parkheights MOVING FORWARD TO RESTORE A COMMUNITY parkheights MOVING FORWARD TO RESTORE A COMMUNITY winter 2015 Front Cover: Youth from the Park Heights Community enjoying a morning at the Kid’s Piazza PARK HEIGHTS: MOVING FORWARD TO RESTORE A COMMUNITY contents 1 Mayor’s Message 2 A Deeply Rooted Community 4 Master Plan: Laying the Foundation for Change 6 Overview of Accomplishments 7 Public-Private Partnerships: Generating Investment and Creating Progress 8 Slots Revenue: Making the Difference 10 Progress Made: Major Redevelopment Area Ripken Fields Renaissance Gardens Park Circle Development Weinberg Family Community Center Park Heights Facade Project Sinai Hospital Expansion Healthy Neighborhoods Lucille Park Establishing Park Heights Renaissance Human Services 26 Imminent Progress 27 Going Forward A MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR For more than 50 years, Park Heights is one of my administration’s top Park Heights played a central role in Baltimore’s priorities and a critical geographical focus of my history of rapid growth. However, decades nationally acclaimed Vacants to Value initiative, of decline and disinvestment reversed this which addresses long-term blight and lays the progress. Today, Video Lottery Terminal groundwork “the City made a (Slots) Revenue, in combination with other for future commitment to the public-private investment, is making it pos- growth. The sible to provide major physical, social and success we residents, businesses economic opportunities to attract new experience in and institutions in residents and development to Park Heights Park Heights while ensuring that current residents fully will be critical Park Heights..." benefit from the transformation. to achieving my goal of attracting 10,000 families to our City over the next 10 years. In 2006, the City made a commitment to the residents, businesses and institutions in Park Since the Master Plan was approved, over Heights when it approved the Park Heights $200 Million has been invested in Park Master Plan. This is an ambitious blueprint for Heights —close to $180 Million since 2010. strengthening and, where necessary, reshap- This investment —comprised of City, State ing Greater Park Heights, which is comprised (including Slots), Federal and private dollars of over 1,200 acres, 12 neighborhoods and —has provided housing, infrastructure, recre- commercial districts, through a combination ation, open space and health and human ser- of capacity building, increased human services vices that directly benefit the residents of Park and investment that would significantly improve Heights. Close to $96 Million of this investment the physical appearance and social fabric of has been made possible due to the generos- the community. ity of the State, in particular the Local Impact Aid formula that dedicates funds to the Park Heights Master Plan area. PARK HEIGHTS: MOVING FORWARD TO RESTORE A COMMUNITY State funds (including Slots revenue) have been and continue to be critical to the assembly and clearance of the 62-acre major redevelopment area in Central Park Heights, paving the way for new housing, open space, public facilities and commercial uses. Families who have endured decades of stress while residing in these most severely blighted blocks are now living (or will soon live) in new homes in stable communities. In addition, a variety of recreational opportuni- ties, including the Ripken Fields (the first phase of a 7-acre park), as well as a variety of health, educational and social service programs were funded by this revenue. Slots revenue as well as other State resources are and remain absolutely critical if our progress is to continue. I encourage you to look through our accom- plishments and learn more about the transfor- mation that is underway, the investments that have been made and our strategy for moving ahead. Together, the State and the City have a unique opportunity to bring about much deserved improvements for the benefit of current and future residents of Park Heights. Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, MAYOR OF BALTIMORE PARK HEIGHTS: A DEEPLY ROOTED COMMUNITY Park Heights mirrors the growth and develop- an intricate system of streetcars which, grew to ment of older urban areas across the country. five lines by 1920. One observer described In the early 19th century, for example, Reister- how: “houses were built on a street grid along stown Road served as a major route for trans- Reisterstown Road and Park Heights Avenue porting wheat and corn from farms northwest and within a five-minute walk of a streetcar or of the city to the port. Starting in the early 19th bus stop”. A design for walkers and streetcar century, many immigrants settled in the north- and bus users that evolved stayed functional ern and western areas of the city, with Park for over 40 years. The combined space—stores, Heights serving as a way station for several non-commercial places, broad sidewalks, bus generations. and streetcar waiting places—comprised a mixed public and private space built cheek to During the late 19th century, as streetcars jowl with residences. No residential street was became a primary source of transportation, more than two blocks from a few places to buy Park Heights’ neighborhoods sprang up around things. PARK HEIGHTS: MOVING FORWARD TO RESTORE A COMMUNITY 3 A major destination reachable by streetcar immigrants who had migrated from was the Pimlico Race Course, which opened Reservoir Hill and East Baltimore. in 1870 as the Pimlico Fairgrounds and which However, during the 1960s, as a triggered the development of nearby hotels, result of various social, economic, restaurants and other entertainment venues. racial and political factors faced Those venues are now gone, but Pimlico by the city, state and nation, the remains. community experienced dramat- ic changes leading to a period By 1945, the neighborhood was largely built of decline and disinvestment. out in its present form. Park Heights resembled a classic “streetcar suburb,” with lively com- mercial districts serving handsome, tree-lined residential blocks. By 1950, the neighborhood had been settled by the children of Jewish PARK HEIGHTS MASTER PLAN: LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR CHANGE The residents of Park Heights shared • Concentrate new development on a a common desire to rebuild their community 62-acre section centered at Park Heights to improve quality of life and increase eco- and Woodland Avenues with the highest nomic opportunity. They spent three years vacancy rates working with the City and other stakeholders to create a revitalization strategy that con- • Redevelop the Parklane Shopping Center tinues to guide decisions related to land use, and Belvedere Avenue Commercial District recreational, transportation, social and eco- to improve retail services and keep local nomic opportunities. dollars in the community The Master Plan area covers 1,200 acres • Replace devastated blocks with from Northern Parkway and Druid Park much-needed open space to complement Drive to Greenspring and Wabash Avenues existing recreational amenities and includes 12 neighborhoods and two commercial districts. Some areas are char- • Identify resources targeted to existing acterized by high rates of vacant properties residents that (together with massive blight and disinvestment, while others are stable elimination and redevelopment) would help communities with few, if any, vacant houses. them increase the quality and value of their Addressing the community’s range of physi- homes cal, social and economic conditions resulted in more than 50 recommendations that include: • Improve employment, education, health, recreation and public safety services for residents • Establish a professional organization to work directly with the community to implement the Master Plan Celebrating success in Park Heights: New development on Violet Avenue. PARK HEIGHTS: MOVING FORWARD TO RESTORE A COMMUNITY 5 proposed development opportunities: MASTER PLAN AREA OVERVIEW OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS Park Heights has made great strides in realizing some of the key recommendations made in the Master Plan. Projects and accomplishments are discussed in detail throughout this report. Listed below are a few examples: • Acquired over 80% of the properties • Finalized design improvements for the in the Major Redevelopment Area to make Park Circle intersection new development possible • Redeveloped Lucille Park (formerly Jack • Completed Phase 1 of the Ripken Fields, Paulsen Memorial Park) expanding recreational opportunities at C.C. Jackson Recreation Center • Created Park Heights Renaissance, a neighborhood-based community • Shut down the notorious “Ranch” development corporation (Pall Mall Apartments) and developed Renaissance Gardens, affordable housing • Created the Park Circle National for low-income seniors, in its place Register Historic District • Resurfaced Park Heights Avenue from • Expanded human services programming Park Circle to Northern Parkway and provided streetscape improvements in • Supported streetscape improvements, the Pimlico Business District enhanced community parks and open space, provided community organizers • Improved the Towanda Community Center, and improved community facilities in the which serves over 1,100 youth annually one-mile radius neighborhoods Redeveloped properties on Park Height’s Violet Avenue. PARK HEIGHTS: MOVING FORWARD TO RESTORE A COMMUNITY 7 PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS: GENERATING INVESTMENT AND CREATING PROGRESS Since the Master Plan was completed in 2006, The City has also played a critical role in over