Baltimore Development News [Archive]

NewBaltimore1980

November 29th, 2004, 02:02 PM

Originally published Nov 29, 2004
The northeast corner of Light and Redwood streets has long been a place for people on the move - most recently as the site of the 14-story Southern Hotel and before that as the setting for the historic Fountain Inn.
But it may soon be the address for people who want to make downtown Baltimore their more permanent home, if the owners proceed with their latest redevelopment plan.

Seeking to tap into the growing market for upscale housing in Baltimore's central business district, J. Joseph Clarke Enterprises and Capital Guidance Corp., owners of the property known as One Light Street, are considering plans to build high-rise apartments or condominiums there.

Their plan represents a shift in thinking about the prime downtown parcel, which has previously been eyed for offices, a hotel or both.

J. Joseph Clarke, managing agent for the development team, said he has been thinking about residences since last summer and asked the architectural firm of Hord Coplan Macht in Baltimore to design a residential tower for the site.

The architects drew plans for a 28-story tower that would contain 248 residences and 410 parking spaces, plus commercial space at street level.

Clarke said he has been impressed by the number of people moving to downtown Baltimore in recent months, primarily to apartments in recycled office or loft buildings, and thought the Light Street property would be an ideal location for new construction.

He said he has been looking for a development partner who specializes in housing and has had strong interest.

"This is the direction that I see the site moving in," he said. "It's not a done deal yet, but we're warmer than we've been in a while."

"To have apartments at that location would be dynamite, because you can walk to so many things," said architect Ed Hord. "There's a great appetite for downtown living right now."

Hundreds of downtown apartments have been occupied in recent months, with the opening of developments such as Centerpoint, the Munsey Building, the Standard Building and Saratoga Court.

An apartment tower is under construction at the northwest corner of Howard and Lombard streets; another is planned for the southwest corner of Pratt and Paca streets. Thirty-eight upscale condominiums are being created at the Breco Building two blocks north of City Hall.

The One Light Street property is bounded roughly by Light, Redwood, Baltimore and Grant streets. Besides the old Southern Hotel, built in 1917 and razed starting in 1998, an office building at 5 Light St. was demolished to make way for redevelopment, and four low-rise buildings in the 100 block of E. Baltimore St. still face demolition.

The parcel does not include the Thomas Building at Baltimore and Light streets, a six-story structure that is owned by McDonald's Corp. and contains a McDonald's restaurant.

Designed by Otto Simonson for builder Abraham J. Fink, the 400-room Southern Hotel was one of the city's premier hotels during the first half of the 20th century. Many Baltimoreans have fond memories of parties and dances in the "Spanish Villa" on the roof. Last used as a hotel in the 1960s, it became the home of an engineering school that moved out in the 1980s and was subsequently acquired by Clarke's group.

Over the past decade, Clarke and his partners have promoted plans for a 45-story office tower and mixed-use developments containing offices and an Embassy Suites hotel, but they have been unable to obtain the funding needed to proceed with construction.

Clarke said the chance of building an office tower is remote at this point because the downtown market already has an abundance of office space, and hotels can be difficult to finance.

He said city planners have already tentatively approved plans that call for construction of a seven-story structure containing street-level retail space and parking above. He said this base could be modified to support a residential tower above, rather than offices or a hotel.

Hord said he envisions a "very sleek" building that would be a counterpoint to the historic Bank of America tower at 10 Light St.

A rendering created by the design team indicates that the building would have a glass and metal skin, with floor-to-ceiling windows and balconies enabling residents to take advantage of panoramic views.

For the corner of Light and Redwood, where the Southern Hotel stood, the designers created a "blue cube" that could contain offices or loft apartments. It would provide a slipcover of sorts for the parking structure to the east.

The top of the garage would be the first level of the residential tower, with amenities such as an indoor pool, exercise room, theater, community room and landscaped terrace.

For now, Clarke said, the land is being used as 46 parking spaces for the law firm of Miles and Stockbridge, which recently agreed to keep its headquarters at 10 Light St.

"I wanted to applaud them," Clarke said, "for signing their new lease."

Student housing

The Maryland Institute College of Art today will begin demolishing a building at 1601 Mount Royal Ave. to make way for a $20 million student residence facility to be designed by RTKL Associates.

The vacant Ditch, Bower and Taylor building will be razed over the next three weeks to make way for the housing, expected to open by fall 2007.

waj0527

November 29th, 2004, 05:09 PM

Apparently the Silo Point project in Locust Point is moving along nicely. BTW....has anyone seen any renderings of the final project or heard any proposals?

From the Nov. 18th Maryland Daily Record:

Md. pays to remove pier
November 18, 2004
By EZRA K. FIESER,
Daily Record Business Writer

$3M demolition clears way for silo housing
With the industrial lines on Baltimore’s waterfront continuing to recede, state officials are spending $3 million to demolish a South Baltimore pier near the site of a future residential development.

The Board of Public Works agreed yesterday to spend $3 million to demolish a pier at the former Archer Daniels Midland grain elevator, above, in South Baltimore’s Locust Point. The former industrial site will be converted to housing, offices and retail.

The state Board of Public Works approved a contract with Maine-based Cianbro Corp. to remove the pier in Locust Point, an increasingly popular waterfront neighborhood where developers are turning former industrial buildings into upscale offices and residences.
“There’s no need for a pier if the site is going to become residential,” said J.B. Hanson, a spokesman for the Maryland Port Administration, which owned the pier.

The pier was used by Illinois-based Archer Daniels Midland Co., which owned an adjacent grain elevator operation. The elevator site was recently purchased by a Baltimore developer who is planning a $200 million mix of offices, retail shops and upscale residences.

A partnership led by Henrietta Corp. owner Patrick Turner is planning Silo Point, a mix of 120 townhouses, as many as 380 apartments or condominiums, 130,000 square feet of office space and 60,000 square feet for retail use on the 15-acre site. Construction on the townhouses by national home builder Pulte Homes Inc. and the first phases of the conversion of the 290-foot tower are expected to begin early next year.
Although grain shipping effectively halted from the North Locust Point Marine Terminal in early 2002 when ADM moved the operation to Virginia, the conversion of its grain elevator is another sign of the transition of Baltimore’s waterfront.

When Turner was negotiating to buy the site from ADM last year, port officials objected, asking the state to block the sale and preserve the land for industrial use.

The city planning department responded with an industrial overlay district aimed at drawing lines for commercial development and preserving industrial land — even that which is currently unused — for future growth.

The Silo Point project won zoning changes and city approvals before that overlay district became law this summer. The popularity of the surrounding neighborhood — where two-bedroom townhouses are selling for nearly $200,000 — have led developers to look outside of the compact area’s traditional boundaries for land.

A former Procter & Gamble soap factory had already been converted into offices designed for technology companies by Baltimore-based Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse Inc. The renamed Tide Point complex is fully leased.
But as manufacturing has changed in the United States, many of the industrial sites have been vacated, leaving large waterfront sites ready to be developed.

At the Silo Point site, “The train tracks form a natural barrier between our development and the port,” Turner said. “Trains don’t run very often on those tracks. They used to serve the grain elevator and the Procter site.”

StevenW

November 29th, 2004, 11:04 PM

I'd sure love to see the architect's rendering of the 'new' One Light Street. Wouldn't you? :D
Maybe a little investigating is in order. :)

StevenW

November 29th, 2004, 11:46 PM

Here is a site you guys should check out:

http://www.hcm2.com/home_frameindex.html

It's the new architectual Firm for One Light Street.

StevenW

November 29th, 2004, 11:52 PM

Hord said he envisions a "very sleek" building that would be a counterpoint to the historic Bank of America tower at 10 Light St.

A rendering created by the design team indicates that the building would have a glass and metal skin, with floor-to-ceiling windows and balconies enabling residents to take advantage of panoramic views.

For the corner of Light and Redwood, where the Southern Hotel stood, the designers created a "blue cube" that could contain offices or loft apartments. It would provide a slipcover of sorts for the parking structure to the east.

The top of the garage would be the first level of the residential tower, with amenities such as an indoor pool, exercise room, theater, community room and landscaped terrace.

Very nice when he said, "very sleek", :D

willrusso

November 30th, 2004, 03:11 AM

Here is a site you guys should check out:

http://www.hcm2.com/home_frameindex.html

It's the new architectual Firm for One Light Street.

I can't view it for some reason. All I see is a black page with some links at the top.

TritaniumZ3

November 30th, 2004, 03:18 AM

I can't view it for some reason. All I see is a black page with some links at the top.

Samehere. Try his site it might help.

One Light Street (http://www.onelightstreet.com/)

StevenW

November 30th, 2004, 04:15 AM

sorry guys, try this: http://www.hcm2.com

Baltimoreguy

November 30th, 2004, 04:40 AM

One Light street 28 Floors not too bad should be between 320 and 350 feet tall. I hope this one gets built. I bet the old McCormick Spice PLant Site gets Huge Residential Tower prosposal soon. It is the last nearly waterfront site left and next to HarborPlace. I would love to see a building like the one once proposed for St Paul and Calvert Streets(Now an Apartment Complex also). It was a 68 story apartment tower. The city turned them down saying it was too tall for Mt Vernon. This was way back when I was studying Urban Cities At U of MD. Could you Imagine a 68 story Apartment building at Conway and Light Street. Of course to comfirm with the Inner Harbor Site Plan the front of the building would be half to be less than 145 feet. It would be similar in design as HarborCourt but 30 floors taller. I could see a large garage, with street level stores, maybe even a small hotel and like 500 condos or apartments in the a tower on the back of the site. The McCormick site will be the next SuperBlock Development. Ok Dream Over. Wake up The City would turn it down anyway. LOL

fanofterps

November 30th, 2004, 05:13 AM

Super Fresh Grocery Store= creates perception people live in downtown Balto
Water Tower Condo= over 300 units
Conversion of old Gas & Electric Building = 200 units
1 light st = 250 units
300 pratt st =250 units
Zenith = 200 units
Abell Building on Eutaw= 35 lofts
Calvert and Mercer site= 300 units
Bohager's site= 200 units
McCormick site= build residential 300 units
951 Fell st = 260 units
Silo Point= 500 units
Caton Crossing= 505 units
Ritz Carlton = 174 units
Pier Town Harbor View= 88 towns
800 Allicienna= 100 units
4 Seasons= 80 units

QUOTE=Baltimoreguy]One Light street 28 Floors not too bad should be between 320 and 350 feet tall. I hope this one gets built. I bet the old McCormick Spice PLant Site gets Huge Residential Tower prosposal soon. It is the last nearly waterfront site left and next to HarborPlace. I would love to see a building like the one once proposed for St Paul and Calvert Streets(Now an Apartment Complex also). It was a 68 story apartment tower. The city turned them down saying it was too tall for Mt Vernon. This was way back when I was studying Urban Cities At U of MD. Could you Imagine a 68 story Apartment building at Conway and Light Street. Of course to comfirm with the Inner Harbor Site Plan the front of the building would be half to be less than 145 feet. It would be similar in design as HarborCourt but 30 floors taller. I could see a large garage, with street level stores, maybe even a small hotel and like 500 condos or apartments in the a tower on the back of the site. The McCormick site will be the next SuperBlock Development. Ok Dream Over. Wake up The City would turn it down anyway. LOL[/QUOTE]

waj0527

November 30th, 2004, 07:24 AM

I honestly think this may be one of the most underrated project currently taking place in Baltimore. Sure, its great to be adding class-A office space, hotels, and residences to the City Center, Mt. Vernon, Westside and Harbor East neighborhoods and along the waterfront, but I think this project, University of Maryland's Biopark and the massive renewal project in the Uplands neighborhood in SW Baltimore are vital to the city's future.

The townhomes, condos and apartments planned for these areas will be market-rate properties. I really believe that these projects will provide housing alternatives to graduate students and faculty. These projects will continue to bring a more wealthy tax base back to the city.

Developers push to double housing at east-side biopark
By Alan Zibel
Baltimore Business Journal

As many as 700 new homes are being proposed for a downtrodden section of East Baltimore next to the Johns Hopkins medical campus as part of a $1 billion plan to build a life sciences park there.

That's more than double the minimum of 300 housing units -- a mixture of apartments, townhouses and condominiums -- originally set by planners of the proposed New East Baltimore Community, which is slated to be built in a neighborhood plagued by high crime rates and boarded-up rowhouses.

To accommodate the developers' interest in building housing, the initial phase of the project has been expanded to include 30 acres north of Johns Hopkins Hospital, up from 20 acres. The overall project is designed to be 80 acres.

Each of the three development teams being considered to build the project's $500 million first phase is interested in constructing more than 500 homes as part of the project, said Jack Shannon, president and chief executive officer of East Baltimore Development Inc., the city-affiliated organization overseeing the project. One developer has even proposed more than 700 housing units, he said.

"There is a marketplace for housing north of the Johns Hopkins campus," Shannon said.

The developers believed that more new apartments, condominiums or townhouses could create enough "critical mass" to generate momentum for the neighborhood's turnaround, Shannon said.

Housing could also be attractive to Johns Hopkins graduate students in such fields as medicine, public health and nursing, most of whom live off campus.

Some of the East Baltimore families who are being moved out of the area to clear way for the project may want to move back to the neighborhood when the project is done, Shannon said.

Bill Cassidy, sales manager of the Long & Foster realty office in Fells Point, agreed there will be strong demand for new housing north of the Hopkins campus, especially since nearby Butcher's Hill and Patterson Park are already seeing an influx of new residents who are sprucing up old rowhouses.

"Once the whole area is redone, it will become very much like a new part of the city," he said.

The area north of Hopkins could compete with new suburban townhouse developments because there are always people looking to buy newly constructed homes, Cassidy said.

And the chance to avoid a highway commute to downtown Baltimore could be enticing for many homebuyers.

Spacious townhouses with on-site parking and easy access to the subway could be attractive to buyers who also are looking at small rowhouses with no parking spaces in nearby Canton.

The 11-member EBDI board is now slated to make a decision on a master developer for the overall project sometime in December, a delay from the original goal of mid-November. Shannon said the decision has been delayed because the board wants to do a careful and thorough review of all three proposals.

At first, the project's planners did not know, Shannon said, how big the market would be for housing in the area.

One third of the housing would be sold or rented at market rates. Another third would be designated as affordable housing, with the rest set aside for low-income households. All three proposals include a mix of rental properties and for-sale properties.

One of the three potential lead developers, Steven Grigg, president and chief executive of Washington-based Republic Properties Corp., said the residential part of the project is "probably the most important feature from an urban planning standpoint" because it could have the most impact on the area. He declined to describe his company's proposal in detail.

The other two possible development team leaders are the Washington division of Cleveland-based Forest City Enterprises and a joint venture between Baltimore development firm Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse Inc. and New Hampshire-based Lyme Properties LLC. Neither could be reached for comment.

The timeline for the initial phase of the project is likely to become clearer when the developer is picked next month.

Johns Hopkins has one graduate student dormitory on the East Baltimore campus, Reed Hall.

"We believe that there is some demand for some folks who want to come back to the campus," said Richard Grossi, vice president and chief financial officer of Johns Hopkins Medicine. Additional apartments could help to meet that demand, he said.

Johns Hopkins Medicine has committed to lease 100,000 square feet of office and laboratory space in the life sciences park, Grossi said.

That space is slated for researchers in the medical school's Institute for Basic Biomedical Sciences.

The project's first phase calls for 1 million square feet of office space. Hopkins is playing a role, Grossi said, in trying to recruit companies to the park.

"We've had some people come unsolicited and say, 'Look we're interested in being there,' " said Grossi, who declined to give names. "I'd like a couple of large companies."

© 2004 Baltimore Business Journal

Eerik

November 30th, 2004, 10:18 AM

http://www.dcestonian.com/baltimore/financialdistrict/onelight/hcm/1lightSWview.jpg

The design of the newly proposed One Light Street has potential. The blue-cube seems to pay homage to the old Redwood Street façade. It seems to be an attempt at providing some sort of scale to the old Redwood Street cornice-line while pragmatically acknowledging the space in and of itself as a garage. The cube also appears to help create a more graceful tower by appearing detached. While I like what it seems to be trying to do, in some ways it’s too literal; too elementary.

I really like the attempt at salvaging the old Thompson’s Drugstore on Baltimore Street. While today used as a McDonalds, the loss of that structure would spell an end to a very important and significant piece of Baltimore. The same applies to the rest of the 200 Block of East Baltimore Street…all the way down to the old Alex Brown Building/Chevy Chase bank branch. I hope those structures can be salvaged and incorporated.

I can’t say I am all that thrilled with the tower itself. I hope this is the first massing-rendering and that the final design will be less 60s-70s retro and a bit more forward thinking. I am also not all that convinced about the tower plan: I would love to hear what Hord Coplan Macht was thinking. There seems to be no rhyme or logic; the positioning of the tower-wings won’t provide any benefit to inhabitants. The extended-stay hotel will block views for nearly half of the lower floors across Redwood Street, and 200 East Pratt Street will block all the rest of the views. (City planners are probably beginning to kick themselves for allowing the old Harbor-frame concept to be compromised in the 80s. The old Union Trust/Wachovia Bank Tower will have a significant slice of additional breathing space removed as well, probably pissing off building management more so than with the 200 East Pratt Street addition some fifteen years ago.)

What I am unsure of is the programming. And this is a question that has less to do with the new proposal for One Light Street and more so with downtown as a whole: I firmly believe in a downtown that is 24-hour in nature. However I am not all that sure and convinced that by channeling so much residential development into the financial district is a good thing. By dumping The Munsey, The Standard, and others…and now this plot of what ought to be prime available land to residential…worries me a bit. The heart of the Baltimore region is fast becoming a residential neighborhood. We no longer have a manufacturing base, and we are no longer a headquarters town (in terms of Fortune 500 companies, with the exception of Constellation Energy). My regret and fear is that in some ways we are truly becoming what planners predicted some thirty or forty years ago…a bedroom community of the larger and more important Washington DC. We are watching the prestige…importance of what was an important city…decline.

jaysonjaz

November 30th, 2004, 05:03 PM

"There is a marketplace for housing north of the Johns Hopkins campus," Shannon said.

The developers believed that more new apartments, condominiums or townhouses could create enough "critical mass" to generate momentum for the neighborhood's turnaround, Shannon said.

Housing could also be attractive to Johns Hopkins graduate students in such fields as medicine, public health and nursing, most of whom live off campus.

Some of the East Baltimore families who are being moved out of the area to clear way for the project may want to move back to the neighborhood when the project is done, Shannon said.

I would love to own one of those houses directly north of Johns Hopkins. The homes on broadway directly north of the hospital rival Resevoir Hill in their raw beauty. Unfortunately they also rival Resevoir Hill in their lack of care and amount of decay. I really hope that some of those houses are left intact and renovated during all of this.

I would agree that one of the best indicators of Baltimore's health and one of the main factors that will make this city a 24hour city will be the ammount that the neighborhoods surrounding the central business district get redeveloped. I am excited to see all thats going on here! :)

jaysonjaz

November 30th, 2004, 05:16 PM

[IMG]
What I am unsure of is the programming. And this is a question that has less to do with the new proposal for One Light Street and more so with downtown as a whole: I firmly believe in a downtown that is 24-hour in nature. However I am not all that sure and convinced that by channeling so much residential development into the financial district is a good thing. By dumping The Munsey, The Standard, and others…and now this plot of what ought to be prime available land to residential…worries me a bit. The heart of the Baltimore region is fast becoming a residential neighborhood. We no longer have a manufacturing base, and we are no longer a headquarters town (in terms of Fortune 500 companies, with the exception of Constellation Energy). My regret and fear is that in some ways we are truly becoming what planners predicted some thirty or forty years ago…a bedroom community of the larger and more important Washington DC. We are watching the prestige…importance of what was an important city…decline.

I hear what you are saying about the loss of a downtown prestige, but I am not quite as pessimistic. I think by making the downtown a more "happening" place, you increase the image of the city. This makes Baltimore seem a more desirable place to do business.
If I am a CEO and I am visiting Baltimore on a business trip and I were considering moving my company, I would want to see a bustling busy city with people moving all about. Seeing a place that is boarded up and closed at 5pm says a lot about a location. I think once this is a more round the clock city, the image will be that Baltimore is a good place to do business and a fun place for people to live and to work.
I don't think the loss of several CBD buildings to residential will really hurt us overall.

StevenW

November 30th, 2004, 11:06 PM

THIS IS INTERESTING: http://baltimore.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/2004/11/29/story2.html

Comments, anyone? :D

StevenW

November 30th, 2004, 11:39 PM

http://leaflet.vet.ed.ac.uk/webpage/postcards/baltimore/baltimore1_large.jpg

NewBaltimore1980

December 1st, 2004, 12:07 AM

Gsol

December 1st, 2004, 01:08 AM

StevenW

December 1st, 2004, 01:45 AM

I agree. The tower does look like it should be at the beachfront. :D AT LEAST, if they will build it, add another 28 floors! ;) THEN, I might warm up to the "beach" look. :D ;)

fanofterps

December 1st, 2004, 02:13 AM

The trend the last 10 years or so is for companies to relocate from the central business district to water-front locations(Can Company, Tide Point, Canton Crossing, Bonds Wharf in Fells Point) with free parking or the suburbs. We have a 23 percent vacancy rate in the central business district and this may increase with the 500 Pratt st opening. Why not convert some of these buildings into upscale residential and retail. Jaysonjaz is right in that a 24 hour city in the central business district would attract more investment.

QUOTE=jaysonjaz]I hear what you are saying about the loss of a downtown prestige, but I am not quite as pessimistic. I think by making the downtown a more "happening" place, you increase the image of the city. This makes Baltimore seem a more desirable place to do business.
If I am a CEO and I am visiting Baltimore on a business trip and I were considering moving my company, I would want to see a bustling busy city with people moving all about. Seeing a place that is boarded up and closed at 5pm says a lot about a location. I think once this is a more round the clock city, the image will be that Baltimore is a good place to do business and a fun place for people to live and to work.
I don't think the loss of several CBD buildings to residential will really hurt us overall.[/QUOTE]

scando

December 1st, 2004, 05:31 AM

What I am unsure of is the programming. And this is a question that has less to do with the new proposal for One Light Street and more so with downtown as a whole: I firmly believe in a downtown that is 24-hour in nature. However I am not all that sure and convinced that by channeling so much residential development into the financial district is a good thing. By dumping The Munsey, The Standard, and others…and now this plot of what ought to be prime available land to residential…worries me a bit. The heart of the Baltimore region is fast becoming a residential neighborhood. We no longer have a manufacturing base, and we are no longer a headquarters town (in terms of Fortune 500 companies, with the exception of Constellation Energy). My regret and fear is that in some ways we are truly becoming what planners predicted some thirty or forty years ago…a bedroom community of the larger and more important Washington DC. We are watching the prestige…importance of what was an important city…decline.

The residential move seems to me to be great. It's not like the Munsey, Standard, etc were functioning all that well as office buildings. They were nearly empty hulks in danger of demolition for a parking lots. The unfortunate fact is that corporate HQs aren't really breaking down the doors to get to those above-the-harbor locations and those buildings would not have been much of a draw if they were. The fact that those buildings seem to be pretty attractive as residential property is a real positive alternative. As more people live downtown, the possibility of more corporate interest will increase. I don't worry about the bedroom community for DC thing. There are a few people continuing to move into the area in areas that are close to the MARC but so what? They can't live too far afield from Camden or Pennsylvania stations because they already have a 1 1/2 hour commute via MARC and DC Metro. They aren't going to spread over the whole area because of the commute. They bring income and tax base and as they live here, DC people seem to like Baltimore much more than DC so they become local after a while. That all leads to more economic vitality to city areas that have been struggling for decades.

scando

December 1st, 2004, 05:39 AM

I hope they are not serious about the design. Please say this is a joke. The building is inconpatible with the surronding ones on the skyline. It is a residential looking design and belongs in the Hopkins area or Towson. In order to conform with its neighbors, One Light St. should be more rectangular in shape, not sectioned in wings, and loose the decks. This is not Ocean City.

Gary

Who would want to buy an expensive condo and hot have a deck? It seems no more incompatible than the disparate buildings that are alreay there and too many glass boxes in one area gets pretty repetitive.

Eerik

December 1st, 2004, 07:20 AM

Ron C

December 1st, 2004, 04:54 PM

I’m sorry that I came across as too pessimistic! I guess I too often let me inner feelings and fears surface, and as such, they can be misinterpreted!

First of all, I do not have any real hate or animosity for the proposed One Light Street. If anything, I find it a better design than earlier proposals. As cited by Hord Coplan Macht, it does juxtapose with the Bank of America Building across the street. Designs by Burgee, Fillat, and others almost competed with the BoA tower across the street. By sheer mass and scale they almost tried to overtake the building across the street. The current proposal is a neutral “backdrop” building that fulfills a market need while not calling undue attention to itself. If anything, for that reason alone, Hord Coplan Macht ought to be praised.

However, from a sheer urban planning perspective, I still maintain that buildings, i.e. zoning downtown ought to be carefully weighed. This reason alone is why I tend to oppose a horserace track downtown. Even a subtle shift in land-use can create havoc. In other words, let’s be careful how we place out bets; lad is scare! So let’s be frugal!

Yes, a traditional economy based on manufacturing is a thing of the past. And for many various reasons, Baltimore as a hub for financial and banking is also long gone. What’s left? Do we really become a bedroom community? Has the City really done the best it can to attract and nurture a new economy? I totally endorse the slogan “out with the old, in with the new.” But are we realizing the best investment? Are we getting the most return for the dollar?

An interesting discussion.

Here’s a personal perspective. My wife works just above the DC beltway in PG Co, and I work in Harford Co. We live in Federal Hill, half-way between, more or less. While that is probably a good justification in itself, we actually would want to live there anyway. I’d certainly love the opportunity to have the same (or similar) job in downtown Baltimore. Although in our cases (for several reasons) there is essentially 0% chance of changing jobs at this point in our lives, I can imagine that if the population of potential employees in an area increases, employers might be encouraged to locate there to tap into that base. Isn’t that, at least in part, what happened (and is still happening) when employers moved to the ‘burbs? They followed their potential employees. I can imagine that increasing the number of people who live downtown might help reverse that trend—as would increasing the number of people who live in city neighborhoods close to downtown. Not every business can have a waterfront location. But I’d bet that if you increase the number of potential employees downtown, employers may want to locate there in order to entice them through shorter commutes. There should be enough room for both businesses and residences. I think that would be ideal.

(I'm hoping that will also be the case with retail downtown, though it seems to be taking longer than I would like.)

robert parsons

December 1st, 2004, 05:41 PM

http://www.designcollective.com/_internal/cimg!0/8vvu8jlebrz

Design Collective, Inc. is continuing to redefine and activate Baltimore’s waterfront area in the heart Fells Point and is working with Houston-based developer, The Hanover Company, to design an eight-story midrise high-end loft apartment project comprised of 252 rental units and 10 waterfront townhomes. Located at the harbor’s edge and at the terminus of Fell Street, the project extends Baltimore’s waterfront promenade through the site and provides prominent project visibility, immediate waterfront access, lush landscaping, and rich hardscape amenities for residents and public use.

The design concept includes a modified ‘E-shaped’ midrise to maximize waterfront views for a majority of units to the south and east, and stunning downtown skyline views for the remainder to the northwest. The waterfront townhomes are designed to enhance views over the marina to the outer harbor by situating the four residential levels above the 400-space parking garage, which serves residents and marina users.

The Hanover/Design Collective residential project offer “true loft” apartments with 10-feet high ceilings, oversized windows, and features including exposed spiral ductwork and stained concrete floors. The building’s ground floor will offer 10 “walk-up units” with street access and richly landscaped private terraces. One and two bedroom apartments range in size from 750-1850 square feet, and with overall luxurious building amenities to include a demonstration kitchen for cooking classes, a 24-person movie theater, a wine cellar, internet/coffee bar, and fitness/aerobics center. Construction is scheduled to begin in Winter 2003 with a Spring 2005 grand opening anticipated.

robert parsons

December 1st, 2004, 05:51 PM

I Like The New One Light St But, Dont Like The Location!!!!!!
It Needs To Be Futher Away From The Core Maybe Closer To 83. Were Some More New Residentail Is Going Up. Start Spreading The Downtown A Little Closer To Hopkins . Has Anyone Also Heard Any New Info On 83. Last I Heard They Were Toying With Putting 83 Underground And Making A Street Level Blvd With The Jones Falls Exposed , Kinda Like A Park.

Ron C

December 1st, 2004, 06:14 PM

Design Collective, Inc. is continuing to redefine and activate Baltimore’s waterfront area in the heart Fells Point and is working with Houston-based developer, The Hanover Company, to design an eight-story midrise high-end loft apartment project comprised of 252 rental units and 10 waterfront townhomes. Located at the harbor’s edge and at the terminus of Fell Street, the project extends Baltimore’s waterfront promenade through the site and provides prominent project visibility, immediate waterfront access, lush landscaping, and rich hardscape amenities for residents and public use.
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Construction is scheduled to begin in Winter 2003 with a Spring 2005 grand opening anticipated.

I think that this is the project that I took pictures of back in August. If so, it looked like they were only getting started at that time, so I'd guess they are behind schedule.

Here's what it looked like in August 04.

http://www.digistash.com/data/a51c896c9cb81ecb5a199d51ac9fc3c5/full_2793_p22553.jpeg

http://www.digistash.com/data/a51c896c9cb81ecb5a199d51ac9fc3c5/full_2793_p22552.jpeg

NewBaltimore1980

December 1st, 2004, 08:08 PM

Eerik

December 1st, 2004, 08:31 PM

I agree, the One Light Street residences would better suit the Guilford corridor further east. It would complement the residential zone developing along the northern edge of the CBD which seems to be moving east and south. I have not heard of placing I-83 underground, and agree that tunneling may not be a smart idea.

However, one of the recommendations floated around in the late 80s/early 90s in a report on downtown was to demolish the I-83 platform-bridge and replace with an at-grade boulevard. I think a significant cost was demolition and properly channeling and containing the Jones Falls under a new boulevard. One study recommended opening the Falls as part of a pedestrian walk alongside the new boulevard. The idea may still be on the city's "wish list" of items.

StevenW

December 1st, 2004, 11:10 PM

Are there any pictures and/or renderings of a residential tower, that you know of, that you would like to see designed and erected at One Light Street, that you could post? :) There are a few I seen in San Francisco that I liked. If I can find them I'll post them. :D

LilMoeJoeJoe

December 2nd, 2004, 01:42 AM

I saw on the news recently that a city in Georgia was able to lure 5-6 foreign manufacturers after a major automobile assembly plant was closed down. Baltimore's Civic leaders should do the same thing. Offer huge tax breaks and turn the facility into sort of a manufacturing mall. Boeing is contracting out assembly work for it's new 7E7 aircraft. That huge facility that once built vans could build airplane parts, other automobile parts, laser discs, hard drives, parts for various military vehicles etc. The Civic leadership must not take this lying down. They have to recognize changes in the market and then try to capitalize on them. BWI is an example that comes to mind. They built a multi million dollar International Terminal, lured 3 new International Airlines, and now one of them is in bankruptcy (not BWI's fault) and another says they my leave altogether. Well if you've flown out of BWI you can understand why. The airport does not cater to the International traveler but rather to the Greyhound Southwest crowd. The International terminal is not easily accessable as the other terminals are and the airlines there get little or no marketing. That is why they cannot attract and keep more International Airlines. I hope that Baltimore City sees this and learns from it.

fanofterps

December 2nd, 2004, 02:08 AM

I drove by the site this weekend and their is a large crane in the sky now. They have done alot since your pictures in August Ron C.

I think that this is the project that I took pictures of back in August. If so, it looked like they were only getting started at that time, so I'd guess they are behind schedule.

Here's what it looked like in August 04.

http://www.digistash.com/data/a51c896c9cb81ecb5a199d51ac9fc3c5/full_2793_p22553.jpeg

http://www.digistash.com/data/a51c896c9cb81ecb5a199d51ac9fc3c5/full_2793_p22552.jpeg

scando

December 2nd, 2004, 05:13 AM

However, one of the recommendations floated around in the late 80s/early 90s in a report on downtown was to demolish the I-83 platform-bridge and replace with an at-grade boulevard. I think a significant cost was demolition and properly channeling and containing the Jones Falls under a new boulevard. One study recommended opening the Falls as part of a pedestrian walk alongside the new boulevard. The idea may still be on the city's "wish list" of items.

I think that idea went DOA quite a while ago. The state has spent a lot of money upgrading the JFX and just finished the project. It doesn't seem likely that anybody would entertain tearing it up at this point. Most of the underground stream actually runs under the Fallsway rather than the JFX. The Falls collects runoff from about half of the streets in the city as well as stuff from leaking sanitary sewers. The water is strained and aerated before it enters the harbor in attempt to avoid polluting the harbor water (wow). It's kinda hard to imagine making that into a gathering place.

StevenW

December 2nd, 2004, 05:48 AM

City is shifting gears to preserve industry

Overhaul: Zoning changes are designed to protect waterfront sites from “condo creep.”
By Jill Rosen
Sun Staff
Originally published December 1, 2004, 9:33 PM EST
Thirty years ago, when the city last considered its industrial zoning plan, manufacturing was king. Few anticipated that someday people would spend millions to live next to those grimy factories. Or that so many of Baltimore's blue-collar behemoths wouldn't make it to 2004.
Now, as city planners revisit those dusty zoning rules, they struggle to balance the needs of the city's remaining factories and manufacturers, which often awkwardly co-exist next to upscale homes and condos, with the needs of more modern businesses that the city must also attract to stay viable and competitive.

"It's an attempt to stand back and take a new look from a long-range perspective," said Evans Paull, a director with the Baltimore Development Corporation, the agency that drafted the plan. "What is the new reality of the marketplace?"

The old zoning has left Baltimore with a glut of sites zoned for heavy industry, but not enough property appropriate for more modern businesses. By revamping the code, the goal is to make sure both needs are balanced.

Though the guidelines, first released earlier this year, haven't been controversial, they are sweeping. As city leaders work over the coming year to rewrite the zoning rules, these guidelines will serve as the framework. They'll likely form the roadmap for how and where industry will grow in Baltimore -- a loose set of recommenda tions for the City Council as it makes future zoning decisions.

Thursday the public will have a final chance to comment on the proposal as it's presented to the city Planning Commission at 1:30 p.m.

More than anything else, the BDC's plan, based on a consultant's analysis, protects Baltimore's historic waterfront industries from "condo creep," assuring maritime interests that the deep-water access their businesses require won't be overtaken by residential and office developments that covet their Harbor views.

The plan dovetails with the recently-passed "Maritime Industrial Overlay District" which preserves a large swath of the waterfront from anything but maritime development for the next 10 years.

The proposal also recommends new buffering and landscaping standards so that the city's industrial zones better blend with residential and office areas.

Baltimore's shipping companies, which have felt threatened by the encroaching upscale developments, applaud the proposed remedies.

Rupert Denny, general man ager of C. Steinweg Baltimore Inc., and the spokesman for Private Terminal Operators, a group representing a dozen private stevedores, said it's "refreshing" to hear city officials acknowledge the vital nature of the ports. And he hopes that better zoning will put an end to what he calls the waterfront's "airport syndrome," or complaints from new homeowners shocked to find themselves living amid the clanks and dust of heavy industry.

"We've been in the port for the last 75 years, quietly keeping to our corner of Baltimore, and you can't just have condos built flat-bang next to it," he said. "Don't put a high class hotel next to a pile of coal."

John Mitchell is terminal manager for Westway Terminal Co., a Locust Point company that makes liquid animal feed and offers bulk storage. The company, which runs a 24-hour, Monday-to-Friday operation with all the expected smells and loading noise, is next to Tide Point, a new office complex in the renovated Procter & Gamble plant. It will be within shouting distance of Silo Point, a grain elevator being turned into luxury condominiums, offices and stores.

"There's pressure put on industry to quiet themselves down," Mitchell said. "But we were here to start with."

The proposed buffer zones, Mitchell said, will make industry feel more secure about making an investment in Baltimore. No one wants to spend money to develop a property and then be run out by complaining neighbors.

"If companies see a buffer, it's going to make it more beneficial for them to come," he said.

The proposed rezoning rules will dictate industry development standards citywide, not just for the waterfront. The proposal targets 12 "unstable" areas in Baltimore under pressure to evolve from traditional industrial use.

In addition to obvious spots, such as Canton and Locust Point, the plan targets areas like Falls Road north of the Streetcar Museum, and in southeast Baltimore, at Kane Street and Eastern Avenue.

The plan recommends introducing four new zoning categories to make way for industrial parks, urban businesses, mixed-use developments and port-compatible developments.

Some worry that if the city is too heavy-handed with its new zoning designations, future developers may be as boxed in by out-dated rules as today's are.

Mitch Gold, a real estate broker with Business Real Estate Partners, calls the current city zoning "a "checkerboard of sometimes conflicting uses." Though he agrees that an overhaul is needed, he is concerned that the rules will be too rigid to bend with changes in the market.

"Their plans aren't fluid enough," Gold said.

He points to Seton Business Park in Northwest Baltimore as an example. There, he said, the city was so determined to lure high-tech businesses, they failed to see other viable uses for the space, like offices for nonprofit agencies. "For 10 years, all that land was just sitting there," he said.

Michael Seipp, a former development official with developer Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse who lost a bid for City Council last year, doubts the city, with its current budget woes, will be able to resist holding property for industrial possibilities when faced with a tempting residential proposal that would expand the tax base.

"The plan is only as good as the political will," said Seipp, who also questions the demand for heavy industrial property, when biotechnology and academia are the region's high-growth fields.

City and state officials say they are confident that shipping and heavy industry will continue to thrive in Baltimore. In fact, the BDC predicts that if the city could offer modern facilities with highway access, it could attract as much as 30 to 40 acres of new development a year.

City officials realize that the zoning plan can't anticipate everything.

"Things will change," Paull said. "This is a live document. ... [But] there are blue-collar jobs that employ blue-collar residents and we need to protect them."

Copyright © 2004, The Baltimore Sun | Get home delivery

StevenW

December 2nd, 2004, 05:54 AM

Anyone heard anything new on 300 East Pratt Street, lately? :D Things have been pretty quiet on that project for some time now. :(

jaysonjaz

December 2nd, 2004, 06:09 AM

I think that idea went DOA quite a while ago. The state has spent a lot of money upgrading the JFX and just finished the project. It doesn't seem likely that anybody would entertain tearing it up at this point. Most of the underground stream actually runs under the Fallsway rather than the JFX. The Falls collects runoff from about half of the streets in the city as well as stuff from leaking sanitary sewers. The water is strained and aerated before it enters the harbor in attempt to avoid polluting the harbor water (wow). It's kinda hard to imagine making that into a gathering place.

I'd agree with you Scando. Its great to finally have the JFX complely finsihed. I think it would be a really hard sell to get them to put it back under construction. If this is a real project, I'd have to imagine its years away.

Eerik

December 2nd, 2004, 10:24 AM

The JFX plan is very real. Earlier this year there was another report drafted on the concept, which seems to be driven from within the Planning Department; I do not know if it’s from the Urban Design Committee, the GBC, BDC or all of them, but logically it falls under the Department of Public Works Bureau of Transportation and Interstate Division. I have scanned an image of the area below:

http://www.dcestonian.com/baltimore/eastside/jfxplan/image1a.jpg

Most of the focus has been, and continues to be placed on the section of the JFX where it rises above grade-level at Chase Street and “terminates” at Fayette Street. As we know at Fayette, it continues as a boulevard and becomes President Street. From what I know, this zone was not rehabilitated during the most recent JFX upgrade; most reconstruction took place north of the Chase Street bridge, per numbers from the Baltimore Development Program (a.k.a. the Capital Improvement Program). One fifth of the reconstruction costs came from the City Motor Vehicle Fund, while the remainder from Federal Funds. Interestingly, while browsing through past copies of the program, the 1995 program cover includes a concept rendering from another focus group:

http://www.dcestonian.com/baltimore/eastside/jfxplan/image1e.jpg
http://www.dcestonian.com/baltimore/eastside/jfxplan/image1f.jpg

I think most of the hub-bub came out of a report completed in the early 90s. This zone, at the time simply labeled as “East Side” took a look at the eastern edge of downtown. The question was how could downtown development be encouraged to spread eastward (roughly along the Gay Street corridor). Of course the immediate barrier identified was the terminus of I-83. Aside from development along the harbor shoreline, the question has been and continues to be how the CBD might be linked with Hopkins Hospital?

While I agree the construction zone probably won’t be altered anytime soon, I do think that in another five to seven years we’re going to hear about this project more, if not earlier. The amazing thing is the area of study itself was built and finished from scratch only about twenty years ago!

As envisioned, the boulevard would replace the elevated bridge along the Jones Falls. The street grid of the entire area would be reconfigured to accommodate an at-grade boulevard, provide ample pedestrian space, as well as new plots for development and construction. The report had several renderings, but the one that best demonstrates the notion or idea is below. My impression is the space would have a feel similar to the lower Jones Falls, except with a slightly higher density:

http://www.dcestonian.com/baltimore/eastside/jfxplan/image1c.jpg

When drafting the report and based upon work of the initial task groups, I do not know what they were exactly thinking when the idea came to reopen the Jones Falls as a waterway. While pollution is a serious issue, my first reaction was historically, the Jones Falls has been prone to serious flooding. After all, that’s one of the major reasons it was contained in the first place. Of course, the sewage issue is another obstacle. But when that same exact topic was raised, the utopian consensus was the sewage problem could be corrected. Several recalled what the Inner Harbor used to smell like prior to development. Others pointed out that on any given summer night, hundreds will gather along the Jones Falls immediately next to the sewage pumping station at Pier Six to enjoy a concert.

As much as building highways in the 50s-70s provided quick exit and subsequently cut-off neighborhoods from one another, by the late 80s urban planners began (and continue) to talk about undoing what was done earlier by removing such barriers and creating boulevards. Today it appears that how quickly we get out of downtown really doesn’t matter any more; it’s the “experience” that’s more important. Recall recent discussion of undoing what Barnes did to Baltimore a few decades ago: much energy has been placed into the idea of converting Charles Street (along with other major thoroughfares) back to two-way traffic. After all, in the urban planning circles of today, the “experience” of the pedestrian is king.

jaysonjaz

December 2nd, 2004, 01:43 PM

http://www.dcestonian.com/baltimore/eastside/jfxplan/image1c.jpg

When drafting the report and based upon work of the initial task groups, I do not know what they were exactly thinking when the idea came to reopen the Jones Falls as a waterway. While pollution is a serious issue, my first reaction was historically, the Jones Falls has been prone to serious flooding. After all, that’s one of the major reasons it was contained in the first place. Of course, the sewage issue is another obstacle. But when that same exact topic was raised, the utopian consensus was the sewage problem could be corrected. Several recalled what the Inner Harbor used to smell like prior to development. Others pointed out that on any given summer night, hundreds will gather along the Jones Falls immediately next to the sewage pumping station at Pier Six to enjoy a concert.

As much as building highways in the 50s-70s provided quick exit and subsequently cut-off neighborhoods from one another, by the late 80s urban planners began (and continue) to talk about undoing what was done earlier by removing such barriers and creating boulevards. Today it appears that how quickly we get out of downtown really doesn’t matter any more; it’s the “experience” that’s more important. Recall recent discussion of undoing what Barnes did to Baltimore a few decades ago: much energy has been placed into the idea of converting Charles Street (along with other major thoroughfares) back to two-way traffic. After all, in the urban planning circles of today, the “experience” of the pedestrian is king.

When I see that picture.. my first thought is a couple eating outside saying "My God Whats the smell" :)

But honestly.. i think that sounds like a great idea if it can be done right.. What would be great is if it can be engineered to be a destination point, something like the riverwalk in San Antonio.

Here are a few picture examples

http://i.xanga.com/jaysonjaz/RW1.jpg
http://i.xanga.com/jaysonjaz/RW2.jpg
http://i.xanga.com/jaysonjaz/RW3.jpg

StevenW

December 2nd, 2004, 11:10 PM

hmmm.....

scando

December 3rd, 2004, 05:37 AM

The JFX plan is very real. Earlier this year there was another report drafted on the concept, which seems to be driven from within the Planning Department; I do not know if it’s from the Urban Design Committee, the GBC, BDC or all of them, but logically it falls under the Department of Public Works Bureau of Transportation and Interstate Division.

I didn't know anybody was still thinking about that. It's hard to think that, even if it were a good idea, the city has the money available to tear down a usable highway when they don't have the money to keep a decent pavement on existing streets or fix obstacle course sidewalks.

Most of the focus has been, and continues to be placed on the section of the JFX where it rises above grade-level at Chase Street and “terminates” at Fayette Street. As we know at Fayette, it continues as a boulevard and becomes President Street. From what I know, this zone was not rehabilitated during the most recent JFX upgrade; most reconstruction took place north of the Chase Street bridge, per numbers from the Baltimore Development Program (a.k.a. the Capital Improvement Program).

It hasn't been rehabilitated but it is in good shape now. With the recent work that has been done on the curves and the improvements north of there that were done during the 90's, the entire road is now in good shape.

While I agree the construction zone probably won’t be altered anytime soon, I do think that in another five to seven years we’re going to hear about this project more, if not earlier. The amazing thing is the area of study itself was built and finished from scratch only about twenty years ago!

Exactly. Priority wise, I walk on sidewalks and drive on streets that have not seen even a minor repair in what seems like centuries. In addition, the area where the JFX ends, is pretty much the back end of downtown and in part borders the prison city and the kiddie jail that decorates the view to the east of the JFX. It's hard to imagine people dining in the view of the Supermax, bordering the lower Jones Falls and its effluent of empty soda bottles that wash down storm drains. There doesn't really seem to be much potential until you get down about to just above Fayette where the elevated portion currently runs out.

As envisioned, the boulevard would replace the elevated bridge along the Jones Falls. The street grid of the entire area would be reconfigured to accommodate an at-grade boulevard, provide ample pedestrian space, as well as new plots for development and construction. The report had several renderings, but the one that best demonstrates the notion or idea is below. My impression is the space would have a feel similar to the lower Jones Falls, except with a slightly higher density:

Yeah but next to the Pen?

When drafting the report and based upon work of the initial task groups, I do not know what they were exactly thinking when the idea came to reopen the Jones Falls as a waterway. While pollution is a serious issue, my first reaction was historically, the Jones Falls has been prone to serious flooding. After all, that’s one of the major reasons it was contained in the first place. Of course, the sewage issue is another obstacle. But when that same exact topic was raised, the utopian consensus was the sewage problem could be corrected. Several recalled what the Inner Harbor used to smell like prior to development. Others pointed out that on any given summer night, hundreds will gather along the Jones Falls immediately next to the sewage pumping station at Pier Six to enjoy a concert.

The sewage problem is endemic to many sewage pipes, the older they get the leakier they get and a lot of it ends up in the Falls. Like the streets, the city lacks funds to fix all those pipes on any short time scale. Additionally, a significant portion of storm drains in the city end up there along with trash, oil drippings, etc. It's pretty intense after it rains. By the time it reaches pier 6 it has mixed with harbor water, which is comparatively benign.

Today it appears that how quickly we get out of downtown really doesn’t matter any more; it’s the “experience” that’s more important. Recall recent discussion of undoing what Barnes did to Baltimore a few decades ago: much energy has been placed into the idea of converting Charles Street (along with other major thoroughfares) back to two-way traffic. After all, in the urban planning circles of today, the “experience” of the pedestrian is king.

In a city with no significant transit system and a lot of narrow streets, getting in and out is no small matter. Even in the most rosy of live-downtown scenarios, people will be commuting and that has to be addressed, especially if downtown is to grow more businesses. For the first time in my memory, the JFX is pretty functional and it doesn't seem that there is enough to gain in that particular area to merit spending a lot of money rebuilding something that works. The city has enough areas that really need work without making new projects where they aren't needed.

Eerik

December 3rd, 2004, 09:38 AM

In regard to previous comments about East Side development, I totally disagree with several of the previous points regarding:

1) Jones Falls and water quality
2) Cost of infrastructure
3) City Priorities

By law, Baltimore must comply with water quality standards set by the fed or face significant penalties. Current estimates predict Baltimore must comply with the feds by making more than $900 million in repairs to the city's sewer system over the next 12 years. If Baltimore doesn’t, it will be faced with more fines, as it was in 2002 where Baltimore agreed to pay a federal fine of $600,000. As to feasibility of the East Side project, I would point out there are several other stream watersheds in Baltimore much worse off than the Jones Falls, i.e. Herring Run in Northeast Baltimore. While I wouldn’t go for a swim in Herring Run, or the Jones Falls, for all intents and purposes the water quality in all three above cited examples are about the same. The water in the Inner Harbor is just as toxic or dangerous as the water in the Jones Falls or any of the other waterways within Baltimore, yet on any given day there are ample people walking, sitting and eating along the bulkheads. So why not along the Falls?

While Baltimore doesn’t have the funds necessary to complete such a boulevard and open the land for future development, here as elsewhere, local funds NEVER cover entire cost for transportation projects. State and Federal funds normally cover most of the expenditure, depending on the type of infrastructure. From a study in mid 2003, the probable mixture to cover cost would be 10% City Motor Vehicle Funds, 35% State, and 55% Federal Funds.

As to why Baltimore would consider this project? I would guess for the same reason Baltimore pays for bulkhead improvements along the waterfront in Fells Point, road construction at Seagirt, and land acquisition north of Hopkins Hospital: to get highest return on investment. While the decking south of Chase Street on I-83 currently meets highway standards, within the next couple of years rehabilitation of the last ¾ mile stretch will need to be addressed. Currently I’m assuming the City is simply asking which would make more sense: to maintain the structure as is or help foster new development in the zone between the CBD and Johns Hopkins.

Eerik

December 3rd, 2004, 09:50 AM

…and as to the question why would Baltimore focus so much attention on an area adjacent to the prison complex? The East Side development area encompasses a land area nearly one quarter of the existing CBD area; an area within blocks of City Hall that has not been developed and generates very few dollars in tax revenue. In other words, per square foot, Baltimore has the potential to “buy” Microsoft stock at $2 a share and sell at the current price of $27 per share!

Think about it!

Gsol

December 3rd, 2004, 04:44 PM

Brian21

December 3rd, 2004, 10:52 PM

That design may very well change. In my opinion it doesn't fit in that part of downtown especially sitting right across the street from the elegant BoA tower. It should be a elegant, soaring tower that fits in with the rest of towers in that area.

We'll see, its still early yet. May he can redesign it to be a retail/residential/hotel. And yes I agree that they should loose the balconies, I'm sure that residents won't mind not having a balcony as long as they have the views. :)

StevenW

December 3rd, 2004, 11:19 PM

Eerik

December 3rd, 2004, 11:28 PM

Getting back to the One Light Street project, I thought I would post this Letter to the Editors piece from today's SUNPAPER. This urban planner says it better than I did in an earlier post.

Suburban slab does little for downtown

As if it wasn't bad enough losing the old Southern Hotel, the proposed new apartment tower at Redwood and Light streets is a banal-looking, suburban slab that will look particularly ignominious right across from the old Maryland National building - one of the best buildings in Baltimore ("Residences may rise at Redwood and Light," Nov. 29).

Of greater concern is that this intersection is supposed to anchor the central business district. Any new building there shouldn't be so singularly residential in character that it practically screams of a loss of confidence in downtown Baltimore's future as a viable place of business.

Residences are vital for a vibrant downtown, but not front and center.

Steven H. Allan
Baltimore

The writer is an urban planner.

Very thought provoking! Now in hindsight, since it is doubtful there will ever be commercial space on this site, maybe the old Southern Hotel could have received a tax credit and been converted into apartments? I recall CHAP playing a major role in trying to preserve the old Southern from being demolished. At the time, program emphasis called for commercial space. I now regretfully admit I was leaning more in favor of demolition in order to clear the way for financing and construction of a new tower…even though I was always fearful of the shear mass of the proposed tower, its height and potential to overshadow the old Maryland National building across the street. Not to mention the impact it would have on surrounding streets, especially Redwood. But, the building is gone…so hopefully we get a real winner!

NewBaltimore1980

December 4th, 2004, 12:11 AM

http://www.dcestonian.com/baltimore/financialdistrict/onelight/hcm/1lightSWview.jpg

This isn't really a bad looking building. It would look nice elsewhere other than the CBD. I could see it as one of the condos around the Harbor's edge somewhere. :D

I like the tower even with the balconies. However, I do not like the blue box. Even though I have some reservations, we are not the ones coughing up the money for this, so I give the developer the benefit of the doubt and say proceed with the building.

Another note.... A crane is now at Lockwood Place to build the long awaited retail stores.

Ron C

December 4th, 2004, 12:28 AM

Another note.... A crane is now at Lockwood Place to build the long awaited retail stores.

Oh, good! I was beginning to worry about that part of it.

Eerik

December 4th, 2004, 12:51 AM

I’m trying to think of other buildings in the CBD with balconies…? One Light Street could be a first. Well, come to think of it…the Wachovia building has balconies, as does 250 West Pratt Street on their tiers; so does the residential tower at Pier One. Oh well. (But as currently proposed, I agree it does look very “Miami” or closer to home…Ocean City.)

Hey, is there any news about the ongoing thirty-year saga of developing the air rights over the rail tracks at Camden Yards? It’s been an on-again, off-again lineage of proposals. Commercial space, a medical mart, and so on. I think Richard Swirnow was the last guy to come along and propose high-density development. Were there any restrictions placed on the site after the other proposed addition for offices fell through to add a new building onto the warehouse? (What did Gunts call it in his editorial at the time, a wart…?)

Have a great weekend! I’m hoping on driving up to Baltimore this weekend and having a look around…

StevenW

December 4th, 2004, 03:32 AM

scando

December 4th, 2004, 06:59 AM

In regard to previous comments about East Side development, I totally disagree with several of the previous points regarding:

1) Jones Falls and water quality
2) Cost of infrastructure
3) City Priorities

The water in the Inner Harbor is just as toxic or dangerous as the water in the Jones Falls or any of the other waterways within Baltimore, yet on any given day there are ample people walking, sitting and eating along the bulkheads. So why not along the Falls?

The reason relates more to visuals and tourists than to water quality specs. Every time it rains hard, all the gunk that collects on streets upstream washes down the Jones Falls and accumulates at that outlet into the harbor. Fact based or not, I see the tourists grabbing their kids when they look at that water and backing off as though Godzilla were about to emerge. These are the same tourists that rent paddle boats two blocks away. By that time the stuff has been diluted by harbor water (which is probably more toxic but less visually ugly). Whats upstream in the Falls is still concentrated. Open up the stream at your own risk.

As to why Baltimore would consider this project? I would guess for the same reason Baltimore pays for bulkhead improvements along the waterfront in Fells Point, road construction at Seagirt, and land acquisition north of Hopkins Hospital: to get highest return on investment. While the decking south of Chase Street on I-83 currently meets highway standards, within the next couple of years rehabilitation of the last ¾ mile stretch will need to be addressed. Currently I’m assuming the City is simply asking which would make more sense: to maintain the structure as is or help foster new development in the zone between the CBD and Johns Hopkins.

In regards to redevelopment in the area, but my impression is based on gut feeling. I have had a pretty good track record on my instinct on what will work in redevelopment. If I were a gambler, with other parts of the city still available and not being accompanied by a highway, prison complex and scary stream, I would go there and not astride a deconstructed JFX. Too many negatives and not enough positives.

NewBaltimore1980

December 4th, 2004, 07:00 AM

In my opinion, One light street should be a mixed use project, if not all together an office project, just because of where it's at. To me, if you took the old One Light Street, designed by Peter Filliat, and added some residential to that tower, THEN, that would have been Baltimore's premeire tower, ecspecially at that address. One Light Street needs to be the place for Baltimore's tallest. A 600 or, even better, a 700 footer there would make a great centerpoint of the city's skyline. Plus, it would be surrounded by Baltimore's tallest towers, adding a great supporting cast! :D ;)

There is no market for commercial towers in Baltimore so therefore no developer is dumb enough to invest their money in the tower. There is a market for residential so that is what we will get and I am fine with that. Build One Light Street as planned.

scando

December 4th, 2004, 07:14 AM

There is no market for commercial towers in Baltimore so therefore no developer is dumb enough to invest their money in the tower. There is a market for residential so that is what we will get and I am fine with that. Build One Light Street as planned.

Unfortunaly I agree. Not only would a developer be putting himself out on a very long limb, but in all likelihood, when that space came on the market and didn't sell right away, it would probably start a round of falling rents which would spell trouble for other buildings and bring on an office building "ice age" like what happened back in the early 80's. The real choice right now is whether it is better to have a residential building that will increase downtown life or to continue to have a parking lot and a memory of an old building. Hard choice? Not for me.

fanofterps

December 4th, 2004, 02:58 PM

The central business district is just not a booming area for business. One Light St should be residential or we will never see it built.

If there is a need an additional large office building in the next 5 years, I see it being built near the water at Harbor Point or Harbor East. Also, Light and Paca is a very attractive site.

Unfortunaly I agree. Not only would a developer be putting himself out on a very long limb, but in all likelihood, when that space came on the market and didn't sell right away, it would probably start a round of falling rents which would spell trouble for other buildings and bring on an office building "ice age" like what happened back in the early 80's. The real choice right now is whether it is better to have a residential building that will increase downtown life or to continue to have a parking lot and a memory of an old building. Hard choice? Not for me.

NewBaltimore1980

December 4th, 2004, 03:36 PM

fanofterps

December 4th, 2004, 04:01 PM

If One Light St, Water Tower, Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons, Zenith, 800 Allicienna, Grain Elevator complex, Super Fresh on Charles, Canton Crossing, Calvert Mercer site, Bohagers site, etc.. break ground the next 2 years, Baltimore will move into the top 7 to 10 nicest cities in the country.

We will never catch New York, D.C, Boston, Chicago, San Diego and San Fran. These cities are much bigger than Baltimore.

I think we should be happy that Downtown Baltimore is becoming a great place to live. You cannot say that about a lot of downtown area in the US.

jaysonjaz

December 4th, 2004, 05:23 PM

If there is a need an additional large office building in the next 5 years, I see it being built near the water at Harbor Point or Harbor East. Also, Light and Paca is a very attractive site.

I agree as well. When there is a demand for office buildings, then it will happen. Money has a way of moving things forward. There are plenty of spots underutilized areas downtown that could be torn down and new buildings can be built. Also, as we were talking about a while ago, the CBD has room to expand towards Hopkins if there is a demand for it.

I think the most important thing to do right now is to use all up all of the space we can with whatever wants to use it. If residential forces are driving the market now, then lets make it residential. When all of the empty buildings have been filled, then that will reduce vacancies. This will reduce supply of office buildings, which will drive up demand for office space.

I realize thats a bit far fetched and mostly hypothetical, but honestly having an excess of vacant buildigns doesn't do anyone good.

NewBaltimore1980

December 4th, 2004, 07:53 PM

I agree as well. When there is a demand for office buildings, then it will happen. Money has a way of moving things forward. There are plenty of spots underutilized areas downtown that could be torn down and new buildings can be built. Also, as we were talking about a while ago, the CBD has room to expand towards Hopkins if there is a demand for it.

I think the most important thing to do right now is to use all up all of the space we can with whatever wants to use it. If residential forces are driving the market now, then lets make it residential. When all of the empty buildings have been filled, then that will reduce vacancies. This will reduce supply of office buildings, which will drive up demand for office space.

I realize thats a bit far fetched and mostly hypothetical, but honestly having an excess of vacant buildigns doesn't do anyone good.

Jayson for once we agree. The worst thing Baltimore can do is hold back projects like One Light Street, 300 East Pratt, Aegon Site, Collegetown, and Lockwood. Not to mention Harbor East, Harbor Point, Ritz Carlton, Harbor View, Henderson Wharf, The Moorings, Canton Crossing, Silo Point, Patterson Park Plaza, Brewers Hill, East Baltimore Biotech, Lombard and Howard, Centerpoint, Superblock, UMD Biotech Park, Westport (Middle Branch), Lombard Mercer, Oldtown Mall, and there are more.

The more of these vacancies that we fill up in the next several years will make Baltimore a much better place to live and work. That will make more people want to be here, and so on and so on. So if they want to build a tall Ocean City Condo on Light Street, then it should happen.

StevenW

December 4th, 2004, 11:34 PM

There is no market for commercial towers in Baltimore so therefore no developer is dumb enough to invest their money in the tower. There is a market for residential so that is what we will get and I am fine with that. Build One Light Street as planned.

I still would like to see some more different residential designs for a new tower there.

Are BGE's parent company and Morgan Stanley looking for space in Baltimore now? I could have swore that they were looking for office space. Both of them combined could be about 400,000 sq. ft. of office space.

BTW, is the "chocolate factory" still part of the 'retail' portion of Lockwood Place?

And what about 300 East Pratt?

Think about all the future residential space that is "supposed" to be built soon. With the new One Light Street project, 300 East Pratt, Water Tower, and all the other places mentioned earlier, can the city really absorb all these residences? Where are all these people coming from? And why? Are we just hoping the DC people will move to Baltimore? I mean, I would just like to know. I'm all for building more residential housing, but alot of thought should go into these projects, ie; design, funtion, area and feesibility. If you build residential, then build a nicely designed building that "fitts" the surrounding area, unless the area is just a bunch of different designs anyway.

It 'seems' jobs are not just sprouting about everywhere in Baltimore. Maybe I'm wrong, but Baltimore needs a good balance of business, not just service industry/type businesses. I think the bio-parks for both sides of the city are a good start, but what about the parts of the city where there is alot of people who don't have the education and/or skills for these types of higher paying jobs? Factory work is not strong much anymore. How are the educational systems doing lately on the middle/high school levels? What are the strengths/weeknesses of the city that should be addressed?

Finally, in your opinion, when do you think Baltimore's office market will pick up so well that we DO start seeing proposals for large office towers?

fanofterps

December 5th, 2004, 12:54 AM

My prediction is Baltimore will get 3 to 4 new office buildings in the next 5 years. They will be in Harbor East, Canton, Locust Point,Light and Conway and Harbor Point.

Therefore, build up the central business district with "upscale" retail, and residential apartments which would make it more attractive for companies to locate in the central business district.

A 24 hour downtown in the central business district will create new office towers in a 5 to 10 year period.

I still would like to see some more different residential designs for a new tower there.

Are BGE's parent company and Morgan Stanley looking for space in Baltimore now? I could have swore that they were looking for office space. Both of them combined could be about 400,000 sq. ft. of office space.

BTW, is the "chocolate factory" still part of the 'retail' portion of Lockwood Place?

And what about 300 East Pratt?

Think about all the future residential space that is "supposed" to be built soon. With the new One Light Street project, 300 East Pratt, Water Tower, and all the other places mentioned earlier, can the city really absorb all these residences? Where are all these people coming from? And why? Are we just hoping the DC people will move to Baltimore? I mean, I would just like to know. I'm all for building more residential housing, but alot of thought should go into these projects, ie; design, funtion, area and feesibility. If you build residential, then build a nicely designed building that "fitts" the surrounding area, unless the area is just a bunch of different designs anyway.

It 'seems' jobs are not just sprouting about everywhere in Baltimore. Maybe I'm wrong, but Baltimore needs a good balance of business, not just service industry/type businesses. I think the bio-parks for both sides of the city are a good start, but what about the parts of the city where there is alot of people who don't have the education and/or skills for these types of higher paying jobs? Factory work is not strong much anymore. How are the educational systems doing lately on the middle/high school levels? What are the strengths/weeknesses of the city that should be addressed?

Finally, in your opinion, when do you think Baltimore's office market will pick up so well that we DO start seeing proposals for large office towers?

Gsol

December 5th, 2004, 01:47 AM

Furiine

December 5th, 2004, 05:38 AM

If Baltimore can widen high-tech industry, it should help reciprocate the residential boom for persistent growth. Office space is pretty well developed, but there are lots around town that could be potential spots for high-tech jobs. Since blue-collar manufacturing is struggling, closed/vacant regions should stay industrial zones, but can still be gentrified to give electronic/biotech companies a new location. I realize that this is probably an idea that has already been raised in the other thread, but I wanted it to bring it up anyways. But of course, Baltimore is in a transitional stage. The residential boom has been sparked by word of mouth about Baltimore's amazing comeback and to keep the trend going, Baltimore should live up to its industrial name.

robert parsons

December 5th, 2004, 06:18 AM

Hey guys. I have a couple of things to mention. I read an article in the sun a couple of days ago about the need for more residential near penn station. they said that the city owns the air rights above 83 and were thinking of building residential above the expressway. The other thing i think the city should do is extend 70 under downtown over to 83 to create a better access to the beltway and west. I think thats the one thing that keeps big busineses out is the traffic. people are getting tired of waiting in the parking lot (the beltway) or maybe when the city finally gets around to getting a better transit system!!!!!!. Then we'll hopefully see more offfice building :bash: :rant: :no: :no:

Ron C

December 5th, 2004, 06:18 AM

I think we can all agree that if Mr. Clark wants to put up a residential building at One Light, that's OK. Better a building there than a surface parking lot. The problem is the building's design must blend in with the nieghboring structures. The design as proposed is fine for uptown and the suburbs. We have plenty of residendial buildings already in the CBD and more on the way. But they are more compatible with their neighbors. Lets hope that they reconfigure this project.

As the urban planner mentioned yesterday, this is the prime downtown site, the center of town, not the doormat. Lets create a welcoming structure, typical of the first rate downtown.

Yes, I agree. I was thinking about this just the other day as I was reading the book, The Architecture of Baltimore, by Mary Ellen Hayward and Frank R. Shivers, published earlier this year. In a discussion of the Harbor Court building, they write:

In this case city officials allowed a head-strong developer to build what he wanted, despite the objections of the city's review board, showing what can happen when a city lowers its standards in the hope of pleasing a powerful builder.
They also seem to think that quite a few substandard buildings have gone up downtown in the last couple decades, and I would tend to agree. Baltimore, and cities in general, should not just give develpers free rein and put up whatever they want without regard to its surroundings. If a building is worth doing, it is worth doing right.

scando

December 5th, 2004, 08:27 AM

One thing that occurs to me about the debate on the Central Business District is that the entire concept is outmoded. What we usually define as the CBD is basically the area that was burned out in 1904. At that point utilities were buried, storm drains were built, streets were widened and that definable area became the CBD (once known less glamorously as the "Burnt District"). We really need to redefine a larger area that encompasses the Burnt District, Mt Vernon and the contiguously developed waterfront area as the new Central Baltimore (minus the "business" designation, since business itself has become broader than guys with gray suits doing 9 to 5 in a glass box). We also need to be prepared to readjust those boundarys as necessary. We now have office buildings in places like Locust Point, Montgomery Park and Fells Point and residential in the "Business District" and condos in between. Aegon is going to build in the primarily residential Mt Vernon and Harbor Point will add offices right next to a residential part of Fells Point.

With a broader concept we can enjoy the diversity of the development that occurs. It never really made much sense to have a center city that is segregated into residential and office areas and to define office work so narrowly. The breakdown of that distinction has already happened what with the Munsey and the Standard becoming residential AND Charles Center already having had 3 high rise residential buildings in an office area. Throw in Centerpoint, Quadrangle and UMD residential buildings into the mix. Additionally, it seems likely that the the BGE and Fidelity buildings might follow into residential. I guess we need to get used to the new formula.

scando

December 5th, 2004, 08:36 AM

Baltimore, and cities in general, should not just give develpers free rein and put up whatever they want without regard to its surroundings. If a building is worth doing, it is worth doing right.

You also have to be pretty careful not to regulate the city to death. We are already pretty close to that. I tend to go along with zoning and review and so forth but also think we need to have some sort of area that is an "anything goes" area. Right now the so-called Central Business District (an outmoded concept in my other message) seems like a fit candidate. I guess I am throwing this idea out to see if it sticks because it seems like whenever somebody wants to build something in the CBD everybody has an opinion and wants to micromanage the architecture, etc. In spite of that we end up losing historic buildings and replacing them with parking lots or managing the property to the point where nothing gets built (the McCormick property, 300 E Pratt St. Something to think about.

StevenW

December 5th, 2004, 04:11 PM

I agree about making sure we replace signature structures with quality structure in return. I miss the old McCormick building with all the great smells it had on the Harbor area. An eually or better structure should be erected there when time comes. The same with the 300 East Pratt site and so forth.
About the city decisions on 'regulating' buildings, yes, the Johnson Hilton is the right height for that area, BUT, why not choose the Conway Street "Believe Team" hotel and avoid the whole mess? Look at all the problems they, (the city, and it's citizens), are going through. If they would have chose the Believe Team's" proposal everyone would would have been happy EXCEPT Mr. Johnson, of course. ;)

fanofterps

December 5th, 2004, 08:52 PM

Said in Baltimore Business journal this week that they are looking at Harbor Point, Harbor East , Light and Conway site and maybe suburbs. I see them staying downtown. Harbor Point developers are planning a 35 story building last I heard.

I agree about making sure we replace signature structures with quality structure in return. I miss the old McCormick building with all the great smells it had on the Harbor area. An eually or better structure should be erected there when time comes. The same with the 300 East Pratt site and so forth.
About the city decisions on 'regulating' buildings, yes, the Johnson Hilton is the right height for that area, BUT, why not choose the Conway Street "Believe Team" hotel and avoid the whole mess? Look at all the problems they, (the city, and it's citizens), are going through. If they would have chose the Believe Team's" proposal everyone would would have been happy EXCEPT Mr. Johnson, of course. ;)

StevenW

December 5th, 2004, 08:59 PM

Said in Baltimore Business journal this week that they are looking at Harbor Point, Harbor East , Light and Conway site and maybe suburbs. I see them staying downtown. Harbor Point developers are planning a 35 story building last I heard.

A 35 story building? Really? Do you have the article for that? I'd love to see that one. :)

fanofterps

December 5th, 2004, 10:51 PM

Steve,

I read it a while back but do not have an article.

A 35 story building? Really? Do you have the article for that? I'd love to see that one. :)

StevenW

December 5th, 2004, 11:10 PM

Baltimoreguy

December 6th, 2004, 03:33 AM

I was at M&T Bank Stadium Spinnaker Bay looks great. Inner Harbor East Looks tremendous from the Stadium. The racial makeout of the city is changing as well as new people move in and other move out etc. The Hispanic Population has grown like 100% Asians and Whites have also increased. The Camden Crossing housing development next to Barre Circle off Martin Luther King Blvd is now selling from the 350's with Phase one Sold Out. If Legg Mason is looking for Office Space Downtown that would be great for a mixed use development with residents, 400,000 square of office and some retail. Maybe all at Conway and Light. Could be Baltimore's new tallest.

StevenW

December 6th, 2004, 04:18 AM

Yes. That would be nice. :) NOW, if only the people with the $MONEY$ would think that way. ;) :D

scando

December 6th, 2004, 05:01 AM

Said in Baltimore Business journal this week that they are looking at Harbor Point, Harbor East , Light and Conway site and maybe suburbs. I see them staying downtown. Harbor Point developers are planning a 35 story building last I heard.

I have been hearing that nothing In Harbor Point would be very tall. It seems that there has been a "gentlemen's agreement" that building height would step down from Inner Harbor East to Fells Point. If your story is true, it will be quite controversial, but I guess the smell of money can change things.

Eerik

December 6th, 2004, 08:33 AM

I would only say that let’s keep our fingers crossed Legg decides to keep most of its employee’s downtown. While a search for 400K square feet could result in a signature tower downtown, resulting in a new 35-40-storey tower downtown, the question is what would happen to the existing headquarters? Baltimore “lucked-out” when the old USF&G folded and Legg moved-in. Considering the Koubek-designed building (in and of itself a signature building) isn’t sufficient for Legg, sets off a HUGE red flag. Let’s hope that growth is fueling a need for new space. Otherwise, we’re potentially screwed!

StevenW

December 6th, 2004, 11:45 AM

Here is the story: http://baltimore.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/2004/12/06/story1.html

:)

StevenW

December 6th, 2004, 11:49 AM

Can you imagine Legg Mason, Morgan Stanley AND Constelation Energy all looking for office space now?! What if they all had space in the SAME building!? What kind of tower would that be?

NewBaltimore1980

December 6th, 2004, 04:12 PM

Here is the story: http://baltimore.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/2004/12/06/story1.html

:)

I dont think this is a good thing. The last thing we want is the tallest building in the city to lack a good tenant. I would give up the opportunity to build a new tower for Legg Mason unless a new tenant is found for the old building.

Eerik

December 6th, 2004, 05:03 PM

I agree. I would rather see Legg Mason stay-put in the old tower, unless due to recent growth, they actually need to expand and acquire new space.

In the not too distant memory, there was a time when the "elite" Baltimore companies along Charles Street sent their back office workers to the less elite Calvert Street corridor. Of course today, most of Calvert Street is a dead corridor while Charles Street itself struggles. Between corporate consolidation and the "new economy" it is stunning how drastically the city has changed in the last few decades!

Just a thought: If Legg decided to build a new tower, and abandon the current address, this in and of itself could be a benefit to the city, if BDC can get its act together quickly. Back in the 80s, Houston ended up overbuilding to the point where they had a terrible office glut. Vacancy rates went through the roof. Houston became known as the city of "see through" buildings...the setting sun on a daily basis reminded everyone how empty downtown really was. Well, in the long run it paid off. Nationally when the economy picked-up, Houston snagged a couple of large companies. Maybe the same could apply to Baltimore? Having a couple hundred thousand square feet of available space in a prominent downtown building could be a nice draw?

Brian21

December 6th, 2004, 05:06 PM

Steve lets just say that Baltimore would have its first supertall. :)

NewBaltimore1980, I agree that another tower should not be built for Legg Mason until they find another tenant for the current tower. However I don't think it will be hard for another corporate company to anchor that tower. Is Morgan Stanly still looking for space? Maybe M&T Bank?

I just hope they stay Downtown which I believe they will.

Gsol

December 6th, 2004, 05:24 PM

It would really be a nice gain for the CBD if Legg Mason could head off the residentail plan at One Light Street. They could possibly put up a building resembling the earlier rendering that circulated last year. Also the height of a building at that location will be boosted by the incline of Light Street as it goes northward. I don't know the height above sea level at that location but it is quite a steep slope.

Another story in the BBJ, the planned 700+ housing units seems to involve the demolition of a 17 story apartment building on the site. That might be a net gain in height depending upon how the developer expects to apportion the 600+ remaining units after the 70 individual townhouses are constructed. I feel these townhouses may be more suburban in appearence, since each will have a two car garage. Does anyone have more details on this project?

One other event. In Edward Gunts' story about the Goucher building going up on the auction block; he points out that, if it were put to residential use it could be a catalyst to filling in the residential void between Mt. Vernon and Charles Village. This could encourage people to move south of 25th Street, especially attracting the overflow of those shut out of the immediate Hopkins area.

Gary

Brian21

December 6th, 2004, 07:07 PM

DC/Baltimore are second in job growth in U.S!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The DC/Baltimore region picked up 85,700 jobs the second highest in the nation! It's the highest in the Mid-Atlantic and Philly is second w/ only 16,200.

Markets with strongest job growth since third quarter 2003:
By raw numbers
New York City: 101,100
Washington-Baltimore: 85,700
Los Angeles: 48,600
Las Vegas: 42,500
Phoenix: 38,900

Middle Atlantic

The overall numbers in the Middle Atlantic look strong. Its 21 markets have picked up 118,400 jobs since September 2003, the largest gain by any of the nation's 13 sections.

But that total is heavily weighted by the economic boom in two markets. Washington-Baltimore has tacked on 85,700 jobs, and the Philadelphia area has added 16,200.

The biggest drag on the sectional economy is Scranton, Pa., which has lost 2,600 jobs.

NewBaltimore1980

December 6th, 2004, 07:56 PM

jaysonjaz

December 6th, 2004, 08:37 PM

I want to bring in a question I posted on the "Charles Street" thread..

Super Fresh will send a signal people are living downtown.

Canton= Safeway
Central business district= Superfresh
Harbor and Eastern Ave= Whole Fields and Santoni's
Locust Point/Federal Hill= Mars and Shoppers Warehouse

Are there plans to bring a Mars into Locust Point/Federal Hill? I havn't heard anything about this.

Brian21

December 6th, 2004, 08:47 PM

^not sure, I haven't heard anything on that.

StevenW

December 6th, 2004, 11:45 PM

I'm not sure, either. Sorry. :D

shakman

December 7th, 2004, 12:59 AM

fanofterps

December 7th, 2004, 01:46 AM

I may have gotton this mixed up. What is in the shopping center on Fort Ave?

I want to bring in a question I posted on the "Charles Street" thread..

Are there plans to bring a Mars into Locust Point/Federal Hill? I havn't heard anything about this.

jaysonjaz

December 7th, 2004, 02:07 AM

Southside Marketplace is the shopping center on Fort Ave.
Thats where the Shoppers is at.

Jasonhouse

December 7th, 2004, 03:10 AM

OK folks, I'm trying to update the initial post of this thread for you guys, so that you have a comprehensive list of what's going on to start out the thread... That way, when the thread gets 500 posts, I can archive it, and start a new thread off with the same compilation (which becomes an easily modified running list once compiled)...

A couple folks started off following the general format of the example thread I offered, but now I just can't keep track...

You folks can post whatever you want, but if you want me to include a project in the thread's initial post, it needs to follow a unified format...

(whatever is available)
-Project name
-number of floors, -hieght, -square footage or number of units
- other major features, like mixed-use, new tallest, major retail component, etc (major features, not a sales pitch)
- status... proposed, approved, u/c, on hold, in sales
- expected date of construction or completion (or both)

include the website if available, maybe the name of the architect or developer... Major info like that.

This may be a PITA now, but once w've got the list made, it will be pretty easy to maintain. It would be great if multiple forumers would do just a little legwork and do a project or two each. That way it's not time consuming, and then you guys have a great thread for your city.

Its up to you folks, as I don't really care either way. I admittedly hardly come in here at all, I'm just trying to give you guys the impetus to have a proper development news thread. You would be amazed how much interest these kinds of threads draw once they're compiled.

This seems to be some sort of project list, but we really need more info for a proper list. Renderings are of course the most desired part of any list. :)

Super Fresh Grocery Store= creates perception people live in downtown Balto
Water Tower Condo= over 300 units
Conversion of old Gas & Electric Building = 200 units
1 light st = 250 units
300 pratt st =250 units
Zenith = 200 units
Abell Building on Eutaw= 35 lofts
Calvert and Mercer site= 300 units
Bohager's site= 200 units
McCormick site= build residential 300 units
951 Fell st = 260 units
Silo Point= 500 units
Caton Crossing= 505 units
Ritz Carlton = 174 units
Pier Town Harbor View= 88 towns
800 Allicienna= 100 units
4 Seasons= 80 units

Jasonhouse

December 7th, 2004, 03:14 AM

DC/Baltimore are second in job growth in U.S!

This is for development news only... Please post other such comments in its own thread...

Remember, when any thread hits 500 posts, it must be closed and archived, and a new one created... If you folks fill your development thread with aimless banter, you will wind up having your threads closed every few weeks, and will get poor exposure and information sharing.

robert parsons

December 7th, 2004, 05:20 AM

hey guys. i work for mars and as far as i know there are 2 stores in the works now that loch raven is open. one of them i think is going to be somewhere in the city and the other they have been toying with york county but that is still just a rumor.

StevenW

December 7th, 2004, 11:21 PM

OK folks, I'm trying to update the initial post of this thread for you guys, so that you have a comprehensive list of what's going on to start out the thread... That way, when the thread gets 500 posts, I can archive it, and start a new thread off with the same compilation (which becomes an easily modified running list once compiled)...

A couple folks started off following the general format of the example thread I offered, but now I just can't keep track...

You folks can post whatever you want, but if you want me to include a project in the thread's initial post, it needs to follow a unified format...

(whatever is available)
-Project name
-number of floors, -hieght, -square footage or number of units
- other major features, like mixed-use, new tallest, major retail component, etc (major features, not a sales pitch)
- status... proposed, approved, u/c, on hold, in sales
- expected date of construction or completion (or both)

include the website if available, maybe the name of the architect or developer... Major info like that.

This may be a PITA now, but once w've got the list made, it will be pretty easy to maintain. It would be great if multiple forumers would do just a little legwork and do a project or two each. That way it's not time consuming, and then you guys have a great thread for your city.

Its up to you folks, as I don't really care either way. I admittedly hardly come in here at all, I'm just trying to give you guys the impetus to have a proper development news thread. You would be amazed how much interest these kinds of threads draw once they're compiled.

This seems to be some sort of project list, but we really need more info for a proper list. Renderings are of course the most desired part of any list. :)

This will take a while, Jasonhouse.
There are so many projects that are changing.
Example: 300 East Pratt Street was a 34 story apartment tower with 275 units and around 9 or 10 storys of parking with ground floor retail. The tower WAS supposed to be around 400 ft. tall at best. This project has changed.
It's VERY hard to get updated info on this project. :(
The last I read, it was supposed to add condos to the tower, I think around 50 of them. The design has changed as well, although no one will give an updated rendering of the most recent proposal.
I'll try an get an older rendering.
The project is, "in the works".

Jasonhouse

December 8th, 2004, 04:15 PM

Yeah, I know it will take a while... When I recreate the next thread, I think I will do it so that a dedicated forumer is the thread creator, so that way there is a local person who can tend to the thread when I'm not available.

Just remember, we list what we've got. Projects that are murky, or in a state of flux, I generally don't bother listing (or I go with the old info, with a disclaimer). People will talk about it in the thread anyways.

waj0527

December 9th, 2004, 02:50 PM

Guys, check out the new website for 414 Water Street. It actually has a great rendering of the building in the skyline as well as a rendering of the building itself, which looks a bit updated.

Anyone know the timeline for this project?

http://www.414waterstreet.com/index.html

Brian21

December 9th, 2004, 04:12 PM

Wow

It looks great and yes it is updated. From the looks of that skyline rendering it looks to be over 400 ft tall. Almost as tall as Commerce Tower. It will be a great addition to the skyline. :)

I think their suppose to start construction in early 2005.

fanofterps

December 11th, 2004, 03:21 PM

Saw in Sunpaper that Zenith on Pratt and Paca should break ground next month. The Water Tower and Zenith are exciting 24 hour city projects.

Wow

It looks great and yes it is updated. From the looks of that skyline rendering it looks to be over 400 ft tall. Almost as tall as Commerce Tower. It will be a great addition to the skyline. :)

I think their suppose to start construction in early 2005.

StevenW

December 11th, 2004, 04:52 PM

http://www.414waterstreet.com/images/main/main_top_02.gif
414 Water Street Tower!
http://www.414waterstreet.com/images/lg_rend/ren_top.jpg
http://www.414waterstreet.com/images/lg_rend/ren_mid.jpg
http://www.414waterstreet.com/images/lg_rend/ren_bot.jpg

http://www.414waterstreet.com/images/relax/relax_top_01_b.gif

I'd say the tower may rise to about 340 to 350 feet tall, max. :) 32 storys ain't bad, either. :D

StevenW

December 11th, 2004, 05:30 PM

300 East Pratt Tower and two renderings of the Zenith at Pratt and Paca Streets:

http://skyscraperpage.com/gallery/data/500/6300_e__pratt.jpg
http://skyscraperpage.com/gallery/data/500/6corner_view.jpg
http://skyscraperpage.com/gallery/data/500/6camden_view.jpg

300 East Pratt should rise to around 400 or so feet in the air. Zenith should rise to 240 feet tall. :)

StevenW

December 11th, 2004, 05:39 PM

These residential towers will rise within the year or two. There are at least 5 or 6 other residential towers proposed, approved or under construction now in Baltimore. There are at least 3 residential towers going up at Harbor East alone. :)
And of course this does not even count the latest One Light Street proposal for the Central City. With all the proposed, approved and residential towers, under construction, (ALONE), not counting other midrises and townhouses, there should be nearly 2,000 units! :D That's pretty good. :)

StevenW

December 11th, 2004, 05:43 PM

Here are some older renderings of the 414 Water Street Tower. The first rendering is my own creation, what the tower might look like if the skin of the garage were the same as the top portion of the tower:

http://skyscraperpage.com/gallery/data/500/6mid-water2.jpg
http://skyscraperpage.com/gallery/data/500/6wlapts.jpg
http://skyscraperpage.com/gallery/data/500/6waterst.jpg

fanofterps

December 11th, 2004, 05:52 PM

Where did you get the picture of 300 pratt. I love this building. I have friends
that down Baltimore for not being a real city(people living in city, movie theaters, grocery stores, upscale retail,etc..). I want to take these people on a new tour in a couple years.

These residential towers will rise within the year or two. There are at least 5 or 6 other residential towers proposed, approved or under construction now in Baltimore. There are at least 3 residential towers going up at Harbor East alone. :)
And of course this does not even count the latest One Light Street proposal for the Central City. With all the proposed, approved and residential towers, under construction, (ALONE), not counting other midrises and townhouses, there should be nearly 2,000 units! :D That's pretty good. :)

Hood

December 11th, 2004, 07:15 PM

StevenW

December 12th, 2004, 05:42 AM

Where did you get the picture of 300 pratt. I love this building. I have friends
that down Baltimore for not being a real city(people living in city, movie theaters, grocery stores, upscale retail,etc..). I want to take these people on a new tour in a couple years.

From the Sun on line or MdDailyRecord Online or something about 3 or 4 years ago, I think. If you think that's impressive you should ask Erik or shakman about some of the other 300 East Pratt renderings AND lots of other old projects that NEVER got built. :) Maybe they'll dig 'em up again. :D

StevenW

December 12th, 2004, 05:43 AM

If you guys want to treat yourself to some marvelous architecture, you need to go to Pazo. Its a new restaurant that just opened up on south caroline street in between fells point and harbor east. Its in the old ej codd building. It is the most beautiful interior space you will see except for a few of the spetacular old churches we have here. Let me know what you think. Also, the food is very good too as one would expect from chef cindy wolf's restaurants.

On my next trip TO Baltimore I'd LOVE to visit that place, Jeff. Thanks for telling us. :)

jaysonjaz

December 12th, 2004, 06:54 AM

If you guys want to treat yourself to some marvelous architecture, you need to go to Pazo. Its a new restaurant that just opened up on south caroline street in between fells point and harbor east. Its in the old ej codd building. It is the most beautiful interior space you will see except for a few of the spetacular old churches we have here. Let me know what you think. Also, the food is very good too as one would expect from chef cindy wolf's restaurants.

I drove by there last nite and almost wrecked my car craning my neck around to check it out. It looks great from the outside. That whole inner harbor east is really filling up the area towards Fells Point to the point that the two will more or less blend seemlessly.

waj0527

December 12th, 2004, 08:18 AM

Any one notice the new luxury apartments springing up along Charles Street? Most of them are above retail and look like they'll be nice. There are three buildings being renovated across from the new grocery store opening at Charles Towers alone. There's a website on one of them, I thought I remembered it, but apparently I'll have to write it down.

Also, does anyone know anything about the apartment building being renovated at 25th and Maryland Ave (I think thats the cross street)? Its right next to the Safeway. It looks like maybe 15-20 (maybe a 25-30) units. Im sure they'll all be market rate and will be a good addition to the neighborhood.

Also, my friend is looking into buying one of those 3-4 story walkups in either Bolton Hill, Mt. Vernon or Charles Village. Any idea what one would run him? Maybe even the price of one in move-in condition versus one needing a little work.

fanofterps

December 12th, 2004, 03:20 PM

I remember when the Safeway store in Canton was built. It seemed that Canton really exploded with residential/retail development when Safeway opened.

I think projects like 300 Pratt, One light st and the Super Fresh grocery store on Charles could have that kind of impact for the central business district.

These residential towers will rise within the year or two. There are at least 5 or 6 other residential towers proposed, approved or under construction now in Baltimore. There are at least 3 residential towers going up at Harbor East alone. :)
And of course this does not even count the latest One Light Street proposal for the Central City. With all the proposed, approved and residential towers, under construction, (ALONE), not counting other midrises and townhouses, there should be nearly 2,000 units! :D That's pretty good. :)

StevenW

December 12th, 2004, 04:07 PM

Builder backs off plan for tower
Hackerman considered investing in landmark; 'We need to step back'; Decision seen as setback to west-side development
By Edward Gunts
Sun Staff
Originally published December 12, 2004
Construction magnate Willard Hackerman has backed away from plans to invest in the redevelopment of Baltimore's historic Bromo Seltzer tower, just days after he pulled out of a disputed land acquisition deal in St. Mary's County.
Hackerman, chief executive of Whiting-Turner Contracting Co., had been negotiating to purchase federal preservation tax credits as the last piece of a financing package that would enable Baltimore to proceed with a $1.5 million renovation of the vacant tower at 15 S. Eutaw St., transforming it to artists' studios.

After land preservationists and Democratic legislative leaders criticized a state plan to sell Hackerman 836 acres in St. Mary's County that were purchased with public funds intended to protect open space, Hackerman withdrew his offer in a letter released by state officials Nov. 8.

Shortly after last month's election, he also notified a city representative that he was not prepared to proceed with the plan to buy preservation tax credits associated with the Bromo Seltzer tower project.

The decision represents a setback for revitalization efforts on the west side of downtown Baltimore, where restoration of the 1911 Bromo Seltzer tower was intended to activate a prominent city landmark.

The slender building, modeled after a 13th-century watch tower in Florence, Italy, and highly visible on the city skyline, has been vacant since the Mayor's Advisory Committee on Art and Culture moved out in March 2002.

Built as part of the factory that made Bromo Seltzer, a headache remedy, and later donated to the city, the 15-story tower has proven difficult to renovate because each floor contains only 900 square feet of space -- less than many one-bedroom apartments. The city housing department sought proposals from developers several years ago but received none that it deemed acceptable.

The city's latest plan calls for the tower to contain studios for 15 to 20 artists on the upper floors, plus a commercial space at street level. In last month's election, city voters approved a bond issue that will provide $500,000 in partial funding, with additional money coming from the Baltimore Development Corp., the Maryland Heritage Authority, the Neighborhood Partnership Program and the sale of tax credits, among other sources.

Construction had been scheduled to begin in the spring and be complete by late next year, if the financial details could be made final this fall. Hackerman's change of heart means the city cannot move ahead until it finds a new buyer for the federal tax credits or makes other funding arrangements.

Hackerman could not be reached for comment. In a letter to the editor published last week in The Sun, he wrote that the dispute over the St. Mary's transaction "has been a very painful experience arising out of what was an act designed to help the environment."

Hackerman noted that he has been responsible for "tens of millions of dollars in contributions" in recent years to more than 600 mostly local charitable organizations. He said he has been "unfairly punished by the onslaught of negative publicity fueled by those who callously tried to harm my reputation for political and other purposes."

The Bromo Seltzer tower, also known as the Baltimore Arts Tower, was home to the Mayor's Advisory Committee on Art and Culture for nearly three decades, starting in 1974. City employees moved out after the agency was merged with the old Office of Promotion to create the Office of Promotion and the Arts, on Redwood Street. Bill Gilmore, head of the combined agency, has been working since then to find an appropriate use for the tower and has long been intrigued by the idea of converting it to artists' studios.

No secret

Hackerman's potential involvement in the Bromo Seltzer tower renovation was no secret to city leaders and others who follow west-side development closely. In recent weeks, word circulated that Hackerman, who shuns publicity, was having second thoughts about staying involved in the Bromo tower project in light of the attention surrounding the St. Mary's County transaction. His company is still working with the Baltimore Development Corp. on plans to build a 750-room hotel next to Baltimore's Convention Center, according to BDC President M.J. "Jay" Brodie.

Gilmore, who has overseen planning for the arts tower conversion with project director Jody Albright, said he is hopeful that Hackerman will reconsider his decision not to buy the Bromo tower tax credits. But Gilmore said his agency also has begun looking for another investor to replace Hackerman, if necessary, so the project can move ahead.

Gilmore said Hackerman contacted Albright sometime after the Nov. 2 election to tell her he did not want to proceed with the project. "Mr. Hackerman said, 'We need to step back at the present time, and you should look for a new investor if you need to,'" Gilmore said.

Gilmore said he has not spoken to Hackerman directly about the Bromo Seltzer tower because he did not want to put additional pressure on him. He said he remains optimistic that the transaction with Hackerman can be put back together because Hackerman was right for the project and "Jody was not told that it was dead in the water."

The sale of preservation tax credits has always been a key part of the financial plan for the arts tower renovation.

Quickly came to mind

When planners initially wanted to identify an investor, Gilmore said, Hackerman was "one of the first thoughts" because he has been a longtime supporter of the city in general and the arts agency in particular.

"He bends over backwards to loan his trailers and get his guys to build and install things" so the city can stage events such as ArtScape and the Baltimore Book Festival, Gilmore said.

Under the financing plan for the Bromo Seltzer tower, Hackerman was expected to contribute $300,000 to the project. That would make him eligible to receive $300,000 worth of tax credits, provided the work complies with federal standards.

Hackerman would have become the financial partner in a limited liability company that was being created to acquire the Bromo Seltzer tower from the city. He would have been joined in the company by a quasi-public entity, most likely the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts, which would serve as the project's managing partner.

Hackerman's company was also to be the general contractor for the construction work. Hackerman's presence on the ownership team, Gilmore said, gave the city confidence that the work would be completed in a timely manner and the price would not rise.

Gilmore said he is hopeful the restoration work can move ahead, one way or another.

"The Bromo Seltzer tower is not going away," he said. "Somehow, it's going to be saved. It's not going to be on anybody's demolition list. Whether it's this idea or another idea, it's going to happen."

Copyright © 2004, The Baltimore Sun | Get home delivery

NewBaltimore1980

December 12th, 2004, 08:43 PM

If you guys want to treat yourself to some marvelous architecture, you need to go to Pazo. Its a new restaurant that just opened up on south caroline street in between fells point and harbor east. Its in the old ej codd building. It is the most beautiful interior space you will see except for a few of the spetacular old churches we have here. Let me know what you think. Also, the food is very good too as one would expect from chef cindy wolf's restaurants.

I went last night to Pazo and it was a great experience and amazing food. The building was really interesting too!

StevenW

December 12th, 2004, 09:15 PM

I envy you guys. :(

scando

December 13th, 2004, 05:21 AM

Construction magnate Willard Hackerman has backed away from plans to invest in the redevelopment of Baltimore's historic Bromo Seltzer tower, just days after he pulled out of a disputed land acquisition deal in St. Mary's County. Shortly after last month's election, he also notified a city representative that he was not prepared to proceed with the plan to buy preservation tax credits associated with the Bromo Seltzer tower project. The slender building, modeled after a 13th-century watch tower in Florence, Italy, and highly visible on the city skyline, has been vacant since the Mayor's Advisory Committee on Art and Culture moved out in March 2002.

As much as I like that building it's hard to figure what you would do with it. The article mentions the small 900 square foot floors, which, as apartments or condos might be OK in NY, but are pretty small in Baltimore. In addition, being right next to the downtown fire station, I can imagine trying to sleep when the calls come in and the trucks go screaming out. I can see artist's studios, but it seems like it would be pretty pricy for that, especially in a city where artists can still get old industrial buildings on the cheap. Yet anothe plan for that building seems to be coming unravelled.

scando

December 13th, 2004, 05:28 AM

Also, my friend is looking into buying one of those 3-4 story walkups in either Bolton Hill, Mt. Vernon or Charles Village. Any idea what one would run him? Maybe even the price of one in move-in condition versus one needing a little work.

200 - 500K depending on size, location and condition. Your friend can search all the listings at Coldwell Banker real estate search (http://www.coldwellbankermove.com/search/basicsearch_1.aspx?si=0&ssi=0&srch=RESD).

waj0527

December 13th, 2004, 07:12 AM

Thanks Scando.

waj0527

December 13th, 2004, 07:26 AM

This is one of the smaller residential projects going on in Fells Point. The website is http://fellspoint.signaturecompanies.com

Here's a rendering of the project.
http://fellspoint.signaturecompanies.com/images/perspective.gif

I found this website that showcases some of the smaller residential projects in Baltimore.

http://baltimoreshowcase.com/index.html

StevenW

December 13th, 2004, 12:15 PM

Just in: http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/2004/12/13/newscolumn2.html

jaysonjaz

December 13th, 2004, 06:18 PM

Hey guys,
just drove by the Ritz Carlton site and there is definately some action going on there. Looks like the site preparation is under way.

waj0527

December 13th, 2004, 08:45 PM

I thought I saw a couple of cranes over at the Ritz site. Then again, I was at the Light Street pavilion looking across the harbor.

Eerik

December 13th, 2004, 09:43 PM

I don't know if anyone saw the USA Today article this morning that mentioned the Brookings Institution study which predicts a major surge in domestic construction (both commercial and residential) over the next quarter-century. According to the study, about half the homes, office buildings, stores and factories that will be needed by 2030 don't exist today. The U.S. population is expected to increase 33% to 376 million by 2030, according to the analysis.

The article... (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=676&e=9&u=/usatoday/20041213/ts_usatoday/buildingstogouplikeneverbefore)

StevenW

December 13th, 2004, 11:54 PM

I guess that is good news. :)

robert parsons

December 14th, 2004, 05:21 AM

NewBaltimore1980

December 14th, 2004, 05:25 AM

hey guys . i drove past the ritz site today and the cranes r actually for the new housing next door to the ritz, but they have some action going on the site and they have big posters stretched accross the front of the site.i also drove around town this morning and saw some interesting sites. there is some work going on in fells point next to the H+S Bakery with a banner saying that the project was backed by the balt devel corp and didnt have any listing as to what it was? Johns Hopkins is coming along nicely one of the new 10 strory towers is getting closer to being done and the new parking deck on one side is up to the 5th floor not to bad. i also found out that the bayview campus has broke ground for two new towers 8 and 10 storyes high overlooking 895 and downtown.

Robert,

THe work in Fells POint is actually a city owned parking garage to serve the Harbor East Area. The Ritz signs have been up for a long time now and no activity has been happening on that site that I see. Also the developer is being sued.

Just something to note that may just be a rumor but who knows. H&S is building a large warehouse on Baltimore and Haven Street. Could this possibly signal a move of the operation from Harbor East to make way for more development? I know the owner said he had no intention of leaving, but perhaps he is doing it quietly.

Hood

December 14th, 2004, 02:16 PM

If the intersection of baltimore and haven street is near the industrial area near 895 and 95, then yes, that is where H&S would like to move. They have been planning on moving over there for some time to free up their more valuable land in and around fells point.

Hood

December 14th, 2004, 02:17 PM

Oh, I am glad you liked pazo. How cool was that place? The food was delicious too. I got the potatoes fried in lamb fat, a pizza, lamb chops (mmmmmmmmmmmm) and quail. I also got a sammy smith brew as well. A bit pricey but so good.

waj0527

December 14th, 2004, 06:24 PM

They have been planning on moving over there for some time to free up their more valuable land in and around fells point.
I wonder if the city would keep that area zoned as commerical or if they'd be willing to consider plans to make that residential and retail. A residential/retail project would be great, IMO.

Eerik

December 14th, 2004, 09:25 PM

The Haven Street corridor is definitely an edge zone. I can't imagine anyone wanting to actually live there, considering the almost hourly whizzing by of Amtrak, Marc, and other freight overhead on the Mainline...but shop? Maybe. Definitely an interesting (quirky) area of Baltimore. It would be interesting to learn more about this area, its history, and how this area became entangled in so much rail!

The housing stock that remains clearly indicates an earlier era of modest means. I would imagine most inhabitants were blue collar and factory. I am friends with several who once lived (long ago) in the area...at a time when one might even label the area as "vibrant". They were definitely middle-lower income; typical of the noble hard-working Baltimore class. In some ways what we see along Haven Street today, and Baltimore in general, is a legacy of another time. Kind of sad...

Hey, is anyone very familiar with the Haven Street area and the rail spur that runs NW parallel to Erdman Avenue? It ultimately turns due west at Sinclair and Edison Highway, on the bed of a deep chasm. Anyone know if this was actually carved into the earth, or is it a natural formation? It's very impressive.

Brian21

December 14th, 2004, 10:20 PM

Eerik, I live close by in the Belair-Edison Neighborhood but I don't know much about that Rail line. However everyone morning on the way to work I always manage to meet up with the Amtrak train going above pulaski highway :)

Hood

December 14th, 2004, 11:13 PM

Have you guys seen this?

http://maps.baltimorecity.gov/imap/imap_l.aspx

Brian21

December 14th, 2004, 11:26 PM

Thats a cool map :)

NewBaltimore1980

December 14th, 2004, 11:37 PM

The First floor of lockwood place retail section is already framed out. Looks like the retail area will be open before long.

StevenW

December 14th, 2004, 11:53 PM

That's good news. :)

Eerik

December 15th, 2004, 12:26 AM

Brian21:
Aaahhh...Belair-Edison! I went to elementary school at Brehms Lane #231 and lived on Kentucky Avenue growing up. A wonderful neighborhood! Many, many, many good memories growing up in that part of Baltimore! How long have you lived in Belair-Edison? Much in the neighborhood has changed, but the feeling is still the same!

jeffbaltimore:
Isn't that the package Baltimore purchased a few years back? I recall there being some debate over privacy issues; it is fantastic how one can zoom-in on homes and see what people have in their yard!

waj0527

December 15th, 2004, 07:24 AM

Whatever happened to this project? Its the area across the street from the Hopkins Downtown Center and adjacent to the Charles Towers. Is this project still gonna happen?

http://www.mddailyrecord.com/newspics/centerplaza.jpg

Eerik

December 15th, 2004, 10:06 AM

The last that I heard was that the Downtown Partnership had secured the final $2 million funding for the renovation/construction of the total $5.6 million overhaul. Construction was expected to begin in June, 2004 and take about a year. Budget committees in the state Senate and House of Delegates endorsed the first installment of a $2 million state grant, pretty much securing the last piece of funding. The Downtown Partnership lobbied the two committees (House Appropriations and Senate Budget and Taxation). As a result, the funds were supposed to be in the capital budget adopted by the General Assembly at the end of the legislative session. So now my question is were the Center Plaza funds cut from the budget, hence the delay?

waj0527

December 15th, 2004, 02:31 PM

The retail space at ground level is being constructed now. Problem is, it seems like the same walls have been without drywall for months now.

Hood

December 15th, 2004, 03:25 PM

Thats a cool map :)

its not just a map. you can zoom in and turn on the aerial photo layer of anywhere in the city.

Brian21

December 15th, 2004, 04:38 PM

Eerik,
We've lived their for over 2 yrs. Yes it is a wonderful neighborhood.

My apologies Jeff,
I didn't explore it more, I only saw that map :)

That is awesome, I actually saw my house.

LilMoeJoeJoe

December 15th, 2004, 07:53 PM

Nice Charm City article in December edition of Forbes Magazine on page 190

jaysonjaz

December 15th, 2004, 11:54 PM

Heres the Forbes Article:

Charm City
John W. Rogers Jr., 12.27.04, 12:00 AM ET

Baltimore has old-fashioned companies with bright new ideas. Here are three of them you ought to take a look at.
When once asked where I would live if not Chicago, my response was: Baltimore. While the Second City is first with me, I have always liked Baltimore--from its lively inner harbor to its small-town feel to its big-city conveniences. Most of all I like that Baltimore has a deep reverence for the past. Hence its nickname, Charm City.

Perhaps this recognition of the past has produced an approach to doing business that has stood the test of time. As difficult as it is to generalize about a city's commercial character, there's no doubt that some of my most profitable investments have been in Baltimore-area companies. Still a bustling seaport, Baltimore today hosts a bevy of industries ranging from heavy manufacturing to finance.

One home run for me was the Rouse Co., which has been a huge force in restoring grand urban locales, both in Baltimore and elsewhere. South Street Seaport in New York and Faneuil Hall in Boston were both brought back to their former glory under Rouse. With a stellar 92% occupancy rate and among the best sales per square foot ($439) for mall owners, Rouse attracted a sweet purchase price from Chicago's General Growth Properties. Paying a 33% premium, General Growth acquired Rouse's 49 million square feet of mall, office and industrial space in mid-November.

While you no longer can own Rouse stock, you should take a look at another of my longtime Baltimore favorites: McCormick & Co. (37, MKC), the world's largest spice vendor and a 115-year-old business that continues to show new pizzazz. For a long time now the company has scented each annual report with a different spice.

That was not enough to whet Wall Street's appetite, and for years the shares languished. Since then, intense focus on the core spice business and innovative new products have caught investors' attention. Zatarain's Ready-to-Serve rice and Grill Mates seasonings are very popular. Earnings are cooking.

Trouble is, the stock has doubled over the past three years. While McCormick is a fine stock for the long term, it is not cheap anymore at 25 times trailing earnings. In our managed accounts we have lightened up on our positions but remain committed to the company.

Founded in 1910, Black & Decker (85, BDK) has shown a similar yen for innovation through the decades. It introduced the first power drill back in 1916, a revolutionary development, and the Dustbuster vacuum cleaner in 1979. As the number one producer of power tools and accessories Black & Decker has held onto a daunting market share with a lineup that includes the DeWalt and Kwikset brands.

In a rare misstep Chairman Nolan Archibald got nailed in 1990 with the purchase of Emhart, a maker of assembly systems and fasteners, including rivets, nuts and clips. Having learned his lesson, Archibald went back to basics--power tools and appliances. The company's newest endeavor, released this fall, is a cordless finishing nailer.

Black & Decker has solid financials with record earnings per share, enormous free cash flow and its lowest net debt in a decade.

Management has done an impressive job controlling costs and reinvesting cash. Currently trading at 14 times earnings, Black & Decker is at an 11.4% discount to my $96 private market value estimate.

An old favorite in our roster is T. Rowe Price Group (60, TROW), founded in 1937 as a portfolio manager and now the operator of a large mutual fund family. Money management is a business I know something about, and this firm is well run.

Thomas Rowe Price Jr. was a pioneer in disciplined growth-stock investing. He was good at spotting up-and-comers, such as IBM in 1950. His successors avoided the recent mutual fund scandals that have plagued so many of the firm's peers. And 2004 has been a banner year. By Dec. 31 the company should exceed $20 billion in inflows, an impressive jump from the $20 billion in new money it took in over the past five years combined. Earnings took a dip in the 2000-02 market spill but are higher than ever now and ten times what they were in 1990.

Four out of five of T. Rowe's funds have surpassed their peer group performance averages for the one-, three- and five-year periods ended Sept. 30. Fund tracker Morningstar awards 64% of the company's retail funds either four or five stars. Also selling at 21 times earnings, T. Rowe Price shares trade at a 13% discount to my $69 private market value estimate.

John W. Rogers Jr. is chairman and chief executive officer of Chicago-based Ariel Capital Management, Inc., the adviser to the Ariel Mutual Funds. Visit his home page at www.forbes.com/rogers.

StevenW

December 16th, 2004, 03:09 AM

Awesome article. :)

StevenW

December 16th, 2004, 03:13 AM

Good little article: http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/2004/12/13/daily25.html

NewBaltimore1980

December 16th, 2004, 02:52 PM

Clarke team wins rights to Rec Pier
By EZRA K. FIESER
Daily Record Business Writer

Housing officials have awarded the rights to develop a landmark pier on Baltimore’s waterfront to developers promising to deliver a nationally recognized boutique hotel chain.

Recreation Pier faces Thames Street in Baltimore’s Fells Point community and juts into the harbor. A team led by Baltimore-based JJ Clarke Enterprises Inc., which plans a 145-room hotel and first-floor retail space on the site, won the development rights. Photo by Eric Stocklin
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A team led by Baltimore-based JJ Clarke Enterprises Inc., which plans a 145-room hotel and first-floor retail space, was awarded the rights to restore Recreation Pier by the city Department of Housing and Community Development, Deputy Commissioner David Levy said.

Clarke, operating in a joint venture with New Orleans-based Historic Restoration Inc., will enter into a negotiation period with the city, during which final financing agreement and design will take shape.

The selection ends two years of meetings, proposals and negotiations, during which community organizations were granted unprecedented power in the selection process. At a community-wide vote in October, the Clarke proposal was chosen over a proposal from a joint venture between Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse Inc. and H&S Properties Development Corp.

The Struever/H&S team was favored in a second set of votes last month.

“There was a lot of ferment in the community about which way to go,” Levy said. “We feel very good about the Clarke/HRI group. [The plan] is so much in keeping within the aesthetic feel of Fells Point.”

The team has partnered with San Francisco’s Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants LLC, a growing operator of boutique-style hotels in 15 cities around the country. The company has a strong presence in Washington.

A Kimpton hotel “has the feel of Baltimore really arriving, with visitor demographics that may not have been here 10 years ago,” Levy said. “The fact that national-scale companies are looking at this building and saying, ‘It’s expensive and we’re going to have to put a lot of money into it,’ says something about where this city is.”

Renovating the pier, which was last used in 1999 as the set for the hit television drama “Homicide: Life on the Street,” will be costly. Shoring up the pier alone will cost an estimated $3 million to $7 million, Levy said.

“At this point they’re not asking for any public money and we don’t expect them to,” he said. “But the cost of the pier is going to be big.”

Clarke Enterprises President J. Joseph Clarke said in the past that he would partially finance the project with historic tax credits and federal Empowerment Zone grants, which have never been used in Baltimore.

During the past two years, many community members have lobbied developers and the city for greater public access at the site, which got its name as a recreation center for the Fells Point neighborhood.

In an effort to grant that community access, the Struever/H&S team offered to pay for a grant writer to finds ways to fund a more community-friendly development. But after two years of meetings, Levy said there is a growing sense of urgency for the dilapidating pier.

“The point for us is that there has already been a two-year process,” he said. “We don’t see the value in spending more time figuring out what the site ought to be.”

NewBaltimore1980

December 16th, 2004, 02:54 PM

Trying again in Old Town
By TIM LEMKE
Daily Record Business Writer

Five development teams, including one that features a former Baltimore Raven, have submitted proposals to redevelop the Oldtown Mall in East Baltimore, marking yet another effort to bring life to the struggling strip after more than a decade of stops and starts.

At least five attempts have been made to bring new life to East Baltimore’s Old Town Mall. The latest attracted five development teams, including one that features former Baltimore Raven Michael McCrary. File photo
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The quasi-public Baltimore Development Corp., the city’s economic development agency, said it will review plans to transform the five-acre Gay Street site into a new shopping area anchored by a major grocery store.

The city received proposals from New York-based DLC UrbanCore LLC, a partnership between G.L Blackstone and Associates and DLC Management Corp.; the Baltimore Chinatown Association; P&L/Federal Development of Washington, D.C.; and Willner Realty and Development Co. of Upper Darby, Pa.

The largest company, Baltimore-based Continental Realty Corp. submitted a proposal with Big Mac Properties, a new firm owned by former Baltimore Ravens defensive end Michael McCrary.

“We are really looking to select a partner that the city can work with to put together a plan that can be implemented,” said Andrew Frank, executive vice president of the Baltimore Development Corp. “We’ll be looking for a good, strong, thoughtful proposal.”

The city has requested very little from development teams, except that they build a grocery store-anchored center that provides goods and services to residents, while providing spinoff benefits to existing businesses. It has asked that the chosen developer work with the community and consider the use of tax increment financing to help pay for infrastructure improvements near the mall, such as the reopening of Gay Street to vehicular traffic.

The development agency is expected to create an advisory board made up of community members and representatives from city agencies to help select which development team will get to proceed with its proposal.

This effort marks at least the fifth attempt to redevelop the mall over the last 12 years. All previous development proposals fell through, usually because of a failure to attract or retain a large anchor tenant. Currently, more than half of the stores in Oldtown Mall are vacant.

Representatives from the development teams did not return phone calls yesterday requesting comment on their proposals. Frank said the BDC had not yet reviewed the proposals, but was encouraged with the number submitted.

Some community leaders were also encouraged by the submissions, particularly those from Continental Realty and DLC UrbanCore, because both companies had experience developing shopping centers in urban areas. Only Continental, which built the Alameda Marketplace and Carney Village centers, has done extensive work in Baltimore.

“My question to all those guys was, ‘What makes you think you can do it when it hasn’t happened before,’” said Stanley Zerden, president of the Oldtown Mall Association, and owner of Queen’s, a women’s clothing store in the mall. “And the answer is ‘timing.’”

Indeed, city officials said revitalization in the downtown’s East Side, plus redevelopment near the Johns Hopkins Hospital and the construction of a nearby public housing complex, have improved the demographics enough to lure a major food store.

“None of that existed five years ago,” Frank said. “It is happening now, and that is why we received five proposals. People see a big future for Oldtown.”

But Zerden was more cautious in his assessment. He said the mall could continue to lose tenants until redevelopment is under way, and prospective new businesses, including Foreman Mills men’s stores and Modell’s Sporting Goods, have been reluctant to move in until they see widespread demand.

“They like the facility, but what they’ve stated to me was ‘We like it, we want to be there, but we don’t want to be the first,’” Zerden said.

“Talk is talk, and until we see a hole in the ground, it’s just talk.”

StevenW

December 16th, 2004, 11:11 PM

Good articles. :D
Anyone heard anything on 300 East Pratt yet? :?

StevenW

December 16th, 2004, 11:16 PM

New county home? Aon weighing move

Heather Harlan
Staff
Aon Corp., the Chicago-based holding company for a family of insurance subsidiaries, is considering relocating its 160 downtown employees to Baltimore County, commercial real estate brokers familiar with the hunt said.

The Baltimore Business Journal first reported in February that Aon was beginning to search for new offices -- with its lease for roughly 73,000 square feet in the Candler Building at 111 Market Place set to expire in 2006.

The company is combing the suburbs for alternative space -- specifically Hunt Valley, the brokers, who requested anonymity, said.

Michael Sullivan, a CB Richard Ellis Inc. broker who is representing Aon locally along with David Fields, referred all calls to his company's Chicago office. Ray Mazzocco, managing director of CB in Chicago, could not be reached for comment.

Thomas M. Cicotello, area manager for REIT Management & Research LLC which runs the Candler Building for owner HRPT Properties Trust, said he is still negotiating to keep Aon as a tenant. The company has the top two and a half floors of the 12-story building at the corner of Market Place and Pratt Street.

"We would like very much for Aon to remain as a tenant in the Candler Building," he said. "As far as I know, they have not ruled us out."

Even still, some brokers familiar with the search said the company is concerned with the cost of downtown parking. Typically, parking is free at office complexes in Baltimore County, compared with an average of $150 per employee each month downtown.

M.J. "Jay" Brodie, president of the Baltimore Development Corp., said the city's top economic development agency continues to work with Aon.

Al Orendorff, public relations director for Aon, could not be reached for comment.

© 2004 American City Business Journals Inc.

waj0527

December 17th, 2004, 03:52 AM

The Fells Point Hotel may not as bad an idea as I originally thought. I still think the recreation pier project shouldve actually been a recreation project like Chelsea Piers in New York or a very nice YMCA or another gym or something.

I've actually stayed in a Kimpton Hotel in DC and I was very pleased. Kimpton is a boutique hotel company and I have to admit when I heard the word "boutique", I automatically (and incorrectly) assumed that the it would be stuffy and traditional and boring. This was a pretty funky little hotel. Very contemporary, clean lines everywhere, which fits my style perfectly. I'm sure the company will do a good job in Baltimore too.

The Old Town Mall news is.....well....the same old news. Im very skeptical only because this site has failed so often and hasnt really offered much to the city. Perhaps the Eastside development will make it better this time.

waj0527

December 17th, 2004, 04:02 AM

Rising office tower draws tenants from as far as Va.
Groundbreaking today for Canton Crossing
By Jamie Smith Hopkins
Sun Staff
Originally published December 16, 2004

Canton Crossing's future office tower is luring tenants from the suburbs to the city and some from even farther away, its developer said yesterday.
Real estate firm Coldwell Banker has signed on to open a branch office in the 510,000- square-foot building, which is half leased. Other businesses leasing space include About Faces Day Spa & Salon, which is moving its flagship spa from Towson; Whitney, Bailey, Cox & Magnani LLC, a Baltimore-area engineering firm opening a new office; and Mediterranean Shipping Cruises, a unit of Mediterranean Shipping Co., which has offices on Broening Highway.

"I think the recurring theme here is that this is a new market that people are going to tap into," said Edwin F. Hale Sr., whose company, Hale Properties, is building the mixed-use community at Boston and Clinton streets.

An official groundbreaking is planned today for the 17-story tower, though construction has begun. It will be the centerpiece of the Baltimore waterfront development, which will include more than 500 condominiums, 1.7 million square feet of office space, 450 hotel rooms, 450,000 square feet of shops and 120,000 square feet of restaurant space.

Hale's 1st Mariner Bank is scheduled to be the anchor tenant of the tower, taking up 2 1/2 to three floors of the building. Capital Funding Group Inc., which is moving out of one of Hale's existing Canton buildings to make way for the condo development, will take up about a floor - 30,000 square feet.

Other tenants will include Brennan Response, Comcast Corp., Green Deveney LLC and D.F. Chase Inc. Construction, already in Canton; Earl K. Hamilton, D.D.S. of Anne Arundel County; Hamilton's Old Baltimore, a new seafood restaurant; KSI Services Inc., a Virginia developer that will build the condos; and Baltimore-based Kenilworth Title Co. LLC.

Trammell Crow Co. is responsible for leasing the building, which is to open in the early part of 2006.

---------------------------------------------

EDITED TO ADD: If you notice, Mr. Hale's newer version of Caton Crossing includes a very nice cruise ship terminal. The state has decided that its in its best interest to build a new ship terminal. The state is expected to make a final decision in January and Im pretty confident that Canton Crossing will get the bid. No other proposal offers what this site does. Retail, hotel, places to eat, etc. This is the best rendering of the proposed site that I could find.

http://images.ibsys.com/2004/1216/4004301_200X150.jpg

waj0527

December 17th, 2004, 04:34 AM

Builder backs off plan for tower
Hackerman considered investing in landmark; 'We need to step back'; Decision seen as setback to west-side development
By Edward Gunts
Sun Staff
Originally published December 12, 2004

Construction magnate Willard Hackerman has backed away from plans to invest in the redevelopment of Baltimore's historic Bromo Seltzer tower, just days after he pulled out of a disputed land acquisition deal in St. Mary's County.

Hackerman, chief executive of Whiting-Turner Contracting Co., had been negotiating to purchase federal preservation tax credits as the last piece of a financing package that would enable Baltimore to proceed with a $1.5 million renovation of the vacant tower at 15 S. Eutaw St., transforming it to artists' studios.

After land preservationists and Democratic legislative leaders criticized a state plan to sell Hackerman 836 acres in St. Mary's County that were purchased with public funds intended to protect open space, Hackerman withdrew his offer in a letter released by state officials Nov. 8.

Shortly after last month's election, he also notified a city representative that he was not prepared to proceed with the plan to buy preservation tax credits associated with the Bromo Seltzer tower project.

The decision represents a setback for revitalization efforts on the west side of downtown Baltimore, where restoration of the 1911 Bromo Seltzer tower was intended to activate a prominent city landmark.

The slender building, modeled after a 13th-century watch tower in Florence, Italy, and highly visible on the city skyline, has been vacant since the Mayor's Advisory Committee on Art and Culture moved out in March 2002.

Built as part of the factory that made Bromo Seltzer, a headache remedy, and later donated to the city, the 15-story tower has proven difficult to renovate because each floor contains only 900 square feet of space -- less than many one-bedroom apartments. The city housing department sought proposals from developers several years ago but received none that it deemed acceptable.

The city's latest plan calls for the tower to contain studios for 15 to 20 artists on the upper floors, plus a commercial space at street level. In last month's election, city voters approved a bond issue that will provide $500,000 in partial funding, with additional money coming from the Baltimore Development Corp., the Maryland Heritage Authority, the Neighborhood Partnership Program and the sale of tax credits, among other sources.

Construction had been scheduled to begin in the spring and be complete by late next year, if the financial details could be made final this fall. Hackerman's change of heart means the city cannot move ahead until it finds a new buyer for the federal tax credits or makes other funding arrangements.

Hackerman could not be reached for comment. In a letter to the editor published last week in The Sun, he wrote that the dispute over the St. Mary's transaction "has been a very painful experience arising out of what was an act designed to help the environment."

Hackerman noted that he has been responsible for "tens of millions of dollars in contributions" in recent years to more than 600 mostly local charitable organizations. He said he has been "unfairly punished by the onslaught of negative publicity fueled by those who callously tried to harm my reputation for political and other purposes."

The Bromo Seltzer tower, also known as the Baltimore Arts Tower, was home to the Mayor's Advisory Committee on Art and Culture for nearly three decades, starting in 1974. City employees moved out after the agency was merged with the old Office of Promotion to create the Office of Promotion and the Arts, on Redwood Street. Bill Gilmore, head of the combined agency, has been working since then to find an appropriate use for the tower and has long been intrigued by the idea of converting it to artists' studios.

No secret

Hackerman's potential involvement in the Bromo Seltzer tower renovation was no secret to city leaders and others who follow west-side development closely. In recent weeks, word circulated that Hackerman, who shuns publicity, was having second thoughts about staying involved in the Bromo tower project in light of the attention surrounding the St. Mary's County transaction. His company is still working with the Baltimore Development Corp. on plans to build a 750-room hotel next to Baltimore's Convention Center, according to BDC President M.J. "Jay" Brodie.

Gilmore, who has overseen planning for the arts tower conversion with project director Jody Albright, said he is hopeful that Hackerman will reconsider his decision not to buy the Bromo tower tax credits. But Gilmore said his agency also has begun looking for another investor to replace Hackerman, if necessary, so the project can move ahead.

Gilmore said Hackerman contacted Albright sometime after the Nov. 2 election to tell her he did not want to proceed with the project. "Mr. Hackerman said, 'We need to step back at the present time, and you should look for a new investor if you need to,'" Gilmore said.

Gilmore said he has not spoken to Hackerman directly about the Bromo Seltzer tower because he did not want to put additional pressure on him. He said he remains optimistic that the transaction with Hackerman can be put back together because Hackerman was right for the project and "Jody was not told that it was dead in the water."

The sale of preservation tax credits has always been a key part of the financial plan for the arts tower renovation.

Quickly came to mind

When planners initially wanted to identify an investor, Gilmore said, Hackerman was "one of the first thoughts" because he has been a longtime supporter of the city in general and the arts agency in particular.

"He bends over backwards to loan his trailers and get his guys to build and install things" so the city can stage events such as ArtScape and the Baltimore Book Festival, Gilmore said.

Under the financing plan for the Bromo Seltzer tower, Hackerman was expected to contribute $300,000 to the project. That would make him eligible to receive $300,000 worth of tax credits, provided the work complies with federal standards.

Hackerman would have become the financial partner in a limited liability company that was being created to acquire the Bromo Seltzer tower from the city. He would have been joined in the company by a quasi-public entity, most likely the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts, which would serve as the project's managing partner.

Hackerman's company was also to be the general contractor for the construction work. Hackerman's presence on the ownership team, Gilmore said, gave the city confidence that the work would be completed in a timely manner and the price would not rise.

Gilmore said he is hopeful the restoration work can move ahead, one way or another.

"The Bromo Seltzer tower is not going away," he said. "Somehow, it's going to be saved. It's not going to be on anybody's demolition list. Whether it's this idea or another idea, it's going to happen."

Copyright © 2004, The Baltimore Sun | Get home delivery

scando

December 17th, 2004, 05:23 AM

The Fells Point Hotel may not as bad an idea as I originally thought. I still think the recreation pier project shouldve actually been a recreation project like Chelsea Piers in New York or a very nice YMCA or another gym or something.

I think the hotel sounds good. The recreation idea seems good, but nobody in the city government seems to have much of a committment to running rec facilities these days. They are easy to cut from a budget and then the pier would be back to square one. You'd have to find some other private entity to run it and the Y has just put a lot of money into its 33 st facility; they don't seem to be looking for another. The hotel seems to be addressing my biggest concern which was to keep the tugboats. I was afraid that condos would bring complaints about noise from idling tugboat engines, but as a tourist and atmospheric item, they are great.

I've actually stayed in a Kimpton Hotel in DC and I was very pleased. Kimpton is a boutique hotel company and I have to admit when I heard the word "boutique", I automatically (and incorrectly) assumed that the it would be stuffy and traditional and boring. This was a pretty funky little hotel. Very contemporary, clean lines everywhere, which fits my style perfectly. I'm sure the company will do a good job in Baltimore too.

Sounds like it should be a good addition to FP. A great location for a small hotel and a way of putting that hulk back in action.

Baltimoreguy

December 17th, 2004, 10:14 AM

Canton Crossing Office Tower to be 330 Feet Tall. Also looks to be two other towers over 200 ft tall on the site also. The tower is 510,000 square feet. Too Bad he didn't build a 30 story tower on the site. Anyrate at 330 Ft tall it will stand it in the area. 570,000 square of retail and restaurant space in the development is half the size as White Marsh Mall. Two Hotels, Total of 1.7 Million square of office space and 400 plus homes. Also maybe a new cruise ship terminal. WOW. If Baltimore can continue to build new housing at this pace. Its population could increase by 30,000 or more for a decade. Changing from a declining population to a growing population will greatly help the city's finances. Especially when the new residents are wealthy and tax payers. I would love to see the property tax rate in the city close to the county in the near future.

fanofterps

December 18th, 2004, 01:49 AM

According to Baltimore Business Journal, 43% are under contract or 75(43%times 174). Steel has been delivered to site and bulkhead work is going on.
Looks like they will sell all or most of them.

Canton Crossing Office Tower to be 330 Feet Tall. Also looks to be two other towers over 200 ft tall on the site also. The tower is 510,000 square feet. Too Bad he didn't build a 30 story tower on the site. Anyrate at 330 Ft tall it will stand it in the area. 570,000 square of retail and restaurant space in the development is half the size as White Marsh Mall. Two Hotels, Total of 1.7 Million square of office space and 400 plus homes. Also maybe a new cruise ship terminal. WOW. If Baltimore can continue to build new housing at this pace. Its population could increase by 30,000 or more for a decade. Changing from a declining population to a growing population will greatly help the city's finances. Especially when the new residents are wealthy and tax payers. I would love to see the property tax rate in the city close to the county in the near future.

waj0527

December 18th, 2004, 03:46 AM

Good, I was starting to get worried about the Ritz.

I wonder when the Four Seasons will start leasing.

fanofterps

December 18th, 2004, 05:25 AM

Last I heard they will break ground in April 2005. Some construction has started on 800 Allicienna. A 24 story planned building next store to Four Seasons.

Good, I was starting to get worried about the Ritz.

I wonder when the Four Seasons will start leasing.

NewBaltimore1980

December 18th, 2004, 06:48 PM

Last I heard they will break ground in April 2005. Some construction has started on 800 Allicienna. A 24 story planned building next store to Four Seasons.

Some work has definetly started on 800 Aliceanna (I was just there). More good news is that Streuver Bros now has its name posted on the Abell Building on the westside. I was at the Hippodrome last night to see Scrooge (very good show) and saw SBER on the building. Looks like they may start something there. I was very impressed with the Westside. Although we are not quite there, its getting a lot nicer.

Lockwood Place now has about half the first floor and part of the second framed out. That only took a week!

Another development, the Moorings across from Safeway in Canton is moving along nicely. I heard that most of the units are already sold before construction actually began. Also I hear construction on the Can Company Pad Site is going to begin after the first of the year. THis is going to include a Starbucks and Vespa (currently in Fed Hill).

Another side note is that in the spring Parkside will be opening which is at the corner of Baltimore and Linwood Aves. This is a going to be owned by the community development corporation and run by a private restaurant group. THis is a great kick start to commercial development in the Patterson Park neighborhood which according to live baltimore's website had values increase from $60k per home to $200k per home in two years. Patterson Park Neighborhood is the North and East side of Patterson Park.

waj0527

December 18th, 2004, 10:52 PM

Its nice to see porperty values increasing so much all over the city. In Idlewood, a city neighborhood literally right next to Towson, homes sold 7 years ago for $80-90K....homes in that area are now selling for $120-$140K, which may not be much but the more 6 figure homes we have in the city, the better.

waj0527

December 19th, 2004, 03:38 AM

Found this link to the Canal Street Project. http://www.canalstreetmalthouse.com

Here's the rendering for those who havent seen it already.

http://www.unionboxcompany.com/staging/images/client/canal6.jpg

From the developer's website:

"This project encompasses the conversion of an existing circa 1860 warehouse into 13 luxury loft residences and new construction of a retro-styled 25-unit loft building on an adjacent lot. The project has lofts that will be the largest multi-family units for sale in the City of Baltimore."

StevenW

December 19th, 2004, 03:46 AM

Cool building. :)

fanofterps

December 19th, 2004, 04:44 AM

nm

Cool building. :)

waj0527

December 19th, 2004, 05:00 AM

Its at Central and Pratt. Im almost 95% sure Pratt is the cross street.

waj0527

December 19th, 2004, 07:26 AM

Im trying to predict when this project will be online. Brown and Craig's design was the final design, right? If so, given the project's current status, when do you predict the final product will look like this:

http://www.brownandcraig.com/images/portfolio/popup/arch/img_arch_charles3.jpg

http://www.brownandcraig.com/images/portfolio/popup/arch/img_arch_charles2.jpg

http://www.brownandcraig.com/images/portfolio/popup/arch/img_arch_charles1.jpg

I say 4-5 more months.

BigBalto

December 20th, 2004, 01:05 AM

Anybody here about the Union Wharf project.

http://www.unionboxcompany.com/staging/default.asp?id=10

Furiine

December 20th, 2004, 02:54 AM

scando

December 20th, 2004, 05:31 AM

I was wondering if anyone has heard of this Power Plant at Pier Four project? I was browsing through Emporis when I saw it listed.

The rendering looks pretty interesting (sort of like a sailboat.) The building is proposed at 14 stories.
http://www.pickardchilton.com/proj_pier4_01.html

I think that was an early proposal that didn't happen. There is a recently completed office building there now and not much room left on the plot for more building. I think there also is a height limit that got in the way.

scando

December 20th, 2004, 05:45 AM

Im trying to predict when this project will be online. Brown and Craig's design was the final design, right? If so, given the project's current status, when do you predict the final product will look like this...I say 4-5 more months.

I have been asking myself the same question; my guess is spring. I was conversational with the folks that owned the pizza place that was in the food court that was there previously. They were planning to come back to the rebuilt food court in late October but they're way past that now with no completion in sight. I hope that the merchants there manage to survive until the building is ready. When I last spoke to them they were considering staying open at night for the residents of the high rises there, but, as I said, it's been a while with no income.

scando

December 20th, 2004, 05:49 AM

Found this link to the Canal Street Project. http://www.canalstreetmalthouse.com
Here's the rendering for those who havent seen it already.
From the developer's website:

Is this in Baltimore? Yahoo Maps doesn't show a Canal St in Baltimore and I have never heard of one. Do you know where it is?

waj0527

December 20th, 2004, 06:30 AM

Yep...its in Baltimore. 302 S. Central Ave is the exact address.

There's apparently a pretty neat story behind this mix-up.

To the uninitiated, the street name of Canal Street may seem to be unfitting for the thorofare now known as Central Avenue. However, the name is in fact far more appropriate. Since Central Avenue is not the Central divider of the city, this name is largely mismatched. However, there was in fact a Canal running amidst the street, some portions of which more than a few not-so-old Baltimoreans should clearly remember. In fact, there still is a canal in the midsts of Central's presence, though it only makes an occasional appearance when streetwork need be done. Fortunately, as you'll see, a site viewer was keen enough to get some photos of the canal when it was recently redone (more than I can say for myself! )

Looking at the early descriptions of the Central Avenue area in the midst of Fells Point, it is a wonder that it was ever developed. Much of the area was swampland, and was alleged to be disease laden. Only after the area was drained could the land be built upon. However, there was still an issue of what to do with Harford Run. This small tributary ran from the far Northeast reaches into early Baltimore, and out to the basin near Fells Point. At first, builders decided to channel the stream into a canal that would run in the middle of the roadway. However, this would in time prove impractical, and arched vaults were built to contain and cover the stream, resulting in one of Baltimore widest streets. One will note that the railroad tracks that ran along much of Cenral Avenue did NOT run down its immediate Center, but were instead two pairs of tracks offset from the Center. This is no doubt the desire to keep as much weight OFF of the canal roof as possible.

The containment program proceeded as far South as Fleet Street, where, for the final two blocks before the basin, it stopped. Work was resumed in the late 1940's, but stopped again when it was noticed that the concrete vault being used on this portion was instable, and began sinking. Thus, it was not until the mid-1950's when work finally resumed, and Harford Run and it's associated Canal, fully submerged.........

http://www.btco.net/ghosts/streets/central/canal.html

StevenW

December 20th, 2004, 12:07 PM

3 new articles:

Port picks Locust Pt. for cruises
State was considering Hale site for terminal

Heather Harlan
Staff
More than two years after banker and developer Edwin F. Hale Sr. first lobbied for a cruise ship terminal at Canton Crossing, the state is expected to reject his bid and name South Locust Point as the permanent hub for lines such as Royal Caribbean and Celebrity.

Gov. Robert Ehrlich was slated to make the announcement this week, but that plan was scrapped because of continuing negotiations over parking at the site off Interstate 95, state officials confirmed.

The decision to make the temporary cruise ship terminal at South Locust Point a permanent one is expected to stimulate the tourism industry and create tremendous spinoff. The state predicts the terminal will create about 280 jobs and roughly $90 million in economic impact next year.

Already, Royal Caribbean is considering as many as 29 cruises for 2005, and is scouting the Baltimore market for office space, state government officials and real estate brokers said.

Helen Delich Bentley, a consultant for the Maryland Port Administration, declined to comment about the selection of South Locust Point for the cruise ship terminal. But speaking in general terms, she said, "Nine cruises have already been run out of Locust Point and they went well."

J.B. Hanson, a spokesman for the Maryland Port Administration, said, "The governor hasn't made an announcement at this point. At this point, I really don't have anything to say."

Government officials familiar with the cruise terminal situation said South Locust Point is ideal for passenger ships because of its access to both I-95 and downtown Baltimore.

The site, off McComas Street, is also owned by the state, whcih has a 50,000-square-foot facility there. Overall, the property only requires $1 million to $3 million worth of improvements, they said.

Hale's site at Canton Crossing provides easy access to I-95, but is owned by the developer. State leaders were also concerned about traffic congestion there and the proximity to gas tanks -- in the wake of terrorist threats across the country.

Hale could not be reached for comment. In April 2002, the Baltimore Business Journal first reported that Hale had delivered his formal application for a passenger cruise ship terminal in Canton to Maryland Transportation Authority officials.

Plans called for the cruise ship terminal to be built at Canton Crossing, a $100 million mixed-use project Hale is developing along Boston and Clinton streets in Canton.

Hale, who is CEO of First Mariner Bancorp and owner of the Baltimore Blast soccer team, was one of many developers initially interested in snagging the cruise ship terminal deal.

C. William "Bill" Struever, CEO of Struever Bros., Eccles & Rouse Inc., and John Paterakis Sr., owner of H&S Bakery and lead developer of Harbor East, once proposed the former Allied Signal site for a cruise ship terminal.

And local developer Patrick Turner, who is transforming the defunct Locust Point grain terminal into condominiums and townhomes with partner Mark Sapperstein, has talked with Bentley about putting a cruise terminal on that property off Fort Avenue.

Turner said the temporary cruise ship terminal has not impacted Locust Point negatively.

"You don't have to go into the neighborhood to go down there," he said.

SunTrust being wooed by Hackerman

Heather Harlan
Staff
Willard Hackerman, CEO of Whiting-Turner Contracting Co., is trying to convince SunTrust Bank to relocate its headquarters to his office tower at 750 E. Pratt St., according to commercial real estate brokers with knowledge of the plan.

SunTrust's existing lease for about 51,300 square feet at 120 E. Baltimore St. expires at the end of July 2006. Companies typically start negotiating lease renewals or searching for alternative space one to two years before the lease term ends.

A move to 750 E. Pratt St. would keep the bank downtown at a time when Baltimore City economic development leaders are working to prevent several large corporations from heading to the suburbs.

The Baltimore Business Journal has reported that both Aon Corp., a holding company for a family of insurance subsidiaries, and Legg Mason Inc., an investment firm with local roots reaching back to 1899, have launched real estate searches. Aon, in particular, is considering a move to Baltimore County.

Neither Donald P. Hutchinson, president of SunTrust Bank, nor Hackerman could be reached for comment.

Hackerman, the owner and landlord of 750 E. Pratt St., is negotiating lease deals for the building. Although he previously hired brokers to represent the complex, he is now doing it on his own.

According to CoStar, a commercial real estate listing service, only 40 percent of the 338,688-square-foot tower is leased. SunTrust is thinking about taking roughly three floors, totaling 60,000 square feet, and putting a branch there, commercial real estate brokers said. Constellation Energy Group Inc. calls 750 E. Pratt St. its headquarters.

The asking rents for the tower, completed about two years ago, range from $28.50 and $29.50, according to CoStar.

Some brokers speculated that the bank would be a better fit for 500 E. Pratt St., an almost completed office tower closer to the Inner Harbor.

Hackerman, however, has previously put pressure on companies -- some of those with which he has business relationships -- to relocate to his office building.

The chief executive tried to woo Mercantile Bankshares Corp. away from Hopkins Plaza. But the parent of Mercantile-Safe Deposit & Trust decided to remain at its existing headquarters.

SunTrust is considered the third-largest bank in the Baltimore area, with $22.3 billion in total commercial and industrial loans as of Dec. 31, 2003.

SunTrust Banks Inc., the Atlanta-based bank holding company, said in October that it would restate its earnings to make them higher for the first and second quarter. At the same time, it delayed its third-quarter earnings report due to errors made in accounting for loan losses.

© 2004 American City Business Journals Inc.

Brokers: Legg wants to stay

Heather Harlan
Staff
Legg Mason Inc. may be combing the Baltimore area for a new headquarters location. But the investment firm's top executives really don't want to move their roughly 1,500 employees from 100 Light St., commercial real estate brokers familiar with the search said this week.

Like any cost-conscious top brass, they are concerned about rising rents hurting their bottom line.

When Legg Mason's master lease with St. Paul Travelers expires around 2007, the building owner is likely to hike rents -- at least over time.

The anticipated strategy has commercial real estate brokers wondering if Legg Mason would consider buying the tower, in which it occupies about 400,000 square feet of space. According to the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation, Marbax Associates Ltd. owns 100 Light St., which was built in 1975.

Downtown commercial complexes are commanding high prices. CMC Investments, an Irish entity, recently purchased 300 E. Lombard St., an office building anchored by law firm Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll LLP, for $40 million.

Jeffrey Bukowski, a spokesman for Legg Mason, declined comment. In a previous interview, Peter L. Bain, a senior executive vice president for Legg Mason, also declined comment.

The Baltimore Business Journal first reported earlier this month that Legg Mason had quietly launched a search for a new headquarters.

The investment firm -- with local roots dating back to 1899 -- is looking for roughly 400,000 square feet of space to accommodate as many as 1,500 employees now based on Light Street, the Baltimore Development Corp. confirmed.

News & notes
Page & Turnbull Inc. has relocated its Baltimore office, but the San Francisco-based architecture firm hasn't gone far -- just next door. Now at 518 N. Charles St., Page & Turnbull is working on the relocation of historic Varsity Hall at the University of Virginia and renovations to a historic residence in Bolton Hill.
Annapolis Partners LLC has the green light to move forward with redevelopment plans for the David Taylor Research Center site in Anne Arundel County. The development group has proposed to remake the area into a 630,000-square-foot campus of office space, a 100-room inn and supporting retail services.
Grosvenor has inked three new leases, totaling 18,400 square feet, for its newly completed office building at bwtech@ UMBC Research and Technology Park. New tenants include BDMetrics Inc. and different branches of the University of Maryland Baltimore County. David Gillece and Andrew Smith of Colliers Pinkard are representing Grosvenor in leasing the building at 5523 Research Park Drive adjacent to the University of Maryland, Baltimore County campus. The new deals make the complex a third leased.

© 2004 American City Business Journals Inc.

Hood

December 20th, 2004, 04:35 PM

NewBaltimore1980

December 20th, 2004, 07:13 PM

Cool news about the cruise ship terminal. But it goes against the new industrial overlay ideal that they are trying to move forward with. Seems Like the terminal could be a nice centerpiece of a neat mixed use project. But, I guess it will be a strictly utilitarian project where you park your car and get on the ship.

I am very dissapointed that Canton was not chosen for the Cruise Terminal. It would have been a great addition to the harbor. I blame Helen Bentley and her backward looking outlook on Baltimore Development. I don't know when the old bag will realize that industrial jobs are not coming back to Baltimore.

The Canton terminal was a much more progressive look for tourism in Baltimore. It would have spurred hotel and retail growth in the Canton Crossing development and hopefully helped with Brewers Hill. Instead we will probably end up with an old warehouse like the Dundalk terminal.

StevenW

December 21st, 2004, 03:23 AM

Yeah, I'd liked to have seen the terminal go to Canton, but at least Baltimore will have one. :)

StevenW

December 21st, 2004, 03:24 AM

BTW, anyone heard any NEW news on 300 East Pratt Street? :?

Gsol

December 21st, 2004, 04:41 AM

Eerik

December 21st, 2004, 10:12 AM

I’m not a big Bentley fan either, but I can’t say I’m all that disappointed the cruise ship terminal is being proposed for Locust Point rather than Canton. Through the years, the weakest proposals have been those for Harbor Point and Canton. While I agree the existing terminal in Dundalk is less than satisfactory, I’m extremely ambivalent about the Locust Point proposal.

I have great respect for Hale and his accomplishments, but I never completely understood his motivations for developing the Canton site.

Infrastructure
First of all, is it even possible to berth a cruise ship at the proposed Canton site? Some time ago Exxon did berth vessels along Clinton Street, but what draft did they require, and what are the requirements for cruise ships? I want to say 35 feet…

With the exception of channels the Fed maintains for the port, most of the harbor is rather shallow. The deepest depth maintained is 55 feet along the channels. If the Canton site needs to be dredged, who’s going to pay for it? The Fed? Certainly not Baltimore, and I doubt any lender would ante the dollars for Hale. The risk is simply too great.

Compatibility
Have you ever stood dockside next to a cruise ship? These things soar 10-15 stories in height. They are huge. Would a cruise ship moored at Boston and Clinton Streets be a positive thing for Canton? What about the support services these ships require? What about parking? If the Canton Crossing development includes high-rise construction, the associated costs per square foot go higher and higher. Let’s say parking for a seven-day cruise at $10 a day. Adds up.

Pragmatic
Now, if I were going on a cruise, the last thing I would want to do is spend a night in a hotel next to the ship I’m about to sail away in; likewise the last thing I’d want to do is blow even more money on a dinner in a restaurant while waiting to get on aboard the ship! Canton Crossing isn’t the destination; the cruise ship is… (The Canton proposal is like advocating travelers to arrive one day earlier at BWI so they can spend a night in a hotel by the airport, wine and dine at some food joint, and then the next day be off and away on Southwest Airlines flight #413! Simply doesn’t make sense.)

On top of that, meanwhile some poor shmucko has purchased or rented an apartment on the ninth floor of the new development that sometimes has a nice view of downtown, and other times of the year a view of the cargo bay of some mammoth ship!

Either leave the terminal where it is now, build it in Fairfield, Locust Point or wherever! If Hale wants to build his residential/commercial/retail project in Canton…great. Take advantage of what the site has to offer. But building a cruise terminal is a recipe for disaster; you can’t select a dumber site…

Hood

December 21st, 2004, 03:05 PM

StevenW

December 22nd, 2004, 07:36 PM

Where is this, that they are talking about?

Md.’s largest bridge project for ’05 starts

The Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration has started work to replace major dual bridges crossing one of Baltimore County’s most popular hiking trails.
- Tim Lemke

StevenW

December 22nd, 2004, 07:39 PM

City taps local company to run water taxis
Julekha Dash
Staff
The Baltimore Development Corp. and the city's transportation department have selected Harbor Boating Inc. as Baltimore's sole water taxi operator serving commuters and tourists.

While Harbor Boating will run the water taxis, the Living Classrooms Foundation will assist in marketing, ticket sales, job training and procuring federal funding.

Under the agreement, which awaits approval from the Board of Estimates, the two companies will begin their contract with the city for a period of seven years, beginning March 1.

The decision comes two and a half months after BDC issued a request for proposal for a single water taxi service that could accommodate commuters in a city whose water taxis had primarily served tourists. BDC's goal is to ease traffic congestion by encouraging travel via boat, rather than by car, among the growing number of residents and workers in Fells Point, Canton, Locust Point and downtown. Serving commuters, in addition to tourists, will also make it easier to obtain federal funding, city officials expect.

BDC's bid prompted long-standing rivals Harbor Boating, known more popularly as Ed Kane's Water Taxi, and the Living Classrooms Foundation to partner on the proposal. The process drew interest from several out-of-state operators.

In a statement, BDC officials said they chose Harbor Boating and Living Classrooms because of their experience, financial stability, commitment to job training and ability to secure federal money.

Living Classrooms, embattled since a water taxi accident killed five of its passengers last spring, stopped running its water taxis on Nov. 2. The foundation continues to provide education and job training for more than 50,000 students as well as operate the National Historic Seaport, which sells tickets to many of the city's attractions.

© 2004 American City Business Journals Inc.

Brian21

December 22nd, 2004, 09:25 PM

StevenW

December 22nd, 2004, 10:57 PM

I would like to know more about this.

scando

December 23rd, 2004, 05:21 AM

I would like to know more about this.

Here it is from the SHA web site -

STATE HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION TO REPLACE I-83 BRIDGE OVER NORTHERN CENTRAL RAILROAD (NCR) TRAIL IN PARKTON AREA OF BALTIMORE COUNTY

Motorists Advised to Watch for Traffic Pattern Shifts and Temporary Lane Closures Along I-83 (Baltimore-Harrisburg Expressway) in Parkton

(December 20, 2004) -- The Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration (SHA) recently began a $10 million project to replace the dual bridges carrying I-83 (Baltimore-Harrisburg Expressway) over the Northern Central Rail Trail (NCR Trail) and Little Falls in the Parkton area of northern Baltimore County. The project will be complete fall 2006, weather permitting.

Over the next several months, SHA will construct a temporary pre-fabricated bridge between the existing I-83 bridges. This will allow for all four lanes of I-83 to remain open while crews demolish and reconstruct the I-83 bridges in stages, beginning spring 2005 with the southbound bridge. Recently, crews temporarily relocated a short section of the NCR trail in the vicinity of the bridges. The project also will includes roadway widening and paving on the approaches to the bridges, placement of riprap slope protection for the bridge abutments and adjacent to Little Falls, landscape plantings for the bridge site and NCR Trail area, and placement of new traffic barriers, signing, and pavement markings.

SHA may institute occasional temporary lane closures along southbound I-83 at any time on weekdays except between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m. and along northbound I-83 at any time on weekdays between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Motorists will be guided through the work zone and the temporary bridge by variable message signs, arrowboards, concrete traffic barriers and traffic barrels.

SHA appreciates the community’s patience during the I-83 bridge construction project and reminds motorists to buckle up, obey posted speed limits, stay alert and use caution while driving through highway work zones. The State’s contractor for this project is the Six-M Company, Inc. of Delta, PA.

For more information about the construction process or traffic operations during the I-83 bridge project, citizens may call SHA’s District 4 Office at 410-321-2800 or toll free at 1-800-962-3077.

StevenW

December 23rd, 2004, 05:41 AM

That's interesting. :) Thanks, scando. :)

StevenW

December 23rd, 2004, 05:43 AM

Jobs growth sign that city is back on the ascent
Jay Hancock
EVERY NOW and then, in the decade since urban consultant David Rusk declared Baltimore beyond "the point of no return" economically and politically, the city has tried to prove him wrong.
Once was in 1999, when people talked about a "digital harbor" and Baltimore started to reverse its job-base erosion for the first time in years. The stock market collapse and the slump after the 2001 terrorist attacks soon took care of that.

But now Baltimore is ascendant again, bolstered by internal development and surrounding economic vibrancy. The city was home to 397,200 jobs last month, almost 8,000 more than it had a year earlier and an increase of 2 percent, according to the federal government.

That kind of growth, which began over the summer and has shown up consistently in subsequent months, is Baltimore's best employment performance since the brief revival in 1999 and, before that, 1988.

"This is a really good sign" says Richard P. Clinch, director of economic research for the University of Baltimore's Jacob France Institute. "There is a confluence of good things, some of which are good luck and some of which are good investment, going on within the city. The city has finally stopped being an anchor around the state's neck" for economic growth.

There is no guarantee that the employment spurt, which coincides with an apparent lull in Baltimore's population loss, will continue. Last month's announcement that General Motors will close its Baltimore van plant and eliminate 1,100 jobs shows that city employment will continue to be threatened.

But as Baltimore karma goes, we'll take it.

"There is a substantial amount of development momentum across key industry segments," says Anirban Basu, chief executive of the Sage Policy Group, a Baltimore economics consulting firm. "There are a lot of cranes in the air. We have growth in real estate, construction, health care."

Just as important, he adds, is the stabilization of Baltimore's financial industry, which was hammered by mergers in the 1990s.

Baltimore typically loses jobs, year after year. It shed employment in 11 of the past 15 years and has 80,000 fewer jobs than it did in 1988.

The worst year was 1991, when the recession wiped out 30,000 jobs, 3,500 of them in manufacturing, the city's traditional strength. Subsequent acquisitions and the downsizing of Maryland National Bank, USF&G, Alex. Brown, Allfirst and other downtown anchors prolonged the pain.

"The city more or less missed out entirely on the boom years of the 1990s, whereas almost every other jurisdiction in Maryland - probably even Garrett County - experienced job growth," says Clinch.

What's boosting growth now? One factor is Baltimore's suburbs, which are having their best year since 2000, and "if the metro area is doing well it's likely to help the city," says Scott Hoyt, who follows Maryland for Economy.com.

When the city does add jobs, it usually trails the suburbs. Not now. Since July, Baltimore has slightly exceeded the metro area as a whole in percentage job growth, and Clinch thinks the city has more going for it than economic backwash from Towson and Columbia.

Parking garages conceived under Mayor Kurt L. Schmoke and completed under Mayor Martin O'Malley have relieved a critical downtown shortage and employment hindrance. Office and hotel space is expanding. Residents of new downtown apartment buildings are creating jobs in nearby restaurants and markets.

Planned biotechnology parks east and west of downtown are spurring construction jobs and, if all goes as planned, will be home to thousands of permanent jobs in a few years.

Government figures show that the biggest pieces of recent Baltimore job growth have been in education and health care, which is benefiting from an aging population and large federal grants for drug and bioterrorism research.

The Johns Hopkins University's Maryland divisions, most of which are in Baltimore, have added more than 700 full-time and more than 1,000 part-time jobs since mid-2003, says spokesman Dennis O'Shea. Johns Hopkins Hospital, which is separate from the university, is up almost 350 jobs in the same period, says spokeswoman Joann Rodgers.

It's too soon to proclaim a Baltimore comeback, but if this is still going on a year or two from now the city will have accomplished something. At this rate of growth, by 2006 it'll be back to the job base it had in 1994.

Copyright © 2004, The Baltimore Sun | Get home delivery

micrip

December 23rd, 2004, 09:29 AM

The Canton site would have been a better choice for the cruise terminal. It has a hotel, retail and restaurants. This would have been an incentive for cruise passengers to spend a night at a convenient place prior to boarding thier ship. The Locust point site is just drive there, drop off and say goodby. This is really short sited, but ugly politics rears its ugly head once again. This is nothing but politics. I guess Hale must be strong democrat.
I think the Locust Point site is a great location for the new terminal, as long as it's done right (no converted freight shed like at Dundalk).

It would be a short trip to downtown either via Key Highway or maybe even water taxi, and tourists travelling that route would have great views of the city on the way in. Also, Fort McHenry is right next door and would make a great quick stop for those that don't want to travel downtown. And it also would have good access from I-95...making it easy for out-of-towners to find.

Eerik

December 23rd, 2004, 09:45 AM

Keep in mind that demographically the cruise terminal would continue to serve those traveling from the middle-Atlantic to the Bahamas, Caribbean, etc. Baltimore by no means would be the destination point; any revenue generated would be due to services in part rendered by local companies. Hotels, retail, and other would as a percentage represent equal to the same percentage as for the support of airports, highways, etc.

NewBaltimore1980

December 23rd, 2004, 10:21 PM

I think the Locust Point site is a great location for the new terminal, as long as it's done right (no converted freight shed like at Dundalk).

It would be a short trip to downtown either via Key Highway or maybe even water taxi, and tourists travelling that route would have great views of the city on the way in. Also, Fort McHenry is right next door and would make a great quick stop for those that don't want to travel downtown. And it also would have good access from I-95...making it easy for out-of-towners to find.

I completely disagree. The Canton site is the best location for the Cruise Terminal. Locust Point is a residential area that does not need the traffic of a cruise terminal. The canton site requires no travel through residential areas to access the terminal from I-95.

So here we are again in Baltimore and we want to have a cruise terminal and show off Baltimore as a great port for both industry AND tourism. SO what do we do, but put our guests into a converted warehouse in Locust Point. You are right that Baltimore is not a destination for the cruise, however think of people who are from the appalachians, western pa, ohio, etc, who want to go on a cruse. They can either fly to Miami, or they can drive to Baltimore (so the price of the crusie is less). They are going to come the night before and spend the night in the moderate priced hotels at Canton crossing, you have to eat, and then board the ship in the morning.

THe best picture of our skyline is coming into the harbor. You arent going to see that if you go up the middle branch to locust point. If we have it in Canton how nice would it be to end the trip with a view of the Baltimore skyline? This is the most shortsighted decisions and one more reason to get Erhlich out of Annapolis.

However, the MD Business Journal the article said that Ed Hale is not going to give up and hopes that a permanent facility will still be built in Canton. Mayor O'Malley supports it and when he becomes governor will probably help out Canton. Also I think its going to be an interesting fight because people in Locust Point dont like change and really dont like yuppie (non-blue collar) people coming into their neighborhood. They didnt want a hotel at Silo Point. I am sure they arent going to want 80 cruise lines with thousands of people coming through their neighborhood.

This Canton Crossing project combined with Brewer's Hill is going absolutely HUGE for Baltimore and almost a new inner harbor idea. I think Ed Hale will come through with the money and build it himself. I know Royal Carribbean would rather be in a nice cruise terminal instead of a old warehouse in a quiet neighborhood.

Baltimoreguy

December 24th, 2004, 12:17 AM

The govenor is hard pressed with lack of funds, mainly due to Michael Busch. The Governor wants the Canton Site for the terminal also. O'Malley has so many skeltons in his closet that will come out before the election. Him and his wife don't live together as he states. She lives in AA county now in Curran's house and not with Marty. There is suposedly a news reporter now in NY that was to have his twins, but she lost the babies. O'Malley is also the reason Hackerman pulled out of the Bromosetlzer, and The Westin Hotel also Hackerman was not chosen over RLJ. Hackerman is a schaefer croni and O'malley is subborn and wants to get back at Schaefer any way he can. I wouldn't put all your eggs in the O'Malley Basket

jaysonjaz

December 24th, 2004, 12:39 AM

The govenor is hard pressed with lack of funds, mainly due to Michael Busch. The Governor wants the Canton Site for the terminal also.

I know we didn't post the Sun Article from today up here, but thats more or less what they said. Basicly they said that they can do it for cheap now in Locust Point so they don't completly lose out on the business. Then a few years from now, they can build the place in Canton.
Makes sense to me.

waj0527

December 24th, 2004, 07:37 AM

I was in Canton this evening and I decided to drive (it was waaaay too cold and windy to walk) around and check out the progress of nearby projects. I didnt have my digital cam with me, but I found renderings of the projects I plan to reference just so everyone is clear about the project I'm describing.

First, "The Moorings at Canton" which is directly across the street from the Can Company complex on Boston St. is currently under construction. Its a private community of townhomes starting in the $600s. They look like they'll be really nice with a GREAT view of the Baltimore skyline (just take a look at the rendering).

Rendering of 'The Moorings at Canton':
http://www.cignalcorp.com/images/moorings1.jpg

The Harbor East/Fells Point area is looking great. There was a lot of development that has already taken place that I was completely unaware of. 1400 Lancaster is looking great and despite being in Fells Point blends in well with Harbor East.

Rendering of 1400 Lancaster:
http://www.cignalcorp.com/images/lancaster2.jpg

The Canal Street Malt House condos (at Central and Pratt) are also underway. Looks like the building has been gutted and renovations are taking place. I'm really interested in how much these units are going to cost. There's a 'Now Selling' sign in front of the building but I couldnt read it while driving.

One of the largest projects is something I cant seem to find any information on. Theres a huge lot that has and continues to be developed. The lot is bordered by Pratt to the south, Lombard to the north, President to the west and Central to the east. A few years ago this lot was grass and nothing else. Today, there are about 75-100 homes that have been built (some of which people already live in). Does anyone know anything about this project?

jaysonjaz

December 24th, 2004, 03:25 PM

NewBaltimore1980

December 24th, 2004, 04:01 PM

The Project is called "Flag House Courts"

http://www.tortigallaschk.com/project.asp?p=50183
http://www.beazer.com/outreach/metroDetail.asp?MetroProjectID=7

Here is a pdf which answers many questions
http://www.baltimorehousing.org/index/FlagHouse_FAQ.pdf#search='flag%20house%20courts'

They are basically nice projects that will look like regular projects when people dont take care of them in five years. They should have let market conditions dictate how valuable that land is and put a nice development of mid to upper income housing so close to downtown.

fanofterps

December 24th, 2004, 05:05 PM

This happened in the Schmoke administration where most areas in the city got worse. 5 years ago we got excited about a new night club/bar coming to the city.

Now, 5 years later we hopefully have 4,000 upscale residential units to look foward to in the next 2 to 3 years along with another large grocery store on Charles.

They are basically nice projects that will look like regular projects when people dont take care of them in five years. They should have let market conditions dictate how valuable that land is and put a nice development of mid to upper income housing so close to downtown.

waj0527

December 24th, 2004, 05:24 PM

StevenW

December 24th, 2004, 11:22 PM

Convention bookings down while plans for hotel heat up
Baltimore officials say intensified competition and a lack of lodging are taking a toll.
By Lorraine Mirabella
Sun Staff
Originally published December 24, 2004
Baltimore is forging ahead with a proposed publicly financed convention headquarters hotel - one of the costliest projects ever undertaken by the city - at a time when the convention center's future business is sagging and new competitors are posing an increased threat.

As the city's economic development arm pushes to sell $290 million in tax-exempt bonds to finance a 750-room Hilton, convention center bookings are set to plummet by nearly half in 2006 and sink over the next several years, with just four groups signed up for 2009 - well within the booking window for major conventions.

Meanwhile, Washington's new convention center has sold more than eight times as many hotel nights in 2009 as Baltimore's. Philadelphia has booked at least 50 groups a year through 2008, a year for which Baltimore has seven. That same year, Gaylord National Resorts plans to open an all-inclusive convention resort less than 10 miles from Washington in Prince George's County.

Convention officials concede that the intensified competition both in the region and nationwide is taking a toll on Baltimore.

"Am I worried that we have only 28 conventions [in 2006]? Yes ... and we do recognize we are a little behind our booking pace," said Debra Dignan, Baltimore Area Convention and Visitors Association associate vice president for convention sales. "There is so much [space] available out there, and associations think the closer they book, the better deal they'll get."

Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center on the Potomac is viewed as an especially formidable competitor. Scheduled to open the same year as Baltimore's planned four-star Hilton, the resort - the largest to break ground outside Las Vegas - is booking events through 2014.

With a single company in control of 400,000 square feet of exhibition and meeting space, 1,500 hotel rooms, a spa, nightclub and other amenities, Gaylord can undercut competitors with package deals, particularly for customers who also book events at its other resorts in Nashville, Tenn., Orlando and near Dallas.

The latest figures from Baltimore's convention bureau show 163,192 nights in area hotels booked for 2006, down from 300,054 the year before. That dwindles to 34,039 for 2009.

The Washington Convention Center - whose exhibition space is more than double Baltimore's - has booked 160 events through 2017. For 2009, the center, which opened last year, has booked 15 groups and 284,221 nights in area hotels, a level that dips only slightly through 2012.

Philadelphia, which has a 1,400-room convention hotel, has at least 50 groups booked each year through 2008, including 15 or 16 "citywide" conventions each year, and plans to expand its exhibit space in 2008.

Even without the new Gaylord resort, competitors in the past fiscal year alone outbid Baltimore for 94 meetings that would have generated more than 250,000 hotel room nights, according to BACVA. Baltimore lost the most business to Orlando, followed by Philadelphia, Boston and Washington.

"The competition for the convention and tourism dollar is ferocious, particularly in our region," said Clarence T. Bishop, chairman of the BACVA board of directors and Mayor Martin O'Malley's chief of staff. Without a convention hotel "we definitely will not increase the number of conventions that come into the convention center."

"When we go back and ask convention [planners] why you didn't come here, consistently one of the main reasons is because we don't have a significant size hotel facility adjacent to the convention center," Bishop said. "Without the hotel, we're going to continue to lose business that we are currently losing."

Since the Baltimore Convention Center's $151 million expansion opened in 1996, Baltimore officials have consistently blamed the lack of a convention headquarters hotel for the failure to meet projections, pointing to high hotel rates here as a major reason for lost business. With higher-than average occupancy rates, Baltimore's downtown hotels have little incentive to fill rooms by committing blocks at discounted convention rates.

What's more, a project that was awarded city incentives in 1997 to be a convention hotel - the 750-room Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Hotel in Harbor East - is nearly a mile from the convention center and was never required to commit rooms for conventions. And with 80,000 square feet of meeting space and a ballroom that seats more than 2,000, the Marriott Waterfront does a thriving meetings business of its own.

Now, less than 10 percent of the Marriott Waterfront's business comes from groups booked at the convention center, said Bobby Vaughan, area director of marketing for the hotel and the smaller Marriott Inner Harbor on South Eutaw Street. The hotel, with a higher-than average 72 percent occupancy rate, generally offers block discounts only if a group books a large dinner or other food functions at the hotel, Vaughan said.

Such a room-block agreement would be included in the deal with Hilton.

O'Malley argues that a convention hotel, coupled with Baltimore's waterfront attractions and strategic location between New York and Washington, will help make Baltimore a contender for convention business.

"It's precisely because of the competition with other cities that it's important to have a convention hotel here," O'Malley said. "It's a competitive disadvantage we've suffered from ... even as we enjoy one of the highest occupancy rates on the East Coast."

Some managers at existing downtown hotels, in fact, welcome the prospect of the new Hilton because they believe it will help the city attract more convention business and benefit the overall hospitality industry.

"While it's difficult to have new supply, it will create a very competitive environment where the better hotels are likely to grow their business," said John Davis, director of sales and marketing for the Renaissance Harborplace Hotel, where convention business represents a relatively small percentage of business.

Vaughan, the marketing director for the Marriott, said the addition of the Hilton makes it crucial that Baltimore boost its convention business.

"My only fear is when you put another hotel that size in the city, you have to make sure we have enough conventions coming to the city to fill that hotel," Vaughan said. Otherwise, he continued, "we'll have a rate war on our hands. We'll be competing for the same old business vs. bringing new business in the city."

The fight for convention business comes as cities nationwide battle to win ever larger shares of the $102.3 billion-a-year convention market by building and expanding convention centers, adding hotels and deeply discounting rates on rooms and exhibit space.

By 2007, the number of meetings is expected to increase by 6 percent, while the amount of new meeting and convention space is expected to increase 9 percent, according to Trade Show Week.

"The convention center market is enormously overbuilt," said Heywood Sanders, a professor of public administration at the University of Texas, San Antonio, who tracks the convention industry. "They're giving the stuff away for free."

Sanders said cities tend to try to stay competitive by expanding convention center space, and when those expansions fail to meet projections, try to boost business by building publicly financed convention headquarters hotels.

Even if the hotels succeed in their own right, he said, they have so far failed to boost convention center business.

The 80 percent publicly financed St. Louis Renaissance, which opened in February 2003, fell short of consultants' projections and faces a revenue shortfall, Sanders said. Besides, it has failed to boost convention center business, he said. The city now expects 24 major conventions for 2004, not even half the 50 or more that were promised with the addition of the new hotel. And the city faces additional financial exposure on a $50 million tax increment bond issued for the hotel, backed by federal Community Development Block Grant funds. The city will likely end the year with about 410,000 room nights, rather than the 800,000 projected by the consultants.

Officials at the Baltimore Development Corp. are counting on the operating income of the 100-percent publicly financed Hilton to pay the estimated $290 million in bonds that will be needed for construction and other costs. The hotel is projected to have net revenue of $12.5 million in its first year, and after stabilizing in about four years, almost $21 million annually, according to Irene Van Sant, BDC project analysis director.

Meeting planners say the expansion boom means they can afford to be choosy.

In 2004, "It very much was a buyer's market, and [next year] that is going to be the case again," said Kelly Schulz, a spokeswoman for Dallas-based Meeting Professionals International. "There's a lot more [convention space] to choose from. Also, there's so much competition among our suppliers and so many deals being offered that planners have the option of what they're going to do."

Rossiter, of Gaylord, said the new National Harbor and the company's other resorts are well positioned to operate in such a competitive market.

Though he says he has never booked a meeting at a Gaylord Resort, Everette T. Shupe II, learning events specialist for Goodwill Industries International Inc. in Bethesda, says the idea of a "one-stop-shop" is appealing.

"Having a facility do everything from rooms to space, it just makes our jobs easier," Shupe said. "When you're working with a convention center vs. a hotel, a hotel can offer concessions based on [the number] of sleeping rooms required, while working with convention centers that's not always the case. Hotels have given me phenomenal concessions when I'm giving them a certain amount of rooms. When you deal with one property, you have leveraging power with one property that's better than if spread across a whole city."

Copyright © 2004, The Baltimore Sun | Get home delivery

StevenW

December 24th, 2004, 11:26 PM

btw, I LOVE what's happening to Harbor East, Myself! :D I think it's the best thing going on in Baltimore at this point. What a great exciting time to see all of this wonderful new growth and beginning for Baltimore. http://www.cignalcorp.com/images/lancaster2.jpg
This is great architecture. This Harbor East area gives a whole new and good "feel" to the city. I think it will become one of Baltimore's best assets/neighborhoods. :)

fanofterps

December 24th, 2004, 11:57 PM

I agree that Harbor East will have the most exciting new developments the next 5 years. Paterakis and Struever have the bucks to get it done. I would like to see the remaining properties become upscale residential and retail.

I drove by 800 Allicienna(Parcel B) yesterday and saw 2 bulldozers drilling the parking lot. This will be the 24 story planned building next to Spinaker Bay.

QUOTE=StevenW]btw, I LOVE what's happening to Harbor East, Myself! :D I think it's the best thing going on in Baltimore at this point. What a great exciting time to see all of this wonderful new growth and beginning for Baltimore. http://www.cignalcorp.com/images/lancaster2.jpg
This is great architecture. This Harbor East area gives a whole new and good "feel" to the city. I think it will become one of Baltimore's best assets/neighborhoods. :)[/QUOTE]

StevenW

December 25th, 2004, 03:29 AM

[QUOTE=fanofterps]I agree that Harbor East will have the most exciting new developments the next 5 years. Paterakis and Struever have the bucks to get it done. I would like to see the remaining properties become upscale residential and retail.

I drove by 800 Allicienna(Parcel B) yesterday and saw 2 bulldozers drilling the parking lot. This will be the 24 story planned building next to Spinaker Bay.

I'd like to see TWO things:

1. Where 800 Allicienna(Parcel B) will be exactly, via map or rendering of it in the skyline.

2. I'd like to see what it will look like, PERIOD! ;) :D

Can anyone help?

NewBaltimore1980

December 25th, 2004, 06:32 AM

Those are very, VERY nice housing projects. If those properties were market-rate, they would easily go for $200-300K maybe more given its proximity to downtown.

I'm not so sure, however, that these are simply "nice projects that will look like regular projects when people dont take care of them in five years". That statement sort of assumes that everyone who is in low-income housing refuses to take pride in their homes and communities. In the past it was kind of hard to do anything in terms of general esthetics when the residents were moving into apartments that were already blighted. This project seems a bit different. This, according to the website, is a mixed income community not a traditional public housing community. Obviously I dont expect any residents with 6 figure incomes to move in, but I do expect a more diverse population. Also, almost half of the units available are for sale which makes this inherently different. Buyers are much more likely than renters to maintain their property.

I am sure there are some great people in low income housing, but the majority ruin it for the rest. I am all for the mixed income housing projects that they are building in the city, but I think they should not be built in locations where a much high income (and higher tax base) housing could exist. You could put projects like this in Northwest Baltimore, or West Baltimore and make a really nice neighborhood. You will never get high income people to move to West or Northwest Baltimore. You should put people in locations where you get the most people interested in living in Baltimore. Lets also face it, find me a project that is over 10 years old in the city that is "nice". I agree the buyer part of the new projects are a good addition, but they are going to be stagnant or decreasing property values that do not help anyone (including the buyer who are the ones who are supposed to benefit).

fanofterps

December 25th, 2004, 04:29 PM

I would think $200,000 to $300,000 homes could sell next to Little Italy.
Under the old Mayor administration, the city lost close to 200,000 over 12 years. Most of the development excitement was what new bar was opening in Fells Point or downtown. Its too bad we have to settle for low/mixed income housing so close to the Inner Harbor. The mixed income housing was signed off under the old mayor administration.

On the bright side there are 4,000 to 5,000 upscale residential units planned downtown over the next 2 to 3 years. Times are changing.

I am sure there are some great people in low income housing, but the majority ruin it for the rest. I am all for the mixed income housing projects that they are building in the city, but I think they should not be built in locations where a much high income (and higher tax base) housing could exist. You could put projects like this in Northwest Baltimore, or West Baltimore and make a really nice neighborhood. You will never get high income people to move to West or Northwest Baltimore. You should put people in locations where you get the most people interested in living in Baltimore. Lets also face it, find me a project that is over 10 years old in the city that is "nice". I agree the buyer part of the new projects are a good addition, but they are going to be stagnant or decreasing property values that do not help anyone (including the buyer who are the ones who are supposed to benefit).

waj0527

December 26th, 2004, 12:10 AM

City panel criticizes redevelopment plan for west-side block
Developers would preserve historic buildings' facades, replace their interiors
By Jill Rosen
Sun Staff
Originally published December 24, 2004

A daring design that melds historical and contemporary elements on a key west-side block needs more work, a city design review board ruled yesterday.

Seeing for the first time the unconventional plan to overhaul the 400 block of W. Baltimore St., the Urban Design and Architecture Review Panel balked at what developers described as a "facade-ectomy." The plan preserves the facades of the historic buildings and storefronts along Baltimore Street but removes the insides of the structures and adds new, glass offices that rise behind them.

The panel sent developers A&R Development Corp. and David S. Brown Enterprises back to the drawing board, asking for a reworking of the design and more deference to the street's history.

"It's possible to do this and come off well architecturally and economically, but it's hard," said M.J. "Jay" Brodie, a panel member and president of Baltimore Development Corp. "There's an artificiality about it, seeing the facade and knowing there's nothing behind it."

Proponents of the city's west-side revitalization consider the 400 block of W. Baltimore St. a gateway, linking the west side with the more vibrant areas of downtown.

Steps away from the newly refurbished Hippodrome Theatre and the $80 million Centerpoint mixed-use project, the Baltimore Street project could give the west side efforts momentum.

The $15 million proposal includes 150,000 square feet of office space above first-floor retail space. Though the panel didn't approve the plan, Tony Rodgers, vice president of A&R, said the setback shouldn't throw the development off course for a planned June groundbreaking.

"We agreed with most of the comments and will take a look back and address them," Rodgers said.

Rodgers compares the plan for the block with M Street in Washington's Georgetown neighborhood, where blocks of historic buildings have been turned into shops and restaurants.

In Baltimore, this is the first time the concept has been tried on such a grand scale. It has succeeded with properties such as the Admiral Fell Inn in Fells Point and the American Visionary Art Museum in Federal Hill, however, said the plan's architect, Chris Parts of Hord Coplan Macht.

"We think the additions make a stronger block," Parts said.

Panel members seemed skeptical of the developer's attempt to blend the old with the new. Stan Britt pointed out that although the approach is used extensively in Washington, not all projects work.

Mario Schack said he had always considered such a design "an absolute no-no," bucking traditional design rules. "So one has to develop a sympathy for what you're doing," Schack said, "which is not that easy to do."

Historians also worry that the development would demolish rare and meaningful structures.

According to the book Baltimore's Cast-iron Buildings & Architectural Ironwork by James D. Dilts and Catharine F. Black, the street is brimming with history. Some of the city's last remaining iron buildings are on the block, as is one of the last two brownstones in the downtown business district.

A century ago, Baltimore had more than 100 iron buildings. According to the book, 36 were left by 1962 and 10 by 1991. They're "clearly an endangered species," the book says, adding that "they represent an architecture of unique clarity and articulation, structural significance and historical importance to the city."

Kathleen Kotarba, executive director of the Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation, said she was pleased that the plan would preserve the facades, but she encouraged the developers to also preserve the interior space.

Rogers said his team considered retaining the insides of the historic buildings but that tenants want large swaths of uninterrupted space, requiring the developers to take down the walls separating the old buildings. That might allow one tenant to have as much as a whole block to work with.

The Maryland Historic Trust also doesn't want to see the insides of the buildings removed. Rodney Little, director of the trust, said that portion of Baltimore Street was once the western portal to the city, a historically vital spot.

"We would hope to see as much of the original buildings preserved as possible," he said, adding, "I think a 'facade-ectomy' on the site would be particularly unfortunate."

Copyright © 2004, The Baltimore Sun | Get home delivery

waj0527

December 26th, 2004, 12:21 AM

The city approved the sale of land in Middle Branch to the Aquarium. The aquarium plans to use the 20 acres to create a new campus and public park.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/media/photo/2004-12/15549183.jpg

City Board of Estimates approves sale of land to aquarium
Parcel on Middle Branch would be second campus
By Doug Donovan
Sun Staff
Originally published December 23, 2004

In a move hailed as a touchstone for future waterfront development in Baltimore, the city's spending board approved yesterday selling 20 acres along the Patapsco River's Middle Branch to the National Aquarium.
The aquarium plans to use the land to build a $110 million campus for aquatic life that development experts said could help usher in a transformation of the largely industrial South Baltimore shoreline.

"The Middle Branch is a new frontier for the city," Andrew B. Frank, executive vice president for the Baltimore Development Corp., told the city's Board of Estimates, which unanimously supported the sale. "This could be a catalyst for more development."

As part of the deal, which still faces hurdles, including City Council approval, the aquarium would pay the city as much as $8 million to buy the land and help move the city's central repair garage from the waterfront site to an East Baltimore location.

By 2008, the brownfield site along the Middle Branch will be cleaned up and the vacated 140,000-square-foot garage will be converted into an animal-care facility. A public park and conservation area will be added. That would complete the first, $35 million phase of the complex to be known as the Center for Aquatic Life and Conservation.

Frank said the facility could also eventually include a conference center, a hotel and office buildings.

David M. Pittenger, the aquarium's executive director, said his organization had formally agreed to abide by the city's policy to include minorities and women throughout the entire 15- to 20-year development. He said the aquarium would make sure that certain percentages of construction, design and engineering contracts went to minority- and women-owned firms.

The cost of moving the city's garage raised concern yesterday when Public Works Director George L. Winfield said the proposed Biddle Street site could not accommodate all of the operations housed at the current garage.

The $15 million cost of building a new state-of-the-art garage on Biddle Street and relocating operations there has increased by $1 million because of a necessary change in the new site's design, Winfield said.

City Council President Sheila Dixon, the board's chairman, said the BDC would have to make sure the garage does not get "shortchanged."

"I don't want us to get amnesia down the road" about the commitment to the garage, Dixon said.

M.J. "Jay" Brodie, president of the BDC, said his group would do all it could to help find money to build the garage. Brodie then praised the aquarium.

"They didn't have to look in the city," Brodie said. "They could have looked elsewhere."

The aquarium's planned facility and park in South Baltimore are not designed to replace the flagship Inner Harbor facility. Instead, the facility would focus on caring for marine animals and serving as a launching point for ecological explorations extending into the Chesapeake Bay. Nearby wetlands would also be restored.

As its core, the former city garage would be transformed into a 50,000-square-foot home for marine animals waiting to be displayed at the Inner Harbor aquarium. Remaining space could be used for education programs, officials said.

Over the next 15 to 20 years, other projects -- an animal rescue facility, walking trails, a fishing pier, a research lab and possibly a hotel or conference center -- could be added onto the 19.6 acres along the northern shoreline of the Middle Branch. The land to be developed includes three parcels: slightly more than 7 acres at 101 W. Cromwell St.; 11.5 acres at 101 W. Dickman St.; and 1.04 acres at 2300 S. Hanover St.

One of the largest tourist attractions in the Inner Harbor for the past two decades, the aquarium opened in 1981. It has served as an anchor for extensive residential and commercial growth wrapping around the harbor from Federal Hill to Canton and beyond. The structure now spans two downtown piers and draws 1.6 million visitors per year, officials said.

The South Baltimore project would be the aquarium's most costly expansion, likely requiring a new capital fund-raising campaign from public and private sources, Pittenger said.

Copyright © 2004, The Baltimore Sun | Get home delivery

StevenW

December 26th, 2004, 06:14 PM

Cool. :)

scando

December 27th, 2004, 05:21 AM

A new project, from the Jeffersonian, looks like a good addition to the area -

Heritage files Towson Circle plan

Dormitory would have 600 beds; restaurant could be Dave & Buster's

12/23/04
By Loni Ingraham
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Developers have filed a site plan for Towson Circle _ a residential, retail and entertainment complex just south of Joppa Road and bordered by Delaware, Pennsylvania and Virginia avenues.

If it comes to fruition, the 3.67-acre project "will be one of the largest economic development projects in Towson's history," according to 5th District Councilman Vince Gardina.

Representatives of Heritage Properties, which converted the old Hutzler's department store building into the Towson Circle retail complex, are scheduled to meet with county development officials Dec. 27 to discuss their plan.

Filed Dec. 8 for Heritage by Towson-based George W. Stephens Jr. & Associates, the plan shows a 600-bed dormitory (for Towson University students), an 8,000-square-foot retail building, a 725-space high- rise parking garage and a 56,000 square-foot restaurant, which is expected to be a Dave & Buster's, Gardina said.

The Dave and Buster's chain is known for entertainment as well as food. The Dave & Buster's Million Dollar Midway, with it dozens of interactive electronic games, races and tests of skill, has proved to a strong draw in more than 32 locations across the country.

People will come to Towson just to visit Dave & Buster's, Gardina said.

The site plan incorporates 18 properties previously owned by five different entities or now owned by Towson Circle. The properties now serve primarily as an overflow parking lot for Towson Circle.

But the site also includes a Burger King on the corner of Delaware Avenue and Joppa Road with a lease until 2007, which may have to be bought out, Gardina said, and the old Shealey family cemetery, which will have to be preserved.

Gardina said he supports the project. He said it would "take an area that is primarily vacant and turn it into an area that will bring a lot of vitality to the downtown business district."

Suzan Doordan, executive director of the Towson Business Association, echoed Gardina's opinion. "I just feel that anything that will bring more foot traffic into Towson will be a positive," Doordan said.

Indeed, said Don Wright, former president of the Greater Towson Council of Community Associations, "This is what some people have been begging for. More foot traffic makes people feel safer walking in Towson."

Heritage and Towson University did not return phone calls about the project.

But Gardina said he has been told it could be completed by 2007.

The Baltimore County Revenue Authority parking garage would be built first, if the agency participates in the project.

The dormitory, which would be marketed to TU students, would be constructed next. It would be 10 stories at its highest point and taper off to seven stories at each end and have about 169 two-, three- and four- bedroom units.

The Dave and Buster's would be built after that.

Just what would occupy the 8,000-square-foot retail building is undecided.

The project's trip through the county's development review process could be shorter and sweeter than usual.

Heritage is asking the county to approve the project as a refinement of a plan for the entire Towson Town Center area that was approved under the old County Review Group process well over a decade ago.

A public hearing may not be required if the project is considered a refinement of a previously approved plan.

E-mail Loni Ingraham at lingraham@patuxent.com.

'I just feel that anything that will bring more foot traffic into Towson will be a positive.'