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/

I recently posted on the large tax break that Baltimore’s Harbor East project is receiving - in part to keep Legg Mason as a tenant in the new office tower.  Today Baltimore Business Journal posted another story on the subject, revealing some interesting details about Legg Mason’s deal.  For one - Legg Mason’s new building will include a 1,200 spot underground parking garage.  Which had to be a great selling point for moving from their current downtown location.  Legg Mason’s current parking garage sits under the building at 100 Light Street - but only contains a couple hundred spots.  I know this because I worked at Legg for three years - and wasn’t allowed to park there - except on rare occasions (i.e. the weekends).  There were vice presidents that didn’t even have parking spots.  2nd - the article revealed that Legg’s lease has been signed for 15 years.  A great selling point for brining additional business into Harbor East.

Everywhere you look in Baltimore development is in progress.  The view from our rooftop deck in Locust Point is no different.  There is new construction literally in every direction.

These two shots show the new Ruppert homes in Locust Point under construction.  The development is slated for close to 80 homes.  Silo Point is under construction in the background.

This first photo shows the Silo Point project well under way.  After years of negotiating, stalling, planning, environmental remediation, and demolition - progress is finally visible from a distance.  The 2nd photo shows a pretty common sight around Baltimore these days - the addition of a third story on Woodall street. 

This photo shows one of the last remains of the Chesapeake Paperboard Company in Locust Point.  Construction will soon begin on the “Shoppes at Fort” - a huge mixed use development to include high-end apartments, office, and retail.

These two photos look across the the harbor towards Fells Point and Harbor East.  The large piece of undeveloped land along the waterfront is the former Allied Chemical property.  Development has not been allowed on this land for close to 30 years because the ground was(is) so polluted.  However, this will soon be the site of much more development - the 27 mixed use Harbor Point.

In a month or so I will post again to show the progress at these various sites.

Today officials announced H&S Properties - the land developer that owns much of the Harbor East property to be developed - would receive $33 million in tax breaks.  The deal is intended to help the Harbor East development keep the Legg Mason headquarters in Baltimore City.  Legg Mason recently announced it would be moving from its current location downtown at 100 light street.

Tax breaks seem to make sense when trying to spur economic development in under-served or “unpopular” areas.  However this hardly seems to be the case for Harbor East.  The project is already a success, with a number of new restaurants, office space, and hotels - including the to be developed Four Seasons.  Not to mention Legg Mason already announced they would be moving to the new tower in Harbor East.  Was the Legg Mason move contingent on these tax breaks?  In any case it makes you wonder, rich getting richer?  Maybe H&S can kick in some of that tax break money to pay my annual ground rent…

Full story on Baltimore Sun