After several months of delay construction has finally begun on Turner Development's Westport Waterfront. Workers have started the first phase of public improvements for the $1.2 billion, 50-acre transit-oriented, mixed-use development, located on Baltimore's Middle Branch of the Patapsco River, including construction of a living shoreline
"I'm very pleased that we've been able to come up with the financing and are finally able to begin work on this project," says Patrick Turner, president of Turner Development Group.
Monies awarded by the Maryland Department of the Environment, a total of $620,500 in American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009 (stimulus) funding, will be a portion of the funding used to reconstruct the shoreline and create the waterfront tidal wetlands
The intertidal wetland project will include the installation of an environmental cap and wetland sill as well as a floating boom to minimize floating debris in the wetland. Once the wetland reconstruction is underway, construction of new utilities, roads, landscaping and bike paths will commence in the spring of 2010. Construction of a luxury apartment building by the Landex Companies will begin a year later in 2011.
"The shoreline reconstruction is the first step in making 25 acres of the Westport Waterfront site ready for building construction," says Turner. Our master plan goes beyond a traditional mixed-use community. We're targeting platinum certification under the US Green Building Council's LEED for Neighborhood Development program and the soft shoreline will enhance our efforts." wetland along approximately 900 linear feet of the Patapsco River.
The wetland reconstruction is part of Turner and Baltimore City's strategy to restore the ecology of the Middle Branch, which is home to abundant populations of fish, birds and other wildlife but has suffered from degradation due to decades of industrial development. Restored wetlands improve water quality by filtering contaminants while also providing important habitat for juvenile fish that provide food for larger fish and birds. Wetland restoration in the Middle Branch is a key priority of Baltimore City as it focuses on the redevelopment of the Middle Branch watershed as Baltimore's "green harbor." Turner is planning additional wetland areas in Phase II of his project as part of the development's overall green infrastructure.
Although the recession meant it took a little longer than originally expected to raise the money to start the project, Turner says he expects the project to continue without any additional delays.
"[Now that we've begun] we expect the project to continue to develop. We've still got some hurdles to get through because it's a very complicated financing mechanism to do these types of projects. There are hurdles to get over but every time we accomplish one the next one is easier. The first one is always the most difficult, so as we progress it gets easier," he explains.
The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company will act as construction manager for the shoreline reconstruction, wetland installation and infrastructure construction.
Source: Patrick Turner, Turner Development
Writer: Walaika Haskins