Baltimore Grows

The? Old Town National Bank building - aka the UTZ Building - will be converted into? a 70-room hotel .? The UTZ sign will stay. Baltimore Sun article.

We all know the Baltimore Harbor is gross - littered with every type of floating trash imaginable, not to mention the occasional floating fish kill. But if you’ve ever been on or near the? water just after a heavy rainfall you realize how bad the trash problem really is. I used to get an up-close look at this when I commuted from Fells Point via the Water Taxi.? Trash from every Baltimore street corner, storm drain, and alley flows into the Harbor.? And it’s not just Baltimore City’s trash.? ? Some trash flows down from Baltimore county via the Jones Falls.? Apparently not much stands in the way of trash as it flows into the Harbor. I always thought there has to be a way for the city to filter/strain the storm drains - and empty them out on a weekly basis. Continue Reading »

Baltimore Business Journal article about the delay? of the 414 Water Street condo project.?

Delayed from last spring, developers of a 31-story residential tower in downtown Baltimore now plan to start turning over the first of their 312 condominium units to new owners this fall, one of the project’s developers said.

The Melting Pot fondue restaurant chain may soon open its 5th Maryland location in downtown Baltimore.? The chain is being pursued for the vacant spot at the bottom of the new Zenith Apartments across from Camden Yards, but nothing has been confirmed yet.

The Zenith Apartments are? housed in the new building that went up adjacent to Camden Yards.? They look? very nice and the upper floor units have a great view. You can even see a small slice of the baseball field from one side.? The other side, well they have a nice view of the Shock Trauma helicopter taking off and landing throughout the day and night.? With the new convention hotel going up next door - this area is certainly getting denser? -which is a good thing.? Also, there are plans to have a restaurant on the ground level - but I’m still waiting on my “inside source” for the name.

Prices: 1 bedroom - $1,500+/month, 2 bedroom - $2,300+/month, 3 bedroom - $4,200/month.

The Daily Record has an article about the movement to protect and preserve the Mechanic Theatre Building.

The Baltimore Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation on Tuesday moved forward with a proposal to make the 40-year-old Morris A. Mechanic Theatre building a city landmark. Commissioners also approved another measure that could give them review of improvements to the structure.

Full article

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.