Before anyone suggests that Philip Logan is against housing developments, it is interesting to note that the Oxford-based architect is the first to suggest that the developer of the subdivision planned for Bellevue should build many more homes than the 14 he is seeking permits for this historic community. In fact, Philip argues that the best number is 30.

There are, of course, a few stipulations to that recommendation. Still, it gives ample evidence that Logan sees the Bellevue project as more of an opportunity than a problem at this planning stage.

While it is true that the New York City and Oxford-based architect has some significant concerns about what the current blueprint looks like for the waterfront site, Philip makes the case that with simple, relatively modest changes to the existing concept, the town, the new homeowners, and most importantly, the developer and their return on investment, would all benefit by embracing the unique history of Bellevue with its design.

In the second and last series – the first with Dr. Dennis De Shields – Philip talks about what makes good subdivisions and how such important design features as porches and public access to the waterfront can have a dramatically positive impact on keeping this small hamlet a true community rather than the dangers of separating the haves from the have nots by thoughtless architecture.

Last week, we talked to Philip at the Water’s Edge Museum in Oxford about the Bellevue project.

This video is approximately seven minutes in length. 

Perhaps the only way that most visitors to Talbot County might remember the town of Bellevue is because it is one of two destinations using the famed Oxford-Bellevue ferry. For eight months out of the year, locals and tourists gather across from the Robert Morris Inn to take the brief crossing over the Tred Avon River to the tiny hamlet several times a day to take in some of the most iconic images of the Mid-Shore’s waterscapes and boat traffic. And while most passengers quickly jump back into their cars and drive off to St. Michaels, they do notice, at least for a few moments, that Bellevue has a real sense of place.

For Dr. Dennis De Shields, Bellevue is more than a brief encounter. It is the ancestral home of his father’s family. While Dr. De Shields, a self-described “army brat,” followed his father’s career as a high-ranking colonel, it always seemed to him that Bellevue was his family’s real home. With the free run of the town during long summer breaks and enjoying the almost endless extent of family relations and friendships, Dennis bonded with the town, its people, and culture as his own.

The proof is that devotion can be seen when De Shields, and his wife Mary, also a physician, decided to move their young family to Bellevue over a decade ago to provide their children with a real sense of place rather than the cold indifference of American suburbia. And since that time, Dennis has not only taken a leadership role in the community, he and his father have devoted countless volunteer hours preparing for a special African-American museum to be built in the heart of the town using his grandmother’s collection of artifacts, art, and images to tell the story of this remarkable place.

When the Spy published Dr. De Shields’ opinion piece expressing his concerns about a future housing development, we thought it would be a good time to chat with him about the special meaning and history of Bellevue, and its importance for the Black community of the Mid-Shore. In our interview from last week at the Water’s Edge Museum, where the artist Ruth Starr Rose’s painting of one of his ancestors playing the guitar in the background, Dennis talks about his unique history with the town and also his concerns and suggestions regarding plans for 14 new luxury homes to be built soon.  

This video is approximately six minutes in length. In Part Two, which will be published on June 2, the Spy chats with architect Philip Logan about how sub-divisions can be designed to build on a town’s culture and community.

The year 2022 marks a special anniversary for the Mid-Shore’s Women & Girls Fund. For two decades, the WGF, under the watchful eye of its funder, Alice Ryan, and its diligent board members, have invested in some of the region’s most deserving charities to support and empower women and girls.

Over the next twelve months, the Spy will highlight some of the many organizations that the Women & Girls Fund has helped. Strategically using their limited resources to target programs typically overlooked by traditional philanthropists or government grants, the WGF board has found innovative ways to leverage their modest contributions for the most impact.

We start our series with Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Caroline County. Dedicated to supporting and promoting court-appointed volunteer advocacy for abused and neglected children to find a safe home for them to thrive, CASA of Caroline has played a key role in doing just that.

The Spy recently sat down with Amy Horne, the director of outreach at CASA of Caroline, who also happens to be the daughter of the late Talbot County Circuit Court Judge William Horne, who founded CASA in Talbot County, to talk about the program and the special challenges women and their children have in America’s court system.

We also chatted briefly with Women & Girls Fund board member Martha Kendall, who has been a strong supporter of the organization, on how careful the WGF is in selecting its grantees and why CASA of Caroline was such a worthy recipient.

This video is approximately five minutes in length. For more information about the Women & Girls Fund please go here. For information about CASA of Caroline County please go here.