Mustang Alleys - an upscale bar, bistro, and bowling alley recently opened in Harbor East.  Open late, featuring 12 lanes, a bunch of HDTV’s, a full menu, and an annoying soundtrack on their Website.  Don’t know about the prices, but if they’re decent I’ll be checking it out. 

http://www.mustangalleys.com/

The Baltimore Middle Branch Planning Initiative Website has a draft Master Plan document posted.  The first photo below shows a nice aerial view, and the 2nd shows where the Middle Branch is in relation to the Inner Harbor.

Through the Middle Branch planning process it is our goal to highlight and capitalize on the unique green character of the Middle Branch estuary to build a model community, based on sustainable principles. These sustainable principles include economic prosperity, environmental improvement and social equity. According to the American Planning Association, planning for sustainability “…promotes responsible development – not-anti-development. It requires a democratic process of planning to achieve the greatest common good for all segments of our population, protect the health of the environment and assure future generations of the resources they will need to survive and progress.”

The Middle Branch’s unique qualities as an environmental oasis, located minutes from downtown and surrounded by challenged communities, create a perfect opportunity to employ these principles.

The long awaited extension of Key Highway (Loop road) to Locust Point at Tide Point will be officially completed and opened Wednesday August 15th.  There will be an official ceremony at 11 a.m.

Mayor Dixon has blocked the developer’s plans to build two additional 26-story towers on the HarborView site along Key Highway in South Baltimore.  Many have been worried about blocking views and cluttering the skyline.  To me - the main problem, should those towers be built, is traffic. Key Highway leaving the city in the morning would be maxed out.  But I’m not opposed to the height necessarily. The slim towers would actually preserve more water views than if they built a wider, less tall structure.  Just look at how much water view the new Ritz Carlton ate up.

To the relief of many in South Baltimore, Mayor Sheila Dixon has blocked a plan to build two more waterfront towers at HarborView.

Faced with intense community opposition, the mayor pushed HarborView’s developer, Richard A. Swirnow, to rescind his request to the City Council that would have enabled him to keep building even though he technically had exhausted his construction options.

“I have decided to withdraw [the bill] and instruct the Planning Department and Mayor’s Office of Neighborhoods to bring all parties together to find common ground,” Dixon wrote in a letter to a community leader who opposes the proposal.

Full article

On the heels of the recent articles about Sam’s Club closing its Port Covington store, The Daily Record published a story about the developer’s plans to build a billion dollar project on the 56 acre waterfront site.  Really it just sounds like more of the same for Port Covington - lofty plans, great ideas, but no real time frame or movement.   

Previous coverage 

Even rumors about Donald Trump purchasing the site have circulated for the last couple years, but at this point as far as I know they’re nothing more than that.

After multiple conflicting reports, today’s Baltimore Sun has an article revealing that the SAM’s club in Port Covington is indeed being relocated to Glen Burnie, but the Wal-Mart is staying.  Which sucks, because the Wal-Mart is a real dump, but the SAM’s Club is pretty nice.

Basically the article states that the retail stores were premature, and need more residential in the area to support them.

“Clearly the area will go through a transition, and it hasn’t gotten there yet,” Spector said.  “Residential is very important down there,” Spector added. “Right now there is not residential there and retail obviously requires residential bodies.”

Came across this “newish” condo project in Mount Vernon. The 1800’s building is an apartment-condo conversion that now houses 18 units.  7 of the 18 units are still for sale.

http://www.madisonflats.com

Mark Sapperstein - the developer of the former Chesapeake Paperboard site in Locust Point -recently met with a group from the Locust Point Civic Association and Urban Design and Architecture Review Panel (UDARP) and shared new details.

The project which he was currently referring to as the Shoppes at the Fort - is now being called McHenry Row.  They also plan to use variations such as The Shops at McHenry Row and The Lofts at McHenry Row for the 9 acre mixed use project.  The project will be phased with the garage, apartments and office space likely coming first, followed by the grocer.  The grocer still has not been officially named - but he had named Harris Teeter before.  However, the latest rumor has Fresh Market moving in.

Sapperstein plans to have a pharmacy - both CVS and Walgreens want in on the project.  Two banks, one with a drive through window, will be part of McHenry Row.  He is also looking to bring in a lively restaurant with outdoor seating - Clydes and Green Turtle were mentioned as possibilities.

Panera Bread and Starbucks were both mentioned as likely tenants.  Apparantly this project, and Locust Point in general, is more marketable than some had thought.

 The 250 one and two bedroom upscale appartments will be managed by the Bozzuto Group.  One of the apartment buildings will have a green roof, and the developer is trying to achieve LEED silver certification for the project - this deals with environmental sustainability.

The latest site plan is shown here. McHenry Row - Baltimore - Locust Point

Friday’s Baltimore Business Journal had this story Friday.  The owners of the 100 Light Street building (current Legg Mason building) are moving ahead with plans to build a 500 car parking garage.  One of the likely reasons for Legg’s announcement to move from it’s current headquarter location is the lack of parking.  So perhaps the building owners see this as a necessary step to lure future tenants.