AN ADVISORY SERVICES PANEL REPORT The Westside Baltimore, Maryland www.uli.org Cover Baltimore.indd 3 4/22/11 9:53 AM The Westside Baltimore, Maryland A Vision for the Westside Neighborhood December 5–10, 2010 An Advisory Services Program Report Urban Land Institute 1025 Thomas Jefferson Street, NW Suite 500 West Washington, DC 20007-5201 About the Urban Land Institute he mission of the Urban Land Institute is to ●● Sharing knowledge through education, applied provide leadership in the responsible use of research, publishing, and electronic media; and land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. ULI is committed to ●● Sustaining a diverse global network of local practice T and advisory efforts that address current and future ●● Bringing together leaders from across the fields challenges. of real estate and land use policy to exchange best practices and serve community needs; Established in 1936, the Institute today has nearly 30,000 members worldwide, representing the ●● Fostering collaboration within and beyond ULI’s entire spectrum of the land use and development membership through mentoring, dialogue, and disciplines. ULI relies heavily on the experience of problem solving; its members. It is through member involvement and information resources that ULI has been able to set ●● Exploring issues of urbanization, conservation, standards of excellence in development practice. regeneration, land use, capital formation, and The Institute has long been recognized as one of the sustainable development; world’s most respected and widely quoted sources of ●● Advancing land use policies and design practices objective information on urban planning, growth, that respect the uniqueness of both built and natural and development. environments; Cover photo ©2010 J. Brough Schamp/www.schamp.com ©2011 by the Urban Land Institute 1025 Thomas Jefferson Street, NW Suite 500 West Washington, DC 20007-5201 All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of the whole or any part of the contents without written permission of the copyright holder is prohibited. 2 An Advisory Services Panel Report About ULI Advisory Services he goal of ULI’s Advisory Services Program is A major strength of the program is ULI’s unique to bring the finest expertise in the real estate ability to draw on the knowledge and expertise of its field to bear on complex land use planning and members, including land developers and owners, T development projects, programs, and policies. public officials, academics, representatives of financial Since 1947, this program has assembled well over 400 institutions, and others. In fulfillment of the mission ULI–member teams to help sponsors find creative, of the Urban Land Institute, this Advisory Services practical solutions for issues such as downtown panel report is intended to provide objective advice redevelopment, land management strategies, that will promote the responsible use of land to evaluation of development potential, growth enhance the environment. management, community revitalization, brownfields redevelopment, military base reuse, provision of low- cost and affordable housing, and asset management ULI Program Staff strategies, among other matters. A wide variety of Gayle Berens public, private, and nonprofit organizations have Senior Vice President, Education and Advisory Group contracted for ULI’s Advisory Services. Thomas W. Eitler Each panel team is composed of highly qualified Vice President, Advisory Services professionals who volunteer their time to ULI. They are chosen for their knowledge of the panel Patrick Pontius topic and screened to ensure their objectivity. ULI’s Director, Education and Advisory Group interdisciplinary panel teams provide a holistic look at Theodore C. Thoerig development problems. A respected ULI member who Manager, Education and Advisory Group has previous panel experience chairs each panel. Caroline Dietrich The agenda for a five-day panel assignment is Panel Associate, Education and Advisory Group intensive. It includes an in-depth briefing day composed of a tour of the site and meetings with Gwen McCall sponsor representatives; a day of hour-long interviews Senior Administrative Manager, Education and of typically 50 to 75 key community representatives; Advisory Group and two days of formulating recommendations. Long nights of discussion precede the panel’s conclusions. James A. Mulligan On the final day on site, the panel makes an oral Managing Editor presentation of its findings and conclusions to the Laura Glassman, Publications Professionals LLC sponsor. A written report is prepared and published. Manuscript Editor Because the sponsoring entities are responsible Betsy VanBuskirk for significant preparation before the panel’s visit, Creative Director including sending extensive briefing materials to each member and arranging for the panel to meet with Deanna Pineda, Muse Advertising Design key local community members and stakeholders in Layout Artist the project under consideration, participants in ULI’s five-day panel assignments are able to make accurate Craig Chapman assessments of a sponsor’s issues and to provide Senior Director, Publishing Operations recommendations in a compressed amount of time. Baltimore, Maryland, December 5–10, 2010 3 Acknowledgments he panel wishes to thank Mayor Stephanie like to thank the city of Baltimore Development Rawlings-Blake for her commitment to Corporation; Downtown Partnership of Baltimore, revitalizing the Westside. The panel would Inc.; Greater Baltimore Committee; University of T also like to thank Kaliope Parthemos, deputy Maryland, Baltimore; University of Maryland BioPark; mayor for economic and neighborhood development, the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, Inc.; and her staff for organizing and leading the effort of University of Maryland Medical System; Lexington preparing the briefing book for panelists, organizing Market; Maryland Department of Planning; Westside the interview sessions, and hosting the visit. Renaissance, Inc.; France-Merrick Foundation; 1st Mariner Arena; the Abell Foundation; and the The panel recognizes the efforts and contributions of Baltimore City Department of Planning for their the many individuals and organizations that made sponsorship and participation. this study possible. In particular the panel would 4 An Advisory Services Panel Report Contents ULI Panel and Project Staff 6 The Study Area and the Panel’s Assignment 7 Market Potential 11 Vision and Development Strategy 19 Planning and Design 22 Financing 24 Implementation 27 Conclusion 31 About the Panel 32 Baltimore, Maryland, December 5–10, 2010 5 ULI Panel and Project Staff Panel Chair Ehud Mouchly Owner Glenda E. Hood READI, LLC Former Mayor of Orlando Los Angeles, California Former Secretary of State of Florida Orlando, Florida Tom Murphy Senior Resident Fellow, ULI/Klingbeil Family Chair for Urban Development Panel Members Urban Land Institute Abigail Ferretti Washington, D.C. Principal Ranne Warner Partners for Economic Solutions Developer Washington, D.C. Zeckendorf Development Owen Lang New York, New York Consultant Owen Lang Consulting ULI Project Staff Petaluma, California Patrick Pontius Stanley Lowe Director, Education and Advisory Group Managing Partner Fourth River Development, LLC Theodore C. Thoerig Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Manager, Education and Advisory Group Betty Massey Caroline Dietrich Executive Director Associate, Education and Advisory Group Mary Moody Northen Endowment Galveston, Texas 6 An Advisory Services Panel Report The Study Area and the Panel’s Assignment altimore is one of the United States’ oldest and stores. Changing retail patterns and middle- most historic cities. The port city, founded in class flight to the suburbs led to its steady decline 1729, was an important engine of economic throughout the second half of the 20th century. Today, B growth and trade; by the time of the Civil the Westside remains seriously challenged by issues War, the city was second only to New York City of retail vacancy, public safety, and lack of sustainable in population. Like many other industrial towns, private investment. Baltimore suffered from the country’s post–World War II suburbanization and economic shift from The commitment to Baltimore’s Westside revitaliza- manufacturing to service industries, steadily losing tion began ten years ago. Over that time, the private population and significance through the second and public sectors have made investments of more half of the 20th century. More recently, however, than $800 million. Although the Westside’s rebound Baltimore has reinvented itself: revitalization efforts has trailed similar redevelopment areas in the city, the have restored the city’s waterfront and historic vision and potential to restore the area to its former neighborhoods, and the growth of life sciences, health glory—albeit in a different form, as a predominantly services, and financial sectors has buoyed the local residential mixed-use neighborhood—remains strong. economy. The city, with abundant cultural amenities, historic character, and an affordable housing market, Regional map. now stands primed to attract new residents. FRANKLIN ADAMS Susquehanna R. YORK LANCASTER CHESTER Baltimore is also a city of neighborhoods. The city’s vitality can be measured by the strength of these PENNSYLVANIA Wilmington enclaves: Fells Point, picturesque seaport byWASHINGTON day CARROLL CECIL and hip dining and entertainment by night;Potomac Federal R. Hill, a neighborhood that escaped the boom-and-