Development News

Remember when all it took to curry favor with the teacher was a shiny apple? That's so not going to cut it anymore.

Seawall Development Corporation is raising the bar for sweet teacher treatment to dizzying heights with the development of not one, but two commercial-residential spaces designed specifically for the needs and comfort of Baltimore's educators.

The story begins with Millers Court, the Remington/Charles Village space at W. 26th and N. Howard Streets that Seawall opened for occupancy last month. The original home of the H.F. Miller Can Company, the 86,000-square-foot, turn-of-the-century building was divided by Seawall, along with Marks, Thomas Architects and Contractor Hamel Builders (both of Baltimore), into 30,000 square feet of commercial office space and 40 one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments. The hook? The office space was marketed specifically to non-profits working in education, and the apartments to teachers, who receive discounts on rent.

It gets better. Seawall has recently initiated the purchase of a second building, Union Mill, that will follow the same pro-educator commercial-residential template. Completed in 1872 and located at Union and Buena Vista Avenues in Hampden, Union Mill is Maryland's largest stone mill and has been occupied over the years by Life Like Products, LLC and Life Foam, LLC. Seawall will team with the same architect and contractor to convert the 86,000 square foot building into 54 apartments for teachers and 36,000 square feet of commercial office space for non-profits (in all sectors).

Evan Morville, a partner at Seawall, says he shares a strong desire to help educators with his colleagues, Thibault Manekin and Donald Manekin, who was CEO of the Baltimore School System in the early 2000s.

"Each year there are 750 new teachers hired by Baltimore City, and about 50% are new to Baltimore," Evan explains. "The idea behind Millers Court and Union Mill is to be able to roll out the red carpet for these new teachers because they don't know the ideal place to live, and knowing their minimal salary, we wanted to create a place where they could come and feel welcome."

According to Morville, Seawall developed a special market research group with the help of Millers Court tenant Teach for America to determine the specific needs of teachers, and as a result included such amenities as an in-house photocopy center, a fitness center, a lounge and a courtyard. With their discount, educators can rent a one-bedroom apartment at Millers Court for $700-800 a month, a two-bedroom for $1,250, and a three-bedroom for $1,500. Projected rents at Union Mill are $875 for one bedroom and $1,475 for two.

The set-up for commercial space is novel, Morville notes, in that it enables non-profits, who might normally be spread out across the city, to share bathrooms, conference rooms and kitchens in order to reduce their overhead. Non-profits spend about $18 per-square-foot.

"We feel education is the greatest economic tool Baltimore has," Morville says. "The only way Baltimore can truly complete its renaissance is by having a school system that supports its ongoing residential and commercial development." And vice versa.

Source: Evan Morville, Seawall Development Corp.
Writer: Lucy Ament

When the doors of the "temporary" East Baltimore Community School (EBCS) open for the first time on Aug. 31, students in the brand-new, brightly colored classrooms will learn about reading, arithmetic, and how to keep a promise.

That's because the school itself is a promise, one that East Baltimore Development Inc. made to the residents of its 80-acre site six years ago when it undertook the largest redevelopment project in Baltimore's history. At the time, some 70 percent of the homes in the EBDI site lay vacant and, without the requisite student- and tax-base, the local Elmer G. Henderson School was closed. Remarkably, EBDI promised those residents who remained in the area not only a new school, but a temporary one while the permanent school was being built.

That temporary pre-K through 8th grade school, EBCS, is now a reality. According to EBDI Communications Director Sheila Young, EBCS is a "contract" rather than a "charter" school, which allows EBDI to reserve 70 percent of its enrollment spots for kids from the immediate neighborhood as well as the children of former residents who have been relocated because of development activities (EBDI will also provide free transportation). The single-story, modular building, located at the corner of Wolf and East Chase Street between, is comprised of several trailers that have been brought in and bolted together.

"On the outside it's utilitarian, but we're doing things to make the area inside and around the school more welcoming and nurturing to the children," Young says.

The trailers came painted in colors chosen by Principal Cathleen Miles, and boast colorful murals, whiteboards, storage areas, wet sinks -- even little cubbies and "a tiny potty" for the kindergartners. Philadelphia-based, multinational food services giant ARAMARK sent 150 volunteers to create an outdoor classroom with a stage, benches, and podium, Young says.

The 19,300 square-foot, $1.6 million school, which EBDI undertook with partners such as Johns Hopkins University, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and the City of Baltimore, will open this year to roughly 140 kindergartners, first-graders and fifth-graders. Two new grades will be incorporated each subsequent year with the addition of new trailers to accommodate them. The school will be operational for at least three or four years until the permanent school is completed, which Young says requires first the acquisition and demolition of homes in a four-block area bordered to the south by Ashland Avenue, the east by Patterson Park Drive the north by the Amtrak lines and the West by Chester Street. A design for the permanent school will be selected later this year.

Source: Sheila Young, EBDI
Writer: Lucy Ament

What's cooler than green? Green and customized.

East Baltimore Development Inc. (EBDI) has put a dozen "green" rehab homes on the market that will be designed in myriad ways by the new owner at the point of sale. The homes, located on E. Chase and McDonough Streets on EBDI's 80-acre development site, are effectively shells of existing homes that have been thoroughly stabilized (with "green" lumber, of course) and are a blank slate ready to be built to suit the homeowner's specifications within about three months.

Stroll through the model home at 1714 E. Chase Street and you'll feel like a kid in a candy shop when presented with the available amenities. Among the possible features are granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, skylights, recessed lighting, whirlpools, hardwood floors, and carpet.

Perhaps the most impressive feature of the homes is that the load-bearing walls are all external, so buyers can choose where to put interior walls. That means the homes can have as many or as few rooms as the owner would like. This design flexibility can also help buyers keep the price down, as simpler floor plans will be less expensive. The 12 homes are as small as 1,000 square feet and as large as 2,200 square feet, and can range in price from the high $100Ks to the mid $200Ks.

"It's difficult to use conventional standards to describe these homes," says Dennis Miller, EBDI vice president for real estate development. "From the outside you think these are wonderful, beautiful Federal-style homes from the late 18th and early 19th centuries, but when you walk inside you find an urban dwelling unit that has amenities of any new house built today. It's a great blend of the old and the new."

The "green" components are also extensive. The homes -- which use formaldehyde-free building materials and VOC-free paints, sealants and adhesives -- incorporate windows, appliances, lighting fixtures and roofing materials that meet Energy-Star rated home standards. They also feature tankless water heaters, foam or cellulose insulation, and state-of-the-art caulking practices around windows, doors and penetrations. Buyers can upgrade to solar thermal water heating system and a solar electrical system.

"What we're offering is the opportunity to live in the city, closer to your place of employment and places of entertainment, and have a home that's cheaper to maintain with the amenities and qualities you're accustomed to enjoying in the suburbs and other areas," says Miller. Moreover, he says, EBDI's long-term plans to invest in the surrounding neighborhood are a virtual guarantee that the homes won't lose value.

More information on EBDI's green rehabs is available from sales manager Patrice Fulcott at (410) 234-0660 x 238

Source: Dennis Miller, EBDI
Writer: Lucy Ament

The Baltimore Development Corporation has received two proposals for the development of a site in the Station North Arts and Entertainment District that includes the former Parkway Theater, a city cinema gem with a storied if erratic history. The three properties, 1820 North Charles Street, 1 West North Avenue and 3 West North Avenue (the former Parkway Theatre), were offered for development by the city in May.

One proposal, submitted by Cormony Development and Seawall Development Corp., both of Baltimore, calls for a single phase, mixed-use project in which The Parkway Theatre would be renovated to become a multi-faceted theatre hosting a variety of entertainment. The other two properties would be incorporated into the project through a mix of demolition, renovation and new construction. The proposal lists Whiting-Turner Contracting Co. as general contractor and Ziger/Snead and Cho Benn Holback + Associates as architects.

The competing proposal suggests restoring the Parkway Theater to its original conditions and architecture and razing 1 West North Avenue to allow for a two-floor plus mezzanine, three-story glass structure matching the current roofline and housing the Station North Steak House restaurant. 1820 North Charles Street would be renovated and converted to student housing. This proposal was submitted by Alexandria, Va.-based TK Services, Incand lists Brown Craig Turner as architect and Branko Maximilian Bijelic as general contractor.

Designed by Oliver B. Wright, The Parkway Theatre was patterned in the Louis XIV style after the West End Theatre near Leicester Square in London and envisioned as a Vaudeville performance house with about 1100 seats. It was acquired and remodeled in 1926 by the Loews organization and later, in 1952, acquired and closed by the Morris Mechanic organization. It reopened in 1956 as the Five West Art Theatre and remained under that operation until the mid-1970s, when it again closed. It was reopened in the early 1990s in an attempt to make commercial office space in the rear orchestra level, but it closed and has remained vacant since 1998.

Source: Baltimore Development Corp.
Writer: Lucy Ament

Baltimore-based A&R Development has just put on the sales block the first residential new construction to be sold on the 80-acre campus being redeveloped by East Baltimore Development Inc. The five row houses constitute the first of 49 that will be built under the Townes at Eagar banner.

A&R bills the homes as having "timeless architectural lines with a contemporary urban flair" and is promoting their proximity to the Science and Technology Park, the Johns Hopkins Medical Campus and the Kennedy Krieger Institute, just two blocks away.

The exteriors feature brick fa�ade, bay windows, contemporary designs, built-in garages, professional landscaping, balconies and white, reflective TPO roofing, while the interiors boast two-to-three bedrooms, 2.5-to-3.5 baths, open floor plans, walk-in closets, high ceilings, designer light fixtures and a choice of more than 20 shades of Mohawk carpet. Buyers may also choose form more than a dozen upgrade features, including hardwood floors, modern granite countertops, stainless steel GE appliances, crown- and chair moulding, an intercom system and wireless security systems.

What makes these homes so unusual, according to A&R's Feras Qumseya is their size vis-�-vis the typical city residence. They run from 1,765 to 2,638 square feet and include attached garages.

"These are humongous units that you really don't find, even brand new, in the Baltimore area," Qumseya says. "We are using urban and modern styles to really accommodate the young and professional lifestyle."

Prices start in the low 200's. A&R's marketing center for the Townes at Eagar is located at 855 N. Wolfe, and additional information is available at the Web site.

Source: Feras Qumseya, A&R Development
Writer: Lucy Ament

Baltimore's Hollywood Diner, made famous as the setting of Barry Levinson's 1982 film "Diner," will get another chance to serve some grub.

Built in 1954, Levinson purchased the diner and moved it from its location in Long Island to Baltimore. The Chesapeake Center for Youth Development, a Baltimore-based nonprofit, ran the restaurant serving meatloaf and other traditional diner fare while providing real world experience for teens participating in its youth culinary training program from 1991 to June 2008.

The diner's new chance at fame comes from the Baltimore-based Crema Coffee Co. which will handle the daily operations and continue the youth culinary training program.

Located at 400 E. Saratoga Street, the new menu will include a selection of sandwiches, soups, burgers, salads and shakes made primarily with locally grown produce.
 
In addition to the food, the diner will also be the meeting place for University of Maryland School of Law students and their clients. The prospective lawyers will provide lowcost legal consultations to low income Baltimore City residents, focusing on a different area of the law each day of the week.


Writer: Walaika Haskins
Source: Creme Coffee, Co.

After delighting patrons of Zodiac restaurant in Station North with her culinary creations for eight years, Christina DiAngelo decided she wanted to pursue a few simple, low-stress goals: to create a quiet, comfortable spot in the neighborhood where she could brew great coffee, bake delectable pastries, and watch as people savor them and relax.

That's the genesis of The Bohemian Coffee House, which opened this summer at 1821 N. Charles Street. Two things put this place on the map: the delicious, specialty treats and a funky atmosphere.

In addition to specialty coffee drinks, DiAngelo offers sandwiches and salads and freshly baked pastries each day, keeping a few standards like brownies and biscotti always on hand and rotating in seasonal delights such as peach and coffee cakes. She also always has vegan options on the menu, including milkshakes made with soy milk, soy ice cream and vegan flavorings, soy desserts (such as blueberry cobbler), and a savory vegan item or two.

"Vegans that have gotten them have said they're really good," says DiAngelo, who studied at Baltimore's International Culinary College. "Because of the artsy element, Zodiac attracted vegetarians and vegans, so a third of my menu there was vegan. I had never cooked vegan before working there, but once I started experimenting I thought I it was really cool. It's a challenge to make foods without refined sugars or dairy products."

Also setting the Bohemian apart is its funky interior, which DiAngelo attributes to the interior design acumen of building owner Joy Martin. Martin selected muted blues to play up the beautiful hard woods of the interior, and found an large WWII era mural depicting musicians, artists, glass blowers, winemakers, and other craftsmen.

"That mural is where the name comes from," DiAngelo says. "When she put it up I said, that's so bohemian. And that was it!"

DiAngelo says business has been a bit slow since she opened, but she expects things to pick up when the school year starts and students return to the area.

"I want people to come in and relax and feel comfortable," DiAngelo says. "I like Baltimore because it's not pretentious. It's a very simple, laid back town. People are not walking around thinking they're better than everyone else. It's no D.C."

Source: Christina DiAngelo,The Bohemian Coffee House
Writer: Lucy Ament

A swath of 60 multi-family properties near East Baltimore's Patterson Park area are being rehabbed thanks to a $4.2 million gift from PNC Financial Services Group. The two- and three-story homes, which are about 90 percent complete, will eventually house Section 8 and low- to moderate-income families.

The properties will undergo minor renovations or major retrofitting depending on the condition of each property. CMS Skyline JV, a joint venture between Skyline Properties and CMS Companies has been contracted to perform the renovations. The $6 million project covers about 60,000 acres bordering the Patterson Park, Butchers Hill, and Inner Harbor areas. CMS Skyline JV predicts that the newly spruced up neighborhood will attract other investors, particularly because of the nearby Johns Hopkins East Baltimore development initiative that includes $4 billion in infrastructure development and a new hospital.

PNC Development Advisor Watchen Harris Bruce says PNC saw the project's potential "to revitalize the area and stabilize the neighborhood and quality of life for people."

Skyline Properties, which is comprised of development, construction and property management divisions, owns and manages 186 residential rental apartments and small commercial properties, primarily in East Baltimore. It became involved in the Patterson Park project about a year ago.

David Haas, a partner with CMS Skyline JV, says the area was ripe for rehabs because, given it's proximity to Johns Hopkins, "it should be one of the nicest neighborhoods and not one of the worst neighborhoods, The housing stock is really nice there and we think we can deliver very affordable high-quality rental units and hopefully some homeowner units when the market changes."

PNC was a natural partner for the project, he says, because "they believe in helping create better neighborhoods."

Source: Karen Burley, PNC Financial Services Group
Writer: Lucy Ament

The Baltimore Development Corp. (BDC) hopes to spur commercial interest in five contiguous properties in the city's Pigtown neighborhood left orphaned after the original developer had to abandon its plans for the properties early this year.

BDC is seeking proposals from qualified developers "for a high-quality, mixed-use development that enhances and anchors the Pigtown/Washington Village Business District and achieves a positive impact for the city," most notably through the creation of jobs, increased tax revenues, community stabilization and opportunities for business run by minorities and women. The agency is looking specifically for proposals to create restaurants and cafes, coffee shops, small scale grocery stores, bookstores, bakeries, family video stores, pharmacies, upscale convenience stores, florists, ice cream shops, hardware stores, art-related stores, camera shops, lodging facilities, yoga studios, and art galleries.

The five properties concerned are 925 Washington Boulevard (a former two-story tavern of approximately 1,656 square feet); 927 Washington Boulevard (an approximately 1,438 square foot, two-story residential structure); and 929, 931, and 937 Washington Boulevard (a site comprised of three adjoining lots totaling roughly 4,525 square feet and a three-level building shell). BDC says it will give priority to projects that "preserve the historic fabric of the community" and involve rehabbing to the greatest extent possible.

The properties were first offered by BDC in 2006, however the developer selected, Historic Pigtown Development LLC, told the agency in January that it could not afford to proceed.

The agency would not comment on the number or nature of the proposals it has received until Nov. 1, when it will issue a press release, says the BDC's Mica Fetz.

Source: Mica Fetz, Baltimore Development Corp.
Writer: Lucy Ament

There's a new java pusher on the streets, supplying coffee lovers in Fells Point with their daily latte dose. And while a good cup of joe in a friendly, familiar environment is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, when it's combined with the chocolatey goodness of freshly made fudge, then the line fiends looking to get their fix will likely stretch out the door.

That's the golden combo Jeff Harwood, a veteran javahouse developer and owner of the newly opened Java Roo, Kickin' Coffee and Fells Fabulous Homemade Fudge, is banking on. The one-month old Broadway coffeehouse offers 19 flavors of fudge made fresh daily, a wide array of specialty coffees, fudge-based mocha drinks, and pure fruit smoothies. The coffeeshop also carries Harwood's  motley crew of "Coffee Critters" characters: Java Roo, Mocha Monkey, Latte Lion, Wired Whiskers, Caffeine Coyote and Chai Cheetah on tee-shirts, coffee mugs, and other merchandise. Harwood, who's lived in the area since 2002, introduced the characters four years ago at Coffee Fest in Seattle, where they snagged the title of "best new product of show."

An aeronautical space expert by day, Harwood has owned coffeehouses in Florida and Virginia over the past 15 years owned. But he's decided to focus all his resources on the Fells Point location, largely to make it a unique and beloved neighborhood haunt. He chose the deep, narrow building with old fashioned tin ceilings at 726 S. Broadway after hearing grumblings from Fells Point residents that there weren't enough coffee shops in the neighborhood -- and not enough alternatives for those with a sweet tooth.

Harwood unabashedly declares his confection as "the best fudge you'll ever have." Among the dizzying selection are Heath Bar, mint, amaretto, coconut, Butterfinger, chewy praline, peanut butter chocolate, and raspberry vanilla swirl. Also available are sports-themed flavors in gift boxes, including chocolate-grape-raspberry swirl for Ravens fans and chocolate-orange swirl for Orioles devotees.

Source: Jeff Harwood, Java Roo
Writer: Lucy Ament

Wanna see a photo of two dragonflies mating?

Wait � don't answer that. Just head over to Gallery 788, a new artists' space at 788 Washington Boulevard in Pigtown, where provocative works from a dozen Baltimore artists whose mediums range from photography, painting, and sculpture, to illustration, filmmaking, singing and songwriting, poetry, performance art and various other media.

The new gallery, which hosted a "soft launch" for about 250 people on July 30, gives artists the opportunity to show their work and gain visibility without the expense and networking hurdles of breaking into the private gallery scene. According to photographer Terry Smith, who snapped the dragonfly dalliance and other nature-themed photographs currently on display, the building has been opened up to artists by owners Mark and Patrice Smith (no relation), who run Baltimore-based Magnum Construction. Artists who pass an informal jury pay just $50 to display their work for a month and help operate the gallery four days a week. In exchange, they receive full price for their pieces; the gallery does not charge a commission.

The first exhibit will run two months, and subsequent exhibits will rotate monthly. Smith, a supervisor for Magnum Construction, calls the two-story space with nine-foot high ceilings "clean, crisp, brand new and wide open," which, coupled with the great foot traffic at the corner of Washington and Scott Streets, make it the ideal space for displaying art.

"I think it's a good fit with the plans Mark has for Washington Boulevard," Smith says, alluding to  work being done in the area by Magnum. "He's making it a destination point and this gallery would add to that. As restaurants and businesses come in, people will visit the gallery."

Gallery 788 is open Thur. 5 p.m. - 9 p.m.; Fri. noon � 8 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m. � 8 p.m.; and
Sun. noon � 6 p.m. For more information, contact Eduardo Rodriguez at [email protected].

Source: Terry Smith, Magnum Construction
Writer: Lucy Ament

Don't let "Dancing With The Stars" fool you: formal dance instruction is not just for B-List celebrities and retired professional athletes, and it's certainly better to do than experience from the padded passivity of your couch.

Expressions in Motion, a new dance studio opening in Pigtown later this month, is making it possible for aspiring dancers to learn some moves -- whether they are 3 or 93. Kids are taught creative movement and ballet and tap basics, while teens and adults can pick from a host of classes in jazz, ballet, modern, tap, hip hop, and contemporary dance.

Owner Martha Reyner, a Baltimore native who studied dance at Columbia College in Chicago before returning to the area to run a dance studio with her childhood mentor, says the studio will resemble a gym in that adults can pop into whatever daily classes they wish. Reyner has assembled a team of a half-dozen dance instructors to teach the classes, which will cost about $7-15 depending on the package members buy. They can pay for classes individually, purchase a full ten-week session, or choose a full 30-week year.

Best of all, students get several chances a year to show their stuff. Reyner plans to host several "Open Marley Nights" (a riff on "open-mic nights" that alludes to the special flooring on a dance floor) where students will be able to perform for one another and perhaps students from other studios. She also pans to organize two large, formal performances for her students, one in December and one in June, at a local performance hall or school.

The two-story studio Reyner chose at 756 Washington Blvd., formerly a furniture store, has three studio spaces, a parents' waiting room, and a kids' lounge. Reyner, who says the grand opening is tentatively scheduled for Aug. 29, chose the area because she was impressed at how readily Pigtown is realizing its potential.

"Baltimore is my home, and even after living in Chicago a long time I wanted to come back," she says. "I chose Pigtown because I feel like it's a visibly growing neighborhood and it's kind of fun to be a part of something that has a lot of positive energy. People want to make it beautiful and nice and safe and I want to help facilitate that."

Source: Martha Reyner, Expressions in Motion
Writer: Lucy Ament

Most folks who work from home worry only about having ample grommets and surge-protected power strips, so it's understandable if residential real estate developers forget that the work of self-employed artists is a little more, well, messy. Fortunately for the artists in Baltimore's Station North neighborhood, sisters Kim Rutherford and C.J. Finnical of Reisterstown-based East-West Properties haven't forgotten.

The sisters have rehabbed 11 of 13 row houses on the 1600 block of Latrobe Street (between Lanvale & Federal Streets, just east of Guilford) that they purchased specifically to market to working artists, whose needs they determined through a series of pre-renovation interviews. What Rutherford and Finnical produced were two-story, 850-square feet homes with open layouts, slop sinks, an abundances of electrical outlets, exposed pipes and brick, and unfinished sheet rock walls that artists could decorate as they chose. For a special artistic flourish, they painted the exteriors of the houses, each of which have one bedroom and one bath, in "wild" colors, including pinks, greens, reds and oranges.

Rutherford says the homes, nine of which are now occupied by tenants, can be rented, leased with an option to buy, or purchased for around $120,000. Half of the homes have a full basement and backyard parking, while the other half have a half-basement and a backyard patio in lieu of a parking space. Work on the remaining two homes will begin in the fall.

So far, the response from the community has been great.

"It's in a great location as far as the Maryland Institute College of Art is concerned," she says of the school on Mount Royal Avenue. "And kids ride their bikes and people walk around, and it's quite. Artists love it in that area, that's why we chose it."

The homes, which abut the Cork Factory, have already been occupied by MICA students, a MICA professor, and some artists who commute to D.C.

Source: Kim Rutherford, East-West Properties
Writer: Lucy Ament

What does a $65 million renovation look like? Stroll down to 2 South Charles Street and take a peek at the Hotel Monaco, a new "lifestyle" hotel that's poised to attract not just business travelers but those seeking to explore a new city and experience the lux life.

The 202-room luxury boutique hotel, which occupies the circa 1906 Beaux Arts building, formerly the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad headquarters, boasts "Mediterranean Suites" with soaking tubs for two, 37-inch flat-screen TVs, and 500-thread-count Italian linens; "Tall Rooms" with extra-long mattresses and giraffe print robes; "Pet Parlor Rooms" for travelers with feline or canine companions, and a living room where guests can mingle during a daily wine hour.

It also showcases Tiffany stained-glass windows, marble floors, and imposing staircases. Best of all, it offers accommodation with a conscience: the lighting is energy-saving incandescent, showerheads are water savers, and the thermostats and HVAC systems are computer-controlled for optimal efficiency.

The Monaco represents the first Baltimore-based venture for San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, which specializes in super sumptuous accommodation. It is expected to help revitalize Charles and Baltimore Streets. It's also bolstering the workforce: the hotel and its restaurant have 135 to 140 employees. The first Friday and Saturday after opening were sold out, and management expects an occupancy rate of 50-60% for the duration of the year.

A big draw to the area will be the B&O American Brasserie, on the hotel's first level, with its exhibition kitchen, pizza oven and generous counter seating. Chef E. Michael Reidt, named one of the country's Best New Chefs in 2001 by Food & Wine, promises "approachable yet refined" fare, ranging from small plates, charcuterie, cheeses and flatbreads to fisherman's stew and pot roast using only sustainable seafood and local farmers' products. Cocktails are handmade with farm fresh ingredients and, with $3 glasses of wine and Champagne on top of lower-priced bar food specials, happy hour is don't miss.

Source: Dorothy Fuchs, Sandy Hillman Communications
Writer: Lucy Ament

Got a vacant lot of a certain size in your neighborhood? Then the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation may have designs on it. The organization, through its Swing for the Future project, plans to build multi-purpose, low maintenance Youth Development Parks in the city. The project, estimated at $6 million, will build state-of-the-art ballparks sporting artificial turf with a track and exercise stations, in five low-income neighborhoods throughout the city.

The first park will transform the unused property on the former Memorial Stadium site on 33rd Street. Foundation officials have joined with partners within the community to raise the $1.5 million needed to repurpose the vacant field. The Y of Central Maryland has teamed with the CRSF on the Stadium Place field. The Y will run the park which has been designed as a kid-scale replica of Memorial Stadium.

"The purpose is to give kids a safe and healthy place to interact and play. After we raise the mix of private and public funding, we will give the facility to a local community partner. We are using Baltimore as a model so we can take it to other cities and help kids all across country," says John Maroon, CRSF spokesman.

Early planning has already begun for a $1 million project in Park Heights near Pimlico Race Course. The partnership between CRSF, the Boys and Girls Club of Metropolitan Baltimore and the city's Department of Recreation will be completed in 2011.

Three other sites will be selected in East Baltimore, West Baltimore and one as-of-yet undecided location in the city. Community groups will operate the parks offering neighborhood kids the chance to play baseball, football and other sports as well as the CRSF's baseball-centric character development programs.

Depending on the organizations ability raise the needed funding for the parks, the goal is to open one park a year. So far, donations have raised roughly 50 percent of the $1.5 million needed to build and fund programming for the Stadium Place park.

Source: John Maroon, CRSF
Writer: Walaika Haskins