Robin Godwin: January 2022

Banner Row – Locust Point

28 Walker and Ryan Homes are working on the second phase of townhomes at the 108-townhome Banner Row development in Locust Point. This development replaced the former PQ Corporation plant at 1301 E. Fort Ave.

Four homes, including the model home, have been constructed and 14 additional homes are under construction. Infrastructure work is underway to prepare for more.

The homes are 2,500 to 2,600 sq. ft. and will have three to four bedrooms, two-car garages with an adjacent a one-car parking spot, second-story decks, and rooftop decks. The homes will be three stories, but buyers will have the option to add a fourth story. The front of the homes will be a combination of brick and a dark exterior material with trim. The townhomes will have three large windows across the front of each level.

28 Walker owner Mark Sapperstein told SouthBMore.com November that sales are going “extremely well” and that “90 percent” of the buyers already live in Locust Point. As of November, 25 percent of the 108 homes had been sold, according to Sapperstein.

The Local Oyster – Riverside

In partnership with War Horse Cities, The Local Oyster is building a 3,800 sq. ft. restaurant at the former home of Rallo’s Restaurant and Big Matty’s Diner at 838 E. Fort Ave. in Riverside/Locust Point. The rowhouse building has been completely gutted and framing is taking place to build out the new seafood restaurant.

Work has picked up in recent months as an addition is in place in the rear of the building and interior work is underway.

Federal Hill Square – Sharp-Leadenhall

Construction is underway on the second phase of Federal Hill Square on the 100 block of W. West St. in Sharp-Leadenhall. This phase will add six garage townhomes with rooftop decks. The exterior of the homes is almost complete and work continues on the interior.

Phase One added five homes on the 100 block of W. Ropewalk Ln.

This project began construction in 2017.

Alta Federal Hill Phase I – South Baltimore

Wood Partners has completed Phase I of the Alta Federal Hill project on the 1800 and 1900 blocks of S. Hanover St. in South Baltimore. It is a six-story, 275-unit apartment building with a 367-car garage and 1,000 sq. ft. of retail, which has not been filled with a business yet.

Wood Partners is planning a Phase II six-story building on the 1900 block of S. Hanover St. with 258 apartments, 1,000 sq. ft. of retail, and a 370-car garage.

ExtraSpace Storage – South Baltimore

Work is wrapping up on a five-story, 90,000 sq. ft., 820-unit ExtraSpace Storage facility at 1900 S. Charles St. in South Baltimore. This project by Premier Storage Investors (PSI) replaced a former one-story warehouse occupied by business Pratt Thompson Company.

LMC Apartment Building at Stadium Square – Sharp-Leadenhall

Staging has begun for construction on a five-story, 315-unit apartment building on the 100 block of W. Ostend St. in Sharp-Leadenhall. The building by LMC is part of the Stadium Square master plan. It will also have an interior 334-car garage.

The new apartment building will share this block with a six-story, 67,000 sq. ft. office building at 160 W. Ostend St. that has yet to begin construction.

Spring Garden Business Park – Spring Garden/Stadium Area

Himmelrich Associates is adding 45,000 sq. ft. of office space and ground-floor retail to this 60,000 sq. ft. flex building called Spring Garden Business Park at 175 W. Ostend St. in Spring Garden/Stadium Area. Existing tenants include Checkerspot Brewing Company and Maryland State Arts Council.

Exterior and interior work is underway on this expansion which includes the addition of new windows, entrances, and outdoor spaces.

Topgolf – Stadium Area

There is significant construction progress on the 65,000 sq. ft. Topgolf facility on 6.5 acres in Stadium Area. Topgolf is partnering with Horseshoe Casino Baltimore’s owner CBAC Gaming on this project. It replaces the former Animal Control and Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS) site at 301 Stockholm St., which is currently getting demolished along with Lot J.

The driving range and sports bar building has topped out and the exterior facades are going up; the former BARCS has been demolished to make way for the fairway; and shoreline work is ongoing.

Gwynns Falls Trail Park Renovation – Stadium Area

As part of the Topgolf project, the park space behind the Horseshoe Casino garage and along Gwynns Falls Trail and Ridgely’s Cove is getting a renovation.

The land has been cleared of all invasive plant species and native plants will be planted. The outline of the new trail is in place and it will be paved. The project has opened up previously-blocked views of Ridgely’s Cove.

Public Storage – Carroll-Camden Industrial Area

Public Storage is nearing completion on a five-story, 940-unit storage facility on the 1500 block of Ridgely St. in Carroll-Camden Industrial Area. The development site was formerly made up of a one-story industrial building with loading docks, a two-story industrial building, and four rowhomes.

719-723 West Pratt Street – Ridgely’s Delight

Zahlco Development is finishing up construction on 54-unit apartment building at 719-725 W. Pratt St. in Ridgely’s Delight. The project, which will also have 5,000 sq. ft. of ground-floor retail, incorporates several existing buildings along with a recently-vacant lot.

33 to 737 W. Pratt St. – Ridgely’s Delight

Next door, Zahlco is also developing a 35-unit “all-inclusive” apartment building. The new apartment building will incorporate three three-story brick rowhomes that once had ground-floor retail. The new building will be five stories, the same height as the apartment building under construction next door, and it will have three small retail spaces on the first floor.

Chapter 1B – Port Covington

The Port Covington Development team is under construction on five buildings in Chapter 1B of the large redevelopment of this waterfront community. Some of the buildings are topping out and the new road grid is in place. These buildings and streets are expected to open to the public in the fall.

Building E1: 223,000 sq. ft. building (162 residential units and 40,000 sq. ft. retail)
Building E5A: 221,500 sq. ft. building (212,000 sq. ft. office and 9,500 sq. ft. retail)
Building E5B: 133,000 sq. ft. building (40 residential units, 81 extended-stay units, and 6,000 sq. ft. retail)
Building E6: 293,000 sq. ft. building (254 residential units and 16,000 sq. ft. retail)
Building E7, Rye Street Market: 273,000 sq. ft. building (228,000 sq. ft. office and 45,000 sq. ft. market)

Reedbird Park Redevelopment and Middle Branch Fitness and Wellness Center – Cherry Hill

Baltimore City Recreation and Parks’ redevelopment of Reedbird Park in Cherry Hill is in full swing. When completed it will include the 32,000 sq. ft. Middle Branch Fitness & Wellness Center, a turf stadium, three multi-purpose fields, a dog park, basketball courts, paths, and a parking lot.

Turf stadium BGE Field at Reedbird Park presented by Kelly Benefits has already opened. The Wellness Center has also topped out, windows have been installed, and interior work is taking place.

The redeveloped park is expected to be fully open later this year.

1515 to 1519 W. Baltimore Street – Union Square

Work is underway to convert three buildings at 1515 to 1519 W. Baltimore St. into an apartment building with first-floor retail. The retail space will include an Ethiopian restaurant and one additional suite. The project is led by wife and husband Meseret Bekele and Samuel Ergete. They have owned Ethiopic Restaurant in the Atlas District (H Street Corridor) of Washington, D.C.

The facade of the buildings, which was partially collapsed, has been restored with new windows. Bekele and Ergete have launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds to complete the project.

1401 to 1403 W. Baltimore Street – Union Square

Nadine Ngouabe Dlodlo is planning a five-story, 12-unit apartment building and African market at 1401 and 1403 W. Baltimore St. in Union Square. Demolition took place in recent weeks to remove the existing buildings that were vacant since 1978 and that were being held up with steel braces on the sidewalk.