Mold Remediation in Middle River, MD

The Glenn L. Martin Maryland Aviation Museum will be expanded into a 150,000-square-foot facility currently owned by Lockheed Martin.

Now located at the Martin State Airport next to the ATP Flight School, the Middle River museum is home to one of the largest aviation history collections with about 98,000 square feet of aviation artifacts — the majority of which are stored off-site. They’ll all be showcased at the upcoming facility.

The new location, situated on Eastern Boulevard just up the road from the museum’s current location, will be named the Maryland Aerospace Heritage Center.

“Maryland has the deepest history of aviation of any state in the union and is the home of aviation,” said the museum’s executive director, Gustavos McLeod. “The Wright Brothers invented the airplane; Maryland taught the world how to build it.”

Also in the new facility will be a Maryland aviation hall of fame, an event center and a school to teach aerospace engineering, air traffic control and more.

“This is going to be the largest aviation museum on the East Coast, and it will do great things,” said Maryland District 6 Del. Ric Metzgar, who represents the area, during a news conference Sunday. “Lots of jobs, aviation school, aircraft mechanics, air traffic control — it is going to be great and exciting things.”

He and McLeod were joined by District 6 Sen. Johnny Ray Salling, District 8 Del. Nick Allen, Baltimore County Councilman David Marks and museum staff.

Of the 150,000 square feet, about a third of the building will be dedicated to schooling, and an eighth will be used to expand programming for the 300 kids they engage with each week to get them “excited about aviation,” McLeod said.

The new building is still owned by the defense contractor. According to McLeod, Lockheed Martin will no longer own the building come April 26. Once the museum is in possession of the facility, the museum will work to retrofit the building to its needs, he said. A timeline for completion is unknown.

The old building will continue to be used by the museum, which does not own it.

“Maryland has a great legacy in aviation to represent, and now, we have a place worthy of that,” McLeod said.

Have a news tip? Contact Matt Hubbard at mhubbard@baltsun.com, 443-651-0101 or @mthubb on X.

Originally Published: March 2, 2025 at 1:57 PM EST

Sunset Cove closed its Middle River dock bar after 13 years in Baltimore County. The marina where it was located is undergoing a revamp.

Patch Staff

|Updated Mon, Apr 7, 2025 at 7:49 pm ET

BOWLEYS QUARTERS, MD — Waterfront restaurant and bar Sunset Cove announced its permanent closure this weekend in Middle River as the marina where it was located undergoes an overhaul.

The eatery, open for 13 years, was known for its sandy outdoor dining area surrounded by palm trees. A bandstand hosted live musicians in the summer, while a true dock bar sat mere feet from the shoreline. A lengthy floating pier lined with string lights welcomed transient boaters popping in for dinner.

Children often played in the water, while adults took polar plunges into the frigid creek in the winter. Customers could watch planes land at Martin State Airport across the waterway.

Another bar was found inside, where garage doors created an indoor-outdoor space. A canoe hung from the ceiling lent to the nautical theme.

The menu featured the classic Maryland crab and cream of crab soups. The rockfish tenders were another popular appetizer. The fish and shrimp tacos and burger topped with crab dip were other staples. Some items were named after local landmarks like the Carroll Island crab dip, the Bowleys best wings and the Galloway Fries.

Find out what's happening in Perry Hallfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

The restaurant, which once offered seating by an outdoor firepit, is now blocked off with a no-trespassing sign. The eatery closed for the season in November 2024 and never reopened.

"We would like to take this time to thank all of our loyal customers and employees. It has been an amazing run with many fantastic memories. We look forward to seeing many of you at Steelefish Grille and Hickory Lodge," Sunset Cove said Sunday on Facebook, directing patrons to its sister restaurants.

Sunset Cove had overlooked Frog Mortar Creek since April 2012 when it opened in the neighborhood of Bowleys Quarters, replacing the Wild Duck Cafe.

Located at 3408 Red Rose Farm Road, the 4,000-square-foot eatery was part of Maryland Marina.

The 18.5-acre marina started as a family endeavor, but it was sold in August 2022 to an Atlanta-based real estate company. Mongo Holdings bought the marina through its wholly owned subsidiary, Taylor Mercantile, for an undisclosed price in partnership with Keel Funds.

At the time, the buyers announced plans "to begin work on various growth initiatives ... over the next several seasons."

"Planned improvements for the facility include a boat rental offering, future expansion of our boat storage capacity/options, along with possibly adding a new fuel dock and retail ship store. We are excited about this new venture and investment and look forward to adding more in the future with our newest business partners," the buyers said in a 2022 press release announcing their purchase.

Mongo Holdings and Keel Funds declined to comment on Sunset Cove's closure.

The partners also said Maryland Marina is not for sale, though the Mongo Holdings website lists the marina under its "real estate for sale" tab.

Patch is awaiting a callback from the Maryland Marina general manager.

Maryland Marina was opened in May 1946 by Edward J. Miskiewicz; his brother, Leonard J. Myskiewicz, and their father, Felix F. Myskiewicz.

The business started as a small boat manufacturing plant under the name of Maryland Marine Manufacturing Company. It built rowboats for Montgomery Wards, Sears and the general public. The plant also produced Lightning class sailboats.

Manufacturing scaled back throughout the 1950s and 60s with focus turning toward the marina. The final rowboat rolled off the assembly line in 1967.

The marina now has 360 in-water boat slips, and it can store over 600 vessels on land. The marina can accommodate yachts 60 feet long.

Plaintiffs argue inadequate environmental sediment and erosion controls could jeopardize the health of nearby communities and waterways

To protect communities and waterways from toxic polluted runoff in Baltimore County, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) and several concerned residents filed a legal challenge against developers of the 53-acre Middle River Depot property. The lawsuit was filed against developers Eastern Boulevard LLC and TKG III Middle River LLC in the Circuit Court of Maryland for Baltimore County on March 20.

Developers have already graded the site with heavy equipment and are preparing for further work. However, neighbors have observed continuous pollution running off from the site into a nearby creek and Middle River, which has experienced a major die-off of underwater grasses in recent years.

In the complaint, residents allege developers are violating sediment and erosion control rules, and operating without an adequate stormwater management plan. Residents of the adjacent trailer parks and neighborhoods are seeking relief against these violations, as they raise concerns for environmental health, public safety, environmental justice, stormwater management, and potential release of hazardous materials.

“Progress shouldn't require destroying something to make it better,” said Paul Treash, a plaintiff in the complaint and Middle River resident of 20 years. “The pollution and runoff this development has caused, and lack of oversight and transparency, needs a solution for the sake of our community, our environment, and our wildlife.”

The Middle River Depot property, formerly the Martin Aircraft plant, could contain harmful toxic chemicals from its industrial history. During World War II, the site was a B-26 bomber production site. Additionally, the former Navy Reserve Industrial Aircraft Plant reported use of polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS, or forever chemicals) on the site throughout the 1950s and 60s.

“This site has a long history of toxic uses, yet there is no evidence based on the approvals the developer has received thus far that potential contamination has even been considered,” said Kathleen Gagnon, CBF Litigation Fellow. “Given the close proximity to residents and tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay, this project should not move forward without appropriate controls and relief for nearby communities.”

Various developers have bought and sold the property in recent years. Proposals for the space have included office buildings, a sports complex called “Aviation Station,” and a Walmart Superstore, which faced substantial community push-back in 2017.

Most recently, in 2024 Baltimore County issued a grading permit for the project, and shortly after the Maryland Department of the Environment authorized a general permit for the project’s sediment and erosion control for polluted runoff that could run off the site into Middle River and its tributaries when it rains. CBF and residents fear that these approvals do not adequately protect communities and rivers and streams from toxic pollution.

Portions of the property lie within a Critical Area Buffer and a 100-year floodplain, both of which should require additional development provisions that have yet to be considered. The site is located within hundreds of feet from Frog Mortar Creek, a tributary to the Middle River which flows into the Chesapeake Bay.

Middle River has been historically impaired with metals, nutrients, and sediments. Since 2022, Middle and Gunpowder Rivers lost roughly 1,500 acres of underwater grasses that provide shallow water habitat for fish and crustaceans. Increased pollution, sediment, and turbidity from the development could threaten this ecosystem even further.

“The ongoing grading of this property that is disturbing an area of more than 1 million square of earth is of particular concern given the nearby proximity of the tributaries of the Bay,” said Stuart Kaplow, an attorney for residents. “Without adequate sediment and erosion control, the grading is having an adverse impact including deleterious effects on water quality.”

The plaintiffs are seeking a declaratory judgment and injunctive relief from the developers to address their many concerns. Allowing the development to continue in violation of local and state laws and regulations sets a dangerous precedent for water quality and the Critical Area Program. Approximately 30 percent of the nearby community is below the federal poverty line and has been disproportionately impacted by environmental hazards due to the industrial history of the area.

Valerie DiMarzio

Maryland Communications & Media Relations Manager, CBF

vdimarzio@cbf.org443-482-2023

MIDDLE RIVER, Md. — The state of Maryland is acquiring a former Lockheed Martin property in Middle River, in hopes of relocating the Glenn L. Martin Maryland Aviation Museum.

RELATED | Lockheed Martin prepares to close operations at Middle River facility, will transfer impacted workers

Lockheed Martin announced the closure of its building - which held 465 workers - two years ago, on Eastern Boulevard at Martin Boulevard.

Now, the state Board of Public Works has approved a request from the Maryland Aviation Administration to take over the property.

The site was appraised at roughly $9.4 million.

Lockheed Martin will pay the state about $2.5 million to cover the cost of projected utility improvements. The acquisition will also allow the major defense contractor to do necessary environmental remediation at Martin State Airport.

The state Aviation Administration will move "airport tenants and equipment which do not require airfield access, freeing up scarce airport property for more traditional aeronautical-use tenants and businesses."

The MAA will also then seek Board of Public Works approval to lease the site to the Glenn L. Martin Maryland Aviation Museum.

The state agency noted in its request to the board:

...The lease will relieve MAA of all financial burdens of this property and provide shelter for the historical aircraft. This will be a place to provide a celebration of Maryland’s contribution to aerospace and provide educational opportunities for students and tourists. Most importantly, the museum’s primary goal is to inspire students to enter aviation careers. The GLMMAM has partnered with the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC). CCBC will oversee and administer all education programming associated with the CCBC’s existingAviation Program.

The museum's vision is to put an "events area, auditorium, conference rooms, eatery and office space" on the first floor, a "library/research center, gift shop, Maryland Aerospace Hall of Fame, Glenn L. Martin Gallery and Maryland Aviation Gallery" on the second floor," and to store "priceless documents" in the basement.

A STEM learning center, CCBC and/or other aviation programs, and museum offices or other leases are envisioned for the third, fourth, and fifth floors.

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