South Baltimore Business Roundup

Horseshoe Casino Linked to NBA Championship

The recently-crowned NBA Champions Cleveland Cavaliers share a common ownership link with a major business in South Baltimore. The Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert is also the chairman and founder of Rock Ventures, which owns 29% of Horseshoe Casino Baltimore.

Rock Ventures also owns Quicken Loans along with casinos in Cincinnati and Cleveland.

Idle Hour Reopens 

Idle Hour reopened after being closed since December 2014 due to structural issues at its building. The owners reconstructed the property with help from a crowdfunding campaign that raised $47,235.

Renovation at the Former Home of Hogan’s Alley

The properties comprising the former Hogan’s Alley, which occupied the bottom floor of two rowhomes, are currently getting redeveloped into two residences.

Hogan’s Alley closed in 2015 and its liquor license was acquired at auction by the team at Little Havana. This license enabled Little Havana to upgrade from a Class B license to a Class BD-7 license which allows off-premise sales of beer, wine and liquor, and does not have a food sales requirement.

Grace United Church of Christ Listed for Sale

Grace United Church of Christ at 1404 S. Charles St. is listed for sale for $950,000 according to Baltimore Business Journal. From the article:

In this case, the church building at 1404 S. Charles St. most likely won’t be turned into a residential property, said Amelia Corley, a broker with Coldwell Banker Commercial, who is listing the property.

Corley said there has been buyer interest in the 15,336-square-foot property

An office building directly next to the church, at 1400-1402 S. Charles Street, is also for sale. The property, which was formerly home to a Mercy Medical Center facility, according to the listing, is priced at $695,000.

The property is also the former home of the Allen Center for Senior Citizens which relocated to 1401 Towson St. in Locust Point.

Shot via Google Maps

A New Home for Hillgartner Stone

Hillgartner Stone, which was founded in 1863, was one of the companies that relocated as part of the Stadium Square development in South Baltimore. It was previously at 101. W Cross St. and has now relocated to Westport. From Baltimore Fishbowl:

On June 29, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and BDC president and CEO William Cole will join company president Tom Doyle for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at its new facility at 2220 Severn Street near Westport. By relocating within the city limits, Hilgartner kept about a dozen jobs in Baltimore.

“I’m thrilled that Hilgartner is staying in Baltimore,” said BDC President and CEO William Cole. “Retaining existing companies is a key component of BDC’s mission, and we look forward to continuing to work with Hilgartner for years to come.”

Beta City to Offer $75,000 to Startups

South Baltimore companies Betamore and Sagamore Ventures are teaming up for the second Beta City event at City Garage. This year the companies will be offering $75,000 in cash prizes to startup companies that compete in the pitch competition. From The Baltimore Sun:

“There’s a part of us that’s frustrated with the narrative that comes out about Baltimore. There are so many growing businesses, so many investments — it gets lost in the noise and the negativity,” Betamore CEO Jennifer Meyer said in an interview. “We want to shed a light on the good stuff happening here.”

Early-stage companies interested in applying for the pitch competition must submit an application through Betamore’s website by Aug. 22. Out-of-state-companies can apply, but must consider relocating to Maryland if they win a prize. Six companies will be selected to pitch to a panel of judges.

via http://southbmore.com/2016/06/28/south-baltimore-business-roundup-112/