South Downtown (SODO) Subarea Plan

Shaping the Future of South Downtown's Easton Memorial Hospital Site

Easton faces a pivotal opportunity with the upcoming relocation of the UMMS Shore Medical Center hospital from its south downtown location to a new facility off Route 50. The current 14-acre site, a fixture since 1915, is a significant, centrally located property owned by UMMS and located adjacent to the central business district and single-family residential housing. UMMS has solicited bids to private developers to purchase the site for acquisition and redevelopment.

The relocation of the medical center offers a transformative opportunity to bridge Easton’s historic downtown with its surrounding residential fabric. The Town of Easton is dedicated to the embodiment of Sustainable and Smart Growth Principles to strengthen, revitalize, and build upon an authentic and vibrant Town. Furthermore, early and active public participation has been a hallmark of planning processes in Easton for at least the past 30 years.

To this end, the Town will be selecting consulting services to develop a South Downtown (SODO) Subarea Plan for the site of the soon-to-be-vacated property. The Subarea Plan will be the newest addition to Easton’s ongoing efforts to supplement the Town’s Comprehensive Plan with detailed small area plans for selected neighborhoods and corridors. This project will involve the neighborhood and the larger community, anchored by a multi-day public design charrette, in determining what are the most appropriate redevelopment scenarios for a key site that links Downtown Easton and surrounding historic neighborhoods.

Stay tuned for the announcement of the Town's consultant team by visiting this site and to track the progress of this initiative. Better yet, register with Engage Easton by clicking the join button and follow this project to receive automatic updates as it develops.