Someone put together this compilation which has some good pics.

For those not familiar with the McHenry Row project, it is the large retail & residential development project currently in progress in Locust Point. Read these posts for some more background.

Baltimore’s McHenry Row - Panera, Starbucks…
McHenry Row - Baltimore - Locust Point

If you have driven down Key Highway recently, you know the McHenry Row construction is well under way on the first structure - the parking garage.  It appears the earlier reports of Harris Teeter being the grocer and anchor store, are about to become true. Developer Mark Sapperstein hopes that the deal will soon be announced. The store will be their largest location and will likley stay open 24 hours. If what’s being said is true - this will be the nicest grocery store in the city. It’s proposed to have a high-end selection of prepared foods, deli/butcher, bakery, seafood, sushi bar, cheese bar, on-site pizza makers, etc. The store will have a big focus on fresh produce and organic products. The projected completion for the grocer is Summer/Fall 2010, months after the residences will open.

Harris Teeter opening a Baltimore location is a bit of a stretch for them. It’s outside of their existing geographic area, and this area of Baltimore does not yet support their typical demographics.  The success of the overall project, and bringing in additional high-end retailers, really hinges on locking in Harris Teeter.  Once that happens the other tenants should be lining up.  I’ve heard that Starbucks and two banks are likely, and Panera, Cosi, Cold Stone, Legal Sea Food and other restaurants are possible.  If the project plays out as hoped, it will certainly become one of the nicest retail centers in Baltimore.

Sapperstein is also planning on doing some interesting lighting and signage on the existing water tower at the site. He’s proposing to use some variation of neon or a well lit sign, as well as some automated lighting effects that “go off” every 7 minutes. It sounds a bit cheesey, but is supposed to play off existing Baltimore landmarks like Domino Sugar, Phillips Crab, Natty Boh, and UTZ signs.

Key highway will also undergo a large amount of work that includes a landscaped medium between the existing four lanes.

Baltimore’s development arm, the Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC) recently released a snapshot of their master plan for the Charles North Area, AKA Station North, north of Penn Station. 

While the plan calls for higher density high rises, including a 60 story building, it seems unlikely that any of those would come to fruition in the near future, although the BDC has plans to acquire about 18 properties to start the revitalization process.

 The most tangible aspect of the plan could be the addition of a boutique hotel to the top three floors of Penn Station in conjunction with a renovation/expansion of the train station and concourse as reported in the Baltimore Business Journal.  http://charlotte.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/2007/10/15/story7.html

 I’m curious to hear what people think about a potential 60 story building in this neighborhood.  Add your comments or shoot me an e-mail.

jeffcantonite@yahoo.com

Baltimore’s tallest building, the Legg Mason building, is getting a new parking garage.  Contractors recently broke ground on the new 10 story structure located across the street from the Legg Mason building near the corner of Light and Lombard.  Burke’s Restaurant, currently at the location will apparently remain and will supposedly get a face-lift.  It appears that the building’s owners are preparing for Legg Mason’s exodus to their new headquarters in Harbor East as a selling point for future tenants.  Parking, or should I say lack thereof, was a major reason for Legg’s departure. 

jeffcantonite@yahoo.com

It was announced today that Baltimore City and the University of Maryland, Baltimore Campus have reached an agreement to open a new university bookstore on the northeast corner of Baltimore and Paca streets, just west of the Hippodrome Theatre.  The new bookstore will be operated by Barnes and Noble.  Even though the university could have placed the bookstore in one of their existing buildings, the thoughts are that a bookstore in this location would be a greater boon to the West-side revitalization.  In all likelihood, the University of Maryland Barnes and Noble will be similar to the recently opened Barnes and Noble associated with Johns Hopkins University in Charles Village.  Main complaints about these university bookstores are that they lack the kind of book selection that a standard Barnes and Noble would carry, since their main focus is textbooks.  No word on construction schedule or format for the recently announced store.

Ra Sushi’s first East Coast location has just opened in the Harbor East neighborhood of Baltimore.  It’s no surprise that Ra chose this location, as Harbor East has quickly become the restaurant hotspot of Baltimore. 

Harbor East currently has; Charleston,  Chui’s Sushi, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar, Grille 700, James Joyce Irish Pub & Restaurant, Kosmo’s Lounge, Lebanese Taverna, The Oceanaire Seafood Room, Pazo, RA Sushi, Roy’s, Taco Fiesta, Cinghiale (a Northern Italian restaurant), along with two newcomers Lemongrass and Tsunami along Central Ave.

The Ra Sushi chain, based out of Arizona, is best know for it’s trendy restaurants that are great places to take a first date or a group of friends.  Recommend calling first to make reservations, as this place will definitely take off. 

 RA Sushi Bar and Restaurant, 1390 Lancaster St., Baltimore, 410-522-3200.  Visit www.rasushi.com . Ra Sushi is located in The Eden, a new apartment complex in Harbor East.  www.edenapts.com