

The former firehouse, sold in June by  Pocomoke City for $5,000 to Broadband Holdings LLC of Salisbury,  was built in 1939 and features a main central block, front and rear wings and a rear addition built in 1955. Unique to its design are the tall arched side windows and the inclusion of a large, vaulted meeting room, dining hall, and kitchen on the second floor.

The building acted as both a firehouse and a center for social life in Pocomoke City until 2008 when the fire company outgrew the space and relocated to its current facility on Market Street.

The $1.2 million restoration was awarded nearly $258,000 in tax credits to turn the former fire station into a mixed use building with commercial space on the first floor and housing on the second floor.

Other sites in Worcester County selected include three properties in Berlin: 11 North Main Street, 15-19 North Main Street, and the Powell Building at 7 North Main Street.

In Cambridge, the former F. W. Woolworth Company Building at 420-422 Race Street received a substantial tax credit as well.

The Historic Revitalization Tax Credit, administered by MHT, has invested more than $465 million in Maryland rehabilitation projects since 1996.

“It is an honor to be part of these awards that serve historic revitalization and play an integral part in advancing economic development,” said Planning Secretary Rob McCord. “The preservation of these historic sites enhances our state’s history and encourages projects that support the enjoyment of our state’s history, culture, and scenic beauty.”

Twenty-four applicants had sought $39.3 million in tax credits for construction projects totaling more than $210 million in estimated costs. The 16 projects selected for the 2023 tax credits were based on an established set of criteria, including those outlined by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior for historic building rehabilitations.