Washington College Breaks Ground on New Innovation Plant at Historic High Street Site
Years of civic engagement, community planning, and social entrepreneurship bring “Labor of Love” to the Upper Shore community.
Washington College officially broke ground last Saturday on its highly anticipated Innovation Plant, transforming a historic 16,000-square-foot industrial warehouse at 800 High Street into a vibrant future center for regional workforce development, entrepreneurship, and civic innovation. Local leaders, state officials, College dignitaries, community members, teachers, students, and families—over 450 people in total—gathered in the mural-covered old warehouse for the celebratory event aimed at honoring the site's rich history while stepping boldly into a new era of shared economic and educational opportunity for the Upper Eastern Shore.
The facility, once home to the Dixon Valve & Coupling Company and Vita Foods, will soon house a state-of-the-art commercial kitchen, entrepreneurship center, makerspace, and outdoor garden. By blending historic preservation with cutting-edge academic and public utility, the Innovation Plant is envisioned as a destination where campus and community integrate seamlessly to design products, launch small businesses, and address civic challenges.
Pat Nugent, Dir of Civic Engagement at Washington College addresses a packed house
at the Innovation Plant.
Washington College President Bryan Matthews opened the ceremony with a deeply personal reflection, wearing a Dixon ribbon on his lapel, an ode to his previous role within the company. Speaking glowingly of the company's regional legacy, President Matthews emphasized that his time with Dixon helped shape his journey and get him to where he stands today.
“Today is about breaking ground on a new chapter for the Upper Shore, Chestertown, and Washington College,” President Matthews announced to the gathered crowd. “The people of Vita Foods and Dixon Valve built something truly lasting here. We envision the Innovation Plant not merely as a facility, but as a mission.”
Matthews went on to note that innovation does not belong solely to large cities; it belongs right here in Chestertown and across our rural counties. “But like all big goals, for this to happen we must work together—and today, we are putting those words into action,” he said.
Years of dedicated collaboration made Saturday’s groundbreaking possible. The facility will create a premier regional destination and a supportive ecosystem where local entrepreneurs can receive the vital technical, educational, and structural backing they need to thrive.
Sara Clarke-De Reza, Chair of Education Dept., Director of Museum & Community Education, and Co-Director of the Cromwell Center; Bryan Matthews, Washington College President; Pat Nugent, Director of Civic Engagement; Susie Chase, Chief Advancement & Revenue Officer; Jim Wright, President of the Ratcliffe Foundation; and Carlene Cassidy, CEO of the Ratcliffe Foundation.
The event highlighted deep state-level support for the project. Brigitte Peters, a Senior Business Development Representative for the Department of Commerce, formally presented an official citation signed by the Secretary of Commerce to President Matthews, recognizing the initiative. Peters praised the venture, noting that what is being developed at the site serves as an exceptional example of public-private partnerships, where the College thoughtfully preserves its past while enthusiastically embracing its future.
The Maryland Department of Service and Civic Innovation (DSCI) was present for the event and voiced support and optimism for the Plant and its investment in the community.
"Washington College is a tremendous asset to the Eastern Shore and the entire state of Maryland," said Jonny Dorsey, DSCI Secretary. "It has been incredibly special to gather in Chestertown and see firsthand the remarkable momentum taking place here. What makes this partnership work so well is our shared foundation of basic values and mission: we know that to solve our most pressing problems, we must invite, empower, and invest in our young people to help tackle them. Through our MarylandCorp/Service Year Option programs, we’ve seen firsthand the impact that sort of belief and support can have in the lives of Maryland’s young adults. I’mso impressed with what is yet to come with Washington’s Innovation Plant and we champion its efforts to accelerate the economic and educational opportunities available throughout the Upper Shore.”
DSCI has hosted several of its annual All Corps Conferences at Washington College. At this year’s conference in January the College announced a landmark $1.32 million in scholarships for Maryland Corps/Service Year Option Program graduates.
Event attendees sign the mural in Washington College's Innocation Plant.
Chestertown Mayor Meghan Efland also presented a formal proclamation and issued ceremonial keys to the facility, marking a milestone of collaborative governance. Project leaders who received keys included Thad Bench, representing the project’s Strategic Advisory Board; Superintendent Mary Boswell-McComas, representing K-12 schools in our region; Wanda Boyer, representing the project’s Community Advisory Council; Zoe Brookbank, representing Washington College students; Carolyn Brooks, representing former Vita Foods workers and the Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience; Carlene Cassidy, representing The Philip E. & Carole R. Ratcliffe Foundation; Rosie Ramsey Granillo, representing government partners; Kate Gray, representing Dixon Valve & Coupling Company; Jim Weinberger, representing Vita Foods; Frank Williams,representing Chesapeake College; and Devon Woodus, representing local high school students engaged in the project.
Mayor Efland noted she was lucky enough to be involved with this project previously as a town council member, recalling the palpable energy, history, and excitement that has surrounded 800 High Street for years.
“We have an incredible depth of talent, knowledge, and skill right here in our community, and I’m excited to see all of that come together in a space that supports learning, innovation, and collaboration, building on a proud history of innovation and community at 800 High Street,” said Mayor Efland. “As we move further into adulthood, there are often more barriers to turning ideas into reality, and this space helps break those barriers down.”
Honoring a Century of Community and Labor
A recurring theme throughout Saturday's ceremony was profound gratitude for the generations of workers who built the site's 120-year industrial legacy. Pat Nugent, Washington College Director of Civic Engagement,honored former and current employees of Dixon Valve and Vita Foods, thanking them for building a foundational community cornerstone and for returning to celebrate its rebirth. The day was guided by a simple premise, he explained: When people build a place together, they return to it with joy, innovation, and personal investment.
"Across the event on Saturday, and over the past three years, I've spoken with hundreds of people about this former manufacturing building, and all of them, all of them, express such pride for how Vita Foods and Dixon Valve provided our region with opportunities for economic stability and personal growth,” said Nugent. “As the College begins renovations, we are incredibly honored to steward this property's legacy and future. We are investing in our community's work ethic, it's sense of personal entrepreneurship and civic spirit, and in our college and community’s eagerness to roll up their sleeves and get to work. Together, we are ready to break newground. As our 40 paid high school interns emblazoned on the building's wall last summer for all of High Street to see, this project is a ‘Labor of Love,’ and all our welcomed into it."
The cultural and historical weight of the site was brought to life beautifully by local artist Karen Somerville, who performed a moving, acapella rendition of the song "Grandma's Hands." Before singing, Somerville shared the history of those who labored there, reflecting on her grandmother, Mrs. Corinthia Hackett Somerville, who worked at the facility, pickled her own vegetables, and made her own jam from berries her children picked. She also invoked the memory of others, such as Mrs. Bertha Cotton, who arrived as a young family member and was mentored by the local Anderson family, a legacy preserved through historical journals that now reside in the Chesapeake Heartland’s Digital Archive.
Dick Goodall, chairman of The Dixon Group, strongly reinforced the significance of Washington’s involvement, emphasizing the critical role the institution plays locally.
"This wouldn’t have happened without Washington College," Goodall stated. "I sometimes think we underestimate the value of Washington College in our community. We as a community have to get behind Washington College even more than we have—this is a gem."
The exterior mural of the Innovation Plant was created by 50 paid high school and
college student interns participating in last summer's Hip Hop Time Capsule.
Looking Ahead: The Real Challenge Begins
The groundbreaking ceremony was marked with celebratory music, featuring Fredy Granillo, singing the uplifting classic "Back in the High Life Again" by Steve Winwood, leaving attendees energized. The closing song from singer songwriter and music producer Marlon Saunders served as a powerful reminder of the long-term commitments inherent in the project. Saunders shared with the crowd an acapella rendition of “May the Work I’ve Done, Speak for Me,” as attendees processed toward the ceremonial shovel turn.
In his closing remarks, Nugent noted that while the College will surely renovate the physical structure beautifully, the real, enduring challenge is to provide genuine and lasting economic and educational advancements to the youth and young adults of our region.
With construction officially underway, the Innovation Plant stands ready to turn that challenge into a landmark success.
This community-driven transformation is supported by a wide array of partners, including the Philip E. & Carole R. Ratcliffe Foundation, the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, the Maryland Department of Commerce, the Kent County Local Management Board, TEDCO, Dixon Valve & Coupling Company, and KRM Development, alongside private donors.
Follow along with the Plant’s progress at https://www.washcoll.edu/engagement/innovation-plant/index.php
- Dominique Ellis Falcon