Urban Discoveries Baltimore

This spring in South Baltimore, hope is the thing with jackhammers and a wrecking ball. With all the dismal economic news that’s going around, we wanted to take a little time out to shine the spotlight on an ambitious project that’s forging ahead — Turner Development’s Westport Waterfront.

With backing from the Carlyle Group and the cooperation of both city and state, the $1.4 billion development should start going up in March, promptly after demolition is completed.

As spokesperson Debra Kleiner acknowledged, “The project is lucky.” How so?

Well, Westport received a big boost in December when the Baltimore city council approved $160 million worth of tax-exempt bonds to fund infrastructure projects (installing sewer and power lines, improving sidewalks, and building roads). It’s kind of like the city’s version of the Obama administration’s stimulus plan:  invest in job-creating infrastructure now and reap the long-term benefits later. As a condition for receiving the funds, the project must include affordable housing options.

A few weeks after that windfall, Westport was named one of five Maryland BRAC zones, which means it’s eligible for state funds intended to encourage relocating military families to move to high-density locations with easy access to public transportation.

So what will it look like? Turner plans for a 65-story office building, entertainment venues, retail establishments and thousands of residences, all surrounded a restored expanse of beach and wetlands. Taking advantage of the development’s Middle River location, Westport will also include trails for hiking and bicycling.

As we noted last week, the hour is tense for Baltimore developers, but things, against the odds, seem to be happening. How do you think things will play out for Westport?

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