beautification - Downtown Partnership of Baltimore

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’round
Downtown
GoDowntownBaltimore.com
BALTIMORE
SPRING 2007
inside
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EVENTS
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ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT
5
MEMBERSHIP
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CLEAN, SAFE AND
BEAUTIFUL
beautification
S T R E E T S C A P E I M P R OV E M E N T S C O M I N G
The Partnership’s Streetscape Improvement Program is in full
swing this spring with projects underway all over Downtown.
Thanks to City support, major work continues along portions of
Calvert and Eutaw streets, and at smaller-scale projects that are
beginning to dot the area.
As a complement to these initiatives (that involve street,
sidewalk, and landscape improvements), Mayor Sheila Dixon
has made milling and repaving city streets a priority and is
setting an aggressive timetable to get the most pockmarked
roads fixed as soon as possible.
In the long run, all this work will smooth the way for drivers and
pedestrians by upgrading the infrastructure, road beds, and
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D OW N TOW N
STREETSCAPE PROJECTS
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Calvert Street between
Lombard and Baltimore
streets – Ongoing major
upgrades include new conduit,
road bed, sidewalks, lighting,
and granite curbs. Scheduled
to be complete in December
of ’07.
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Eutaw Street between
Lombard and Baltimore
streets – Work has begun on
major improvements, including
new conduit, road bed,
sidewalks, lighting, and
granite curb.
■
© Brown | Craig |Turner
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walkways. Things will be easier on the eyes,
too, thanks to better lighting, landscaping,
and street furniture.
In the short term, however, there could
be traffic tie-ups. The Partnership works
constantly with the City and private
contractors to minimize these disruptions,
and we’re working on a new program
to alert drivers to potential back-ups.
But sometimes there’s no accounting for
the unexpected.
C A LV E R T S T R E E T S TO RY
Paving the street is the easy part.
Repairing and improving what’s underneath
is the real challenge.
Anyone who’s ever renovated a house
knows that unforeseen delays can
forestall even the most thorough plans.
That’s what’s happened along Calvert
Street where complications have slowed
the pace of progress.
Streetscaping work on Calvert Street
began last year and includes the difficult
task of installing new conduit under the
street. But once excavation began, workers
discovered basement cavities from nearby
buildings that didn’t show up on the original
plans for the job.
Subterranean rooms that jut out under the
sidewalks are not uncommon Downtown,
but they were unexpected on Calvert
Street and require new engineering to
accommodate them. The City has hired a
consultant to assess the cavities and
develop a new design.
■
OT H E R N E W D E V E L O P M E N T S
■
Streetscape is about more than just
streets. The Partnership and City are
GoDowntownBaltimore.com • 410.244.1030
President • Kirby Fowler Editor/Photographer • Michael Evitts
Layout • Insight 180 Strategic Marketing and Design • www.insight180.com
P A R T N E R S H I P
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New and
improved Calvert
Street
Pleasant Street between
Charles and St. Paul streets –
New project will be advertised
for bids this spring.
Saratoga Street between
Eutaw and St. Paul streets –
Work will include new paving,
lighting, and colored concrete
sidewalks. Project will be
advertised for bids this summer.
looking into the feasibility of removing a
segment of the Baltimore Street Skywalk
that connects Hopkins Plaza north to
Fayette Street. The little used structure
creates a visual barrier, particularly at
the entrance to Hopkins Plaza, and it’s
increasingly difficult to maintain.
And get ready for the debut of a new
companion website featuring information,
live traffic mapping, and commuter resources.
Called GetAroundDowntown.com, it’ll be
online soon.
‘Round Downtown is published by Downtown Partnership for its members,
friends, and property owners in Baltimore’s Downtown Management District.
D O W N T O W N
■
With no further delays, the project is
expected to be complete in December.
As always, we’ll provide project updates
and traffic alerts. To find out more, visit
GoDowntownBaltimore.com.
RENDERING:
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Light Street between Lombard
and Fayette streets – New
project will be advertised for
bids in mid-April.
This summer, the water will once again
flow in the stone and concrete fountain at
the corner of Charles and Pratt streets.
Difficult and costly mechanical repairs
had kept this prominent fountain dry
for several years, but a recent infusion
of public and Downtown Partnership
funds means construction can start soon.
Pumps and other mechanics are housed
in a room under the sidewalk and in
need of repair. Once begun, the work
should take about a month to complete.
G o D o w n t o w n B a l t i m o r e . c o m
© Mitro Hood
events: 2006 wrap up
THE PARTNERSHIP HAD ONE OF ITS MOST SUCCESSFUL MARKETING YEARS IN 2006 THANKS TO THE
CREATIVITY AND HARD WORK OF OUR MARKETING DEPARTMENT AND THE COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS OF
MANY, MANY PARTNERS. IN ADDITION TO EVER-POPULAR EVENTS LIKE FIRST THURSDAYS AND DOWNTOWN
FOR THE HOLIDAYS, MANY OF THE FIRST-TIME PROMOTIONS LISTED BELOW PROVED TO BE A HIT:
Aquarium in Baltimore, Reginald F. Lewis
Museum, and The Walter’s Art Museum.
Restaurant Week offerings for additional
days, weeks, and even months.
Last spring, we debuted a prime time
special on WMAR ABC 2 TV called
‘Round Downtown. The half hour program
highlighted some of the many new
residences, shops, and restaurants that are
springing up all over. And it featured
interviews with new residents about why
they enjoy their Downtown address.
Each map included questions specific to
each attraction. Young treasure hunters
who completed the questions and turned
the map in at the Baltimore Visitor’s
Center received a special edition Pirates
of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest
rubber bracelet.
We also began airing a public service
announcement about the Clean & Safe
Team and all they do to keep Downtown
feeling safe and looking great.
The campaign was visual, educational,
and fun. And, by building on the excitement
about a popular movie blockbuster, it was a
great way to encourage visitors to stop by
area attractions on their way to the theatre.
The reduced prices, and the quality of the
menus they presented, enticed thousands
of diners into neighborhoods across the
city. Bookings were so impressive that the
national online reservation system,
OpenTable, reported that Baltimore had
the highest number of daily reservations of
any first-year restaurant week promotion
they’ve seen.
You can watch ‘Round Downtown, or see
some of our many video highlights at our
website, GoDowntownBaltimore.com.
A F I V E S TA R S U C C E S S
H I T T I N G T H E A I RWAV E S
P I R AT E S O F T H E PATA P S C O
Later in the spring, The Partnership teamed
up with The Walt Disney Company on a
promotion centered around the motion
picture release of Pirates of the Caribbean:
Dead Man’s Chest.
Using a movie-themed treasure map
downloaded from GoDowntownBaltimore.com,
aspiring buccaneers were encouraged to
visit six Downtown attractions: the Fells Point
Maritime Museum, Maryland Historical
Society, Maryland Science Center, National
G o D o w n t o w n B a l t i m o r e . c o m
When Downtown Partnership and the
Baltimore Area Convention and Visitors
Association (BACVA) began planning
Baltimore’s first-ever Restaurant Week, we
felt it could be a small success in its first
year and build as awareness of it grew
over time. But what we billed as “The Most
Delicious Week of the Year” was popular
beyond our wildest hopes.
More than sixty of the area’s best
restaurants participated in last July’s
event, and most of them were completely
booked with reservations – so much so
that several extended their pre fixe
S P R I N G
Needless to say, plans for the 2nd annual
Baltimore Restaurant Week are already
underway for the week of July 30th –
August 5th. We’ll keep you updated as the
details and list of participating restaurants
is finalized.
In the meantime, we encourage everyone
to revisit Restaurant Week establishments
during the course of the year, or try
someplace new you heard about during
the promotion.
PHOTOS: (from right)
Duff from Ace of Cakes
with the Monument cake;
Pirates of the Caribbean
treasure map; Baltimore
Restaurant Week
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Both reports may be downloaded
from GoDowntownBaltimore.com.
The report is comprised of four parts:
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A Housing Demand Study by
Zimmerman/Volk Associates projects
demand for approximately 7,430 new
Downtown housing units through 2011,
including 2,980 multi-family rentals,
2,200 multi-family for-sale units, and
2,250 single-family for-sale townhouses.
■
A Demographic Profile of New
Downtown Baltimore Residents by the
Jacob France Institute of the University
of Baltimore finds that new Downtown
residents are young (48% are ages
25-34), single (49%), highly educated
professionals (94% with BA or more)
living in 2-person households. Most are
very recent residents (32% moved
here within the past three years) and
82% own their own homes. Of the
residents who own their own home, the
average monthly mortgage is $1,574.
Renters pay an average of $1,171
a month. Sixty-nine percent (69%) of
new Downtown residents work in
Baltimore City and 21% of them walk
to work. Most have skilled jobs and
87% of new Downtown households
earn $50,000 or more annually.
Looking Back at 2006: Another
strong year for Downtown
Mayor Sheila Dixon joined Downtown
Partnership at the February Business Over
Breakfast to release the 2006 State of
Downtown Baltimore and discuss its findings
with the audience of approximately 600
regional business leaders.
The data shows that Downtown is doing
well across the board. Key findings include:
■
$282 million in projects was completed
in 2006 and additional projects worth
$1.5 billion were underway with
delivery scheduled for 2007 / 08.
■
When considered with the 2005
investment level of $545 million,
and realistic near-term projections
through 2010 ($2.76 billion), a
total of $5.16 billion was in
various stages of development
by the end of 2006.
economic development
PHOTOS:
Convention
Center Hotel rises on
the Westside (top);
Outlook 2012
cover (bottom)
T WO R E P O R T S D E TA I L A S O L I D
2006 AND STRONG FUTURE
F O R D OW N TOW N
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Early in 2007, The Partnership released two
reports that benchmark Downtown’s
economic health, provide a clearer picture
of its fast-growing residential population,
and project development trends in the
coming six years.
The annual State of Downtown Baltimore
report, produced with support from the
Baltimore Development Corporation,
provides data and analysis of Downtown’s
economic health during 2006.
The Partnership also released Outlook
2012, a four-part series of studies it
commissioned in 2006 with support from
The Goldseker Foundation, that estimates
Downtown’s potential for future residential,
employment, and investment growth.
“Individually, these two reports provide
invaluable economic data and trend
forecasts that will help us plan for
Downtown Baltimore’s future growth and
stability,” said The Partnership’s president,
Kirby Fowler.
“Taken together, they’re evidence of
Downtown
Baltimore’s
increasing
economic vitality even in spite of a
slowing national economy,” Fowler said.
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Downtown’s office vacancy rate
dropped slightly in 2006 thanks
to substantial leasing in the
Class A market and a tightening
of the B market.
The Economic Analysis of Hospital
Expansions, Bioparks, and BRAC, an
employment growth study by the Sage
Policy Group, projects that hospital
expansions, biopark creation, and new
jobs arriving because of BRAC will
create a demand for more than 17,000
new jobs and result in more than
$3 billion in spin-off economic revenue.
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A Retail Strategy, created by The
Partnership to guide retail
development and marketing, was built
upon findings from the 2005 Downtown
Baltimore Retail Assessment performed
by McDearman Associates.
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Accent Development
Company, LLC
American Cancer Society Hope Lodge
Ashbourne Developments LLC
Audubon MD-DC
Avalon Centerpoint
The Azimuth Group
Baltimore Substance Abuse
Systems, Inc.
Builderguru Contracting, Inc.
Café Gourmet
Catholic Community School
Caton Real Estate, Inc.
The Center Club
The Charleston Group
Chef's Expressions
Commercial Settlement
Services, LLC
CTR Wholesalers
Daniels & Associates
DiGirolamo Group/
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
Downtown Baltimore
Child Care, Inc.
Eden’s Lounge
Edible Arrangements
EDSA
Expedited Courier and
Distribution LLC
Ferguson Enterprises, Inc.
Fivestone Properties, LLC
Gross, Mendelsohn &
Associates, P.A.
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Harkins Builders, Inc.
High Rock Interactive, Inc.
Holiday Inn Express Baltimore
at the Stadiums
Integrity Title + Escrow Company
Lifework, Inc.
Madison Funding, Inc.
Maryland Humanities Council
McWilliams Ballard Inc.
Metastorm, Inc.
Mid-Atlantic Security
Agency, LLC
Milton’s Grill
Mirmiran Atlantic Property
Development, Inc.
Modern Décor Contemporary
Furnishings
Morton's the Steakhouse
Nathans + Biddle LLP
Notari Associates, PA
Oasis Design Group
Odds & Ends Handyman Services
Phillips Seafood Restaurants
Planit Advertising
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
The Quinntessential Gentleman
The Reinvestment Fund/Baltimore
RWN Development Group
Ryan Homes/NV Homes
Stanton Communications
Wells Fargo Home Mortgage
Wickey’s Caterers
The 2007 membership campaign is underway and there’s no time
like the present to join Downtown Partnership. The sooner you
do, the sooner you or your organization (and everyone who
works there) can begin taking advantage of special offers,
networking events, business lectures, and our member-to-member
bulletin board on GoDowntownBaltimore.com.
Looking Ahead: Major growth
expected through 2012
Outlook 2012 estimates that, over the next
six years, Downtown can absorb more
than 7,000 new residential units and that
hospital expansions, biopark creation, and
new jobs arriving because of the Base
Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process
will create a demand for more than 17,000
new jobs and result in more than $3 billion
in spin-off economic revenue.
G o D o w n t o w n B a l t i m o r e . c o m
The Partnership has the ideas, initiatives, and energy to transform
Downtown Baltimore into an even better place. But we need the
support of our members to turn good intentions into reality. We
would like to thank all our members that renewed last year, and
we welcome the following companies that have signed up as
new members:
■
■
After increasing in 2005, overall
Downtown employment remained
steady in 2006 at an estimated 97,137.
$7.7 million in public and private
capital investments in public
infrastructure was completed in
2006. When added to projects in
planning stages and under
construction, the total level of
infrastructure investment Downtown
was $67 million.
membership
To become a member, or to learn more about the advantages of
joining Downtown Partnership, call the Membership Department
at 410.244.1030, or email [email protected].
G o D o w n t o w n B a l t i m o r e . c o m
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with the arduous task of removing
gum from sidewalks.
R A N D O M AC T S O F K I N D N E S S
Downtown's PSGs will continue to carry
new Hospitality Kits featuring special
coupons, promotional items, and discount
admission to area attractions.
As they have for the past year, once or
twice a week, PSGs will conduct random
street intercepts of Downtown pedestrians
and present them with a free item from the
Hospitality Kit. The item could be a coupon
for a cold drink on a hot day, tickets for
discount museum admissions, or maybe
even a gift from a Downtown merchant.
© Robin Shotola
clean, safe and
beautiful
A Public Safety
Guide on post at the
Convention Center(left);
Clean Sweep Ambassador
vacuums litter (right)
O P E R AT I O N C H E C K - I N
Once again, Downtown’s Clean Sweep
Ambassadors (CSAs) will be giving the
white glove treatment to area hotels.
PHOTOS:
At the end of each winter, the CSAs help
get ready for the busy spring and summer
tourist season with Operation Check-In,
a special initiative to remove litter and
graffiti, especially from the backs of
buildings, service drives, and other areas
that might not get regular maintenance.
Overnight visitors are an important
aspect of the Downtown and regional
economy. Last year, Downtown hosted
almost 12 million visitors – a seven-year
high. And direct spending from visitors hit
an all-time high at almost $3 billion.
With so much at stake, programs like
Operation Check-In are a critical
component of Baltimore’s tourism industry
by helping our hotels, and our city, put the
best foot forward.
SAFETY IN NUMBERS
A new class of Public Safety Guides
(PSGs) is preparing to hit the streets this
spring. Several carefully-selected trainees
are undergoing two weeks of intensive
classroom training followed by four
weeks in the field paired with experienced
Guides – all so they’ll be ready for
Downtown’s busy summer season.
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In addition to hospitality and safety
courses, each PSG receives BEST
(Behavioral Emergency Services Team)
training to help the mentally ill among the
homeless population and to direct
anyone in need of assistance to the
appropriate resources.
In all, there will be 50 PSGs Downtown
working from 10 a.m. - 11 p.m., seven days
a week. For more information on the
program, please contact Bertina Silver,
Director of Public Safety Guides,
at 410.244.1030.
The Hospitality Kits are proving to be a
great way to spread goodwill to
Downtown pedestrians while promoting
the businesses and attractions that supply
materials for the kits. And the reaction from
the public has been overwhelmingly positive.
PSGs carry the kits throughout the year
and will be on the lookout for harried
Downtown office workers, area residents,
visiting families, and anyone who looks
like they could use a lift.
If you have something you would like to
contribute to the kit, please contact Michael
Evitts at 410.244.1030. Otherwise, prepare
to be pleasantly surprised Downtown.
A D I S P L AY O F S A F E T Y
CLEANING ‘ROUND THE
CLOCK
The onset of warmer weather means
more people out on Downtown streets,
and that means the CSAs will be busier
than ever keeping up with the influx
of litter.
As we do each spring and summer, The
Partnership has added an overnight shift
that runs from 10 p.m. - 6 a.m. beginning on
April 1st – just in time for the Oriole’s
opening day. The overnight crew will use
street sweepers and pressure washers to
tackle big jobs that would be too
disruptive during normal business hours.
To make the work easier, we’ve hired
an additional six CSAs and purchased a
special machine called a Gumbuster.
As the name implies, the machine helps
G o D o w n t o w n B a l t i m o r e . c o m
Partnership members may request a
tabletop display on public safety for their
reception areas or office lobbies. The
display provides simple safety tips and
reminders about The Partnership’s safety
programs. Best of all, it’s free!
To arrange for the display, or for more
information, call Larry Lewis or Bob Bolek
at 410.244.1030.
P R AT T S T R E E T B O U L E VA R D
DESIGN TEAM SELECTED
Efforts to transform Pratt Street from a
busy thoroughfare to a grand boulevard
took a major step forward recently with the
selection of a team to lead the redesign.
nod to rethink the 16-block Pratt Street
corridor, improving the landscaping and
retail opportunities, and invigorating the
pedestrian experience with public art,
water features, and a better overall look
and feel.
Downtown Partnership joined the
Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC)
and the Baltimore City Departments of
Transportation and Planning to select
Ayers/Olin out of ten teams competing
for the job.
“Ayers Saint Gross / Olin Partnership had
the best overall presentation, taking
ideas from other great cities and tailoring
them to the unique characteristics of Pratt
Street,” said Kirby Fowler, adding that
“all of the submitted proposals had
creative elements that we’ll be interested
in incorporating into the final design,”
The selection process has moved very
quickly since The Partnership first held a
Pratt Street design charrette last spring.
Working with our partner organizations,
the ideas that came out of the charrette
were folded into a request for design
proposals. By last October, the proposals
were in and four teams made the short list
to compete for the selection committee at
the end of February.
“The richness of the ideas presented, and
the momentum that has built to this point,
speak volumes to the community’s desire
to see Pratt Street remade into a more
beautiful and pedestrian-friendly boulevard,”
Fowler said.
Now that the Ayers/Olin team has been
chosen, The Partnership and City officials
will work with them on a specific design
plan and phases of implementation.
The project’s costs will be determined as
the plan is finalized and will be borne by
a mix of public and private entities.
Given the width of the sidewalks, it is
hoped crews will be able to work with
little traffic disruption.
CALLING ALL
COMEDIANS…
AND MUSICIANS…
AND JUGGLERS…
Mark your calendars for
Saturday, April 28. That’s when
the Baltimore City Board
of Street Entertainment will
hold the latest Street Entertainer
Showcase from noon to 2 pm.
The approach of warm weather
means that street corner
entertainers of all stripes will
begin to reappear across
Downtown. But, before they
dust off their stilts or polish up
their act, they’ll want to get a
license from the Baltimore City
Board of Street Entertainment.
Even if you’re not performing,
the showcase will be fun
to watch. So, bring a lawn
chair and join us at the Inner
Harbor’s West Shore Park
(between the Visitor’s Center
and Maryland Science Center)
to watch your fellow Baltimoreans
strut their stuff.
While it may take up to six years for all
the changes to occur, work on elements of
the plan such as removing the grassy
berms on the north side of Pratt Street
could begin in the coming months.
Baltimore-based Ayers Saint Gross and
Olin Partnership of Philadelphia got the
G o D o w n t o w n B a l t i m o r e . c o m
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PRESRT STD
U.S. Postage
PAID
Balto. City, MD
Permit No. 2045
217 North Charles Street
Suite 100
Baltimore, Maryland 21201-4101
GoDowntownBaltimore.com
COMING SOON
Get ready to enjoy
Downtown’s newest old park.
For more information, and a
list of upcoming events, visit
GoDowntownBaltimore.com
CENTER PLAZA
A NEW CENTER PLAZA