In 2022, Talbot County first heard about a new fourteen-home luxury housing development in the Village of Bellevue, one of twenty-two unincorporated Villages in Talbot County. Bellevue stands out from other villages because it is a predominantly black community with a rich African-American maritime history. It is a quiet, off-the-beaten-path, peaceful community where people are neighborly.
The villages’ tranquility was shaken when Long Iron Investment Group, LLC, purchased a plot of land in Bellevue with beautiful waterfront views near the ferry in partnership with Paquin Design Build. The land had been on the market for a while. The Ripple family owned the vacant waterfront property, and the investment group waited patiently and eventually bought 15 acres of land for an estimated $2.4M, setting forth what could become the gentrification of Bellevue.
The development represented a traumatic change for this small, mixed-use waterfront community of about 100 residents and maybe 80, mostly small homes in what is called “Historic Bellevue.” Homes are one to two stories on lots ranging in size from .15 to .7 acres. Community trauma has morphed into a sense of helplessness and resignation. Four of the fourteen luxury homes have been sold. The largest can be 3500 sq ft on a 1.5 acre lot. Water views will be blocked. 100-year-old trees have been cleared and replaced by luxury homes designed for people in another tax bracket. From the project’s onset, there has been a lack of sensitivity and respect for Bellevue’s unique racial history.
What is happening in Bellevue is a cautionary tale for small, poorer communities that don’t have the time, talent, organization, or capital to organize an effective grassroots effort to slow down development they may not become aware of until it is too late, or how to negotiate with a stealthy, fast-moving developer armed with lawyers and other resources.
Residents in such communities are not well-versed in the complex regulatory processes involving land use and lot history. They do not attend Talbot County public regulatory or Council meetings. They do not have lawyers or other surrogates monitoring such proceedings over the years, nor do they have any inside information and get bulldozed and blamed for their ignorance.
The first phase of gentrification can begin with a name. Residents learned that the developer had named the project “North of Oxford” when ads appeared. It was an insulting embrace of the wealthy, white community a short ferry ride away, in place of Bellevue and its historical legacy – so much for community outreach and racial sensitivity. Change is inevitable, but this was too much, too fast. Bellevue was being erased. Imagine naming a development in Harlem, New York, “North of 5th Avenue”, or building luxury homes in Anacostia and calling it South of Georgetown.
After residents objected to the name and other elements of the plan at a public meeting with the developer at St Luke’s United Methodist Church, Bellevue’s spiritual center, Paquin appropriately renamed the project “Bellevue on the Tred Avon” and renamed streets within the development boundaries after historical references but rejected street names suggested by residents. The rebranding was also an effective public relations move to limit negative racially-tinged press from appearing in Google searches about Bellevue by potential home buyers. In a press release announcing the name change, Brent Paquin, Founder & President of Paquin Design Build, said, “Attending community meetings and engaging local residents plays a major role in fostering tight-knit communities,” oddly making it seem like the heated meeting resulted from planned community outreach rather than community outrage.
It was a sleeves-off-your-vest concession in response to the community backlash of Paquin’s own making. By the way, the last time a friend checked, the Homeowner’s Association (HOA), which will eventually take over management of the development once all the units are sold, is still called “North of Oxford.”
If Paquin read the 2017 Bellevue Master Plan, he should have known better. The Plan emphasized, “Although Bellevue is no longer a center of maritime commerce, the village’s significant African-American maritime heritage is still evident and an important historical context that should continue to shape its future.”
The Bellevue Master Plan focused on balancing the often competing interests of working watermen and new and old residents with the community’s historic African-American legacy. According to the Plan, Bellevue is within the County’s adopted Critical Area Boundary and designated as a Limited Development Area.
The Plan also references the Talbot County Center Design Policies regarding villages, excerpted from the Talbot County Comprehensive Plan, Chapter 9. According to 9.12, “New development and redevelopment in villages should be compatible with the existing character, in terms of land use, density, scale setbacks, mix of use, and general design to maintain their “unique sense of place’.” And added in 9.13, “New village residential development and infills should be designed to be compatible with and complement that of the adjacent or surrounding community. How does a 14-home luxury development with its own HOA align with these village policies?
The Master Plan provided a detailed history of Bellevue, showing why preserving its cultural heritage is so meaningful and emotional. Two seafood processing facilities, owned and operated by the Turner family, were two of three African-American-owned seafood packing houses on the Eastern Shore (the other being the Coulbourne & Jewett Seafood Packing Plant in St. Michaels). Bellevue first evolved around W.H. Valiant Packing CO., which operated a large seafood and vegetable cannery and packing house from 1889 to 1946. Later, the W.A. Turner and Sons Packing CO and the Bellevue Seafood Company operated from 1945 to 1996 and 1964 to 1998, respectively. The original Bellevue housing stock was for African-American workers at these plants. There even was a general store, gas station, restaurant, and community center.
However, here we are in the Fall of 2024, and the relationship between the community and the developer is anything but tight-knit. There has been litigation. Tensions have risen as residents sadly watched old trees get chopped down, docks and pools pop up, and the property excavation become more dramatic. All design suggestions made by the community to help better integrate the project with the community at large were rejected or ignored, and now, several luxury homes have appeared.
Community representatives also suggested creating a short pedestrian pathway for residents from the historic Bellevue community to the Bellevue Landing, where the public Bellevue Park and boat docks are located. The path would weave its way around the perimeter of the development. The Master Plan also recommended such a path. The developer’s help in making this happen would be a meaningful olive branch to the community and public safety measure, eliminating the need for residents to walk along Bellevue Road, which is regularly lined with trucks, boat trailers zooming in and out, and cars from the ferry. However, aspects of creating this pathway have stalled and should be revived.
The developer should also consider investing in the Bellevue Passage Museum, a new museum created by community members to preserve the Village’s important place in the African-American history on the Eastern Shore. The pathway concept has been incorporated into the Bellevue Passage Museum footprint, which would provide pedestrian access off Orchard Terrace. Imagine walking along the path, with access to the Museum and Bellevue Landing.
I know a lot of developers. Some see the big picture and find a way forward in a complex situation; others just want to bang out a bunch of homes, sell them, hand over management responsibility to an HOA, and move on. I hope the builder and the investors will do the right thing as they did regarding the name change.
The developer should meet with community representatives and find a reasonable way forward. Otherwise, when the builder packs up and leaves, the community will be divided: luxury homeowners with their HOA on one side and the greater Bellevue community on the other. If that fails, Representatives should meet directly with the Long Iron Investment Group investors, the people behind the curtain, who might be more creative in mending fences. If nothing happens, luxury home buyers interested in waterfront property should look elsewhere where true community harmony exists.
Hugh Panero, a tech and media entrepreneur, was the founder and former CEO of XM Satellite Radio. He has worked with leading tech venture capital firms and was an adjunct media professor at George Washington University. He writes about Tech and Media and other stuff for the Spy.
Donations to support the non-profit museum can be sent to the Mid-Shore Community Foundation Attention: Bellevue Passage Museum. Or use this Museum website link
Dr. Barbara Paca, OBE says
Thank you Hugh Panero for your excellent reporting, which rings very true. Bellevue represents the rare survival of an historic rural African American community. The people from Bellevue are proud to have citizens like Colonel William DeShields and the highest academic success rate in the area. Perhaps the most grotesque affront was witnessing the building of bloated houses in a flood plain blocking the waterfront view from the historic Black church. Over one hundred years ago, Native Americans traveled by canoe to attend the church, ferrying their boats to the shore from the same spot. How sad to see the invasion of distinctly unattractive mcmansions in that once picturesque spot!
The Water's Edge Museum says
Good work Hugh!
Developers do it for money.
Period.
James Brennan says
Great article. Let’s hope it’s not too late to create a better plan for The new houses. Otherwise, the houses that do get built will become sad monuments to a foolish Developer/Builder duo too tone-deaf to hear the music playing in this unique little community on the Mid Shore.
David H says
As a fly on the wall during this whole development, I feel the builders have been nothing but respectful, hearing out concerns and amending the original plan. Before the land was even purchased, the plan was designed by previous owners, presented to the community, and approved by the county (including the street names you referenced). Change and growth isn’t all bad and naivety shouldn’t be confused for insensitivity.
Rowena De Shields says
Excellent article Mr. Panero, thank you to all involved for bringing awareness to this important issue. Bellevue is a very dear place to me. It has been difficult to see the place I grew up change so drastically in such a short amount of time. Despite this, I’m encouraged by the work the community is doing to preserve Bellevue’s history and culture. Very much looking forward to visiting the Bellevue Passage Museum once it opens.
Glenn Baker says
not clear what it is you would like. Hugh please give us your address so we can evaluate your choices in life.
Glenn Baker says
So white people should not build houses in “black’ neighborhoods? WOW!
Kim Cassady says
Hugh, Thank you for bringing this to light. I live in Royal Oak, not far from Bellevue and have never really liked the development. Now I know why. I pray the community and the developer can come to some accommodation so they can lie in peace together, otherwise it will be very uncomfortable for everyone, especially the new residents.
Dennis De Shields says
Hugh, this is a very insightful article. Sadly, many underrepresented communities are facing similar challenges. Bellevue is a multicultural community that has outlined its vision in the Bellevue Village Master Plan. It’s harmful to any community when development dismisses the concerns of the people who live there. Change is inevitable but should not erase a community’s character or heritage. I remain optimistic that Bellevue’s history will not be erased. The Bellevue Passage Museum’s mission is to honor the contributions of Bellevue’s former residents and the impact of their resiliency.
Dennis De Shields, MD
Co-Founder of the Bellevue Passage Museum
Jeff wagner says
Excellent article!! Great that Hugh has put a light on this new Bellevue Goliath.
Hopefully David will now be on a more level playing field.
Leslie Johnson says
I lived in bellevue during it’s seafood industry hay days .Many of my family members the Milbourne family spent their whole life in Bellevue and I still have a few friends who still live there today. I left and joined the Navy because of the lack of opportunity and limitations of choice of employment in the 70s. My memories of beautiful Bellevue will always be family and friends and a town full of love we were a village of love. As for its future it’s in the hands of others ! I just hope as Bellevue moves into its future! That those who move there will get to learn the rich history of the hard working people who once called Bellevue home and the beacon of hope Bellevue has been and still is for many African American families.
A.T.Fuchs says
What a SHAME!Absolute disgrace that Talbot Co. allowed this.One more time it’s about foreigners with money!
Deidra Greenleaf Allan says
Sadly, this development group seems to fall in your second category, Hugh. Once these greedy arrogant developers get their toe in the ground, like cockroaches, they populate and take over. I can’t decide what I hate more, developers or insurance companies, but after reading your article, developers are back at the top of my list. Thank you for making me aware of this disgusting project and the developer’s total lack of interest in making this a more equitable process. They should truly be ashamed but that doesn’t seem to be a word that sticks to most of them.
Bea Kelley says
Interesting article. As someone who grew up in Grasonville and crossed the Bay by ferry, I have watched the transition of Kent Island, Grasonville and Queenstown areas over the years and when I moved away the salt water smells of the Chesapeake and a family left behind drew me back in my senior years. The Kent Narrows area was also an area of many African Americans with several “shucking” houses where local watermen brought their catch of the day. Watermen lived on the waterfront back in the day and were forced out due to county raising the property taxes and developers offering them more than they ever thought their properties were worth and so the influx began. This phenomenom has not been exclusive to communities of color. We live in a beautiful, safe area and sadly, for better or worse, others want to join us and it has changed the area. Ironic as I listen to those that are not native to the area complain about growth.
Richard Marks says
Hugh,
Thanks for a well written and comprehensive overview os this situation. Unfortunately, the developer has not been sufficiently understanding or cooperative despite having ample time and opportunity to do so over the past two years. Yes, it was over two years ago when the poorly named project first raised eyebrows and resistance. Here is a very well written letter and posted in The Spy at that time:
Point of View
Letter to Editor: Concern over Bellevue Development
May 26, 2022 by Letter to Editor 1 Comment
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I am concerned as well about another high priced development in Talbot Co. Bellevue is, as has been noted, an historic African American community whose existence should be prized and protected.
Several years ago, Habitat for Humanity built several affordable homes in Bellevue including the reconstruction of an old historic home. It was saved rather than razed precisely to retain the historic nature of the community.
People come here for the lifestyle and environment we all enjoy, but Talbot Co has enough $1.5M+ second homes. What is needed is housing, both for sale and for rent, that is affordable for the folks that live and work here. It is a longstanding problem but has become much more acute in the last few years. This should have been and needs to be a primary focus for the County Council.
By the way, Paquin has not done any projects on Tilghman, where I live. They were initially involved in the expansion of TOC on the west side of Tilghman Island Rd, but never proceeded. The project is now being completed by another builder with moderately priced houses.
Tom Hughes says
The genesis of this situation was long ago in the late 1980’s. Rural villages in the western part of the county were known to have failing septic systems that were polluting nearby shellfish waters with fecal matter. The county, with the aid of MDE, decided to run a sewer line to Royal Oak, Newcomb and Bellevue to pick up EXISTING failing septic systems in these villages along with small (less than two acres) EXISTING lots interspersed among the homes in these named villages. Almost the entire project was paid for with state and federal Clean Water Act funds, which specifically precluded use of such funds to increase the growth capacity of an area. The project was successful in preventing sewage from polluting nearby shellfish waters.
Since the day those sewer lines (and the one to Unionville as well) were put in, speculators have cajoled county officials to use these lines to foster growth in places that won’t perc, and are outside of designated growth areas. Now sewer lines run almost the entire length and breadth of the St. Michaels road (Rt.33). Beware.