Brunswick buildings awaiting facelifts

The students are enrolled in the university’s urban design studio, which is the final studio class before completing a master’s thesis.

In a three-step process, the teams of students visit the commercial properties, conduct site analysis and meetings with property owners and design low-, middle- and high-end options for improving the lots.

There is no cost associated with the ‘‘About Face” program for the property owners.

The owners at Railroad Square, 17 and 19 E. Potomac St., and 101 and 111 W. Potomac St., applied and were chosen to participate by Brunswick Main Street.

The students will unveil their final design options to the property owners at the Brunswick Railroad Museum on Dec. 11. The designs will be available for the public to view throughout the holiday season.

According to Brooke Wortham, assistant professor for the urban design studio, ‘‘About Face” enhances her students skill-set and gives them real world experience that can’t be taught in a classroom.

‘‘This really is the final culmination for them before they go out and practice,” Wortham said. ‘‘I think they’re more excited and invested in the project than when we make something up for them to learn.”

Wortham said she moved to Brunswick one year ago and has volunteered with Brunswick Main Street since then.

Florence Ho, a post-professional graduate student in architecture, is working to improve the building that holds The Brunswick Citizen and E Graphics’ offices at 101 W. Potomac St.

Ho said her goal is to the building’s façade intact and to match it with other historic buildings since the building sits in the city’s historic district.

‘‘I think the whole thing is being respectful of what’s already there,” she added.

A gas station used to be on the lot, Ho noted, and therefore it has a lot of asphalt. The large amount of asphalt poses a challenge to team members, who are trying to make the lot more environmentally sustainable.

Many of the students’ design schemes tackle the challenge of accommodating the needs of residents, commuters and visitors, Wortham said.

An example of this is Railroad Square, which many MARC train commuters see when they disembark. One of the design goals for this lot is to make it enticing, Wortham said.

Michelle Kershner, manager of Brunswick Main Street, said she hopes that the students’ ideas will inspire property owners to apply for façade improvement grants through Brunswick Main Street.

Brunswick Main Street offers up to $5,000 in matching funds to commercial property owners inside the city’s historic district to improve their building’s facades, signage and overall appearance. Other types of improvements include exterior painting, window repair, new awnings and masonry repair.

The design committee of Brunswick Main Street selects façade projects that protect the historic integrity of the building.