Commercial Development Meeting
Meeting Agenda November 22, 2016
Meeting Start Time 7:00 pm
Hamilton Bank on Washington Boulevard
1. Director’s Report
Baltimore Street # 1105 to 1119 – SWP asked for updates from the city. The current owner
assured the city he will present a plan for demolition and redevelopment and show that
funding is available for execution of this plan. The city extended his deadline for presenting
such plan to 12/31. If the deadline is not met the city will demolish the buildings.
SWP obtained a commitment from the city that they will not sale the adjacent empty lots to
him until he has demolished the current properties. The committee voted unanimously in
favor for this request to be officially sent to the city and include Dan Morrison in the request
letter to the city.
SWP is working with CORE to take over and put a bid on the properties if the owner does
not meet his deadline. This effort has been approved by the SWP board to move forward if
this situation happens.
Following the SWP board approval, SWP made an offer to the Katz building on 1518
Baltimore Street. No agreement has been signed. The financing will be $50K to put in
escrow and $200K as a 30 year loan at 6 1/2 interest with a 5 year balloon. The loan
partially needs to be guaranteed. There is a $60K guarantor already and $80K still needs to
be guaranteed. The plan is if in fact this sales happens over the current cash offer made to
the owner, a development committee will need to be created to help raise funding and get
an architect to create a plan. The exposure will be at the longest for 24 months.
SWP has started speaking with the state about historical tax credit. The thought is once the
tax credit has been granted, this credit will facilitate raising money as the tax credit can be
sold to financial institutions. This approach could help in raising a little under $5M a year for
a few years to help in the renovation of property in that historical area.
2. Subcommittee Reports
Lord Baltimore
i. There is insurance on the building insuring it could be visited when needed. The
funding though on the governor desk for a few weeks has yet to be announced and
is expected to be soon.
Salvation Army Building
i. The Salvation Army organization has still not responded and it was decided that the
buildings behind and next to the Salvation Army building that is owned by the city
should be considered. Those buildings used to be theaters and are large with a
potential variety of use like a community center. SWP will contact the city to start
the dialog.
Baltimore Main Street
i. At this time the committee is still forming. Full roster of members is still not
complete. The first agenda items once fully formed will be to define exactly what
the goal of this committee program. This decision should be made to help decide if
the development should apply for the program or simply follow the principle of the
Main Street Program. There are advantages to both approaches to be discussed
and decided by the committee. Naming the program will also be needed so if an
application is in fact sent to the city it will have the correct name.
3. Old Business
Funding of $80K has been provided to tie together our neighborhoods from Pigstown to
Mont Clare, Carroll Park and Hollins Market and work on a design and feasibility study to,
for instance, expand the sidewalks. SWP is working closely with DOT. Next phase will be to
reorienting the B&O entrance.
Promote an effort to mentor businesses and provide advertising help like designing a map
listing businesses to be available at business and tourist locations.
Unanimous vote by the committee to move the commercial development meeting to
Pigtown Washington Boulevard at Hamilon Bank starting with the November meeting.
4. New Business
The SWP Executive Director has been called to serve on the mayor elect transition team.
There are several groupings under review Neighborhood Revitalization, Parks and People,
and Health. The guiding principle is that nothing is sacrosanct and could be challenged and
changed.
The deputy mayor positions will be abolished. All heads will report directly to the mayor.
There will be a new neighborhood cabinet that will work directly and meet monthly with the
community heads to discuss plans and steps for the following month. Quarterly forum will
inform the development and plan for each neighborhood.
Closed rec Centers can be re-opened right now. There is no need to wait for fully formed
new city government. To do so one just presents a plan for the reopening and running of
the center to the city for approval.
5. Announcement
Next Commercial Development meeting will be moved to December 14th from the usual date
due to the end of the year holidays.
November 26 th , Shop small at Pigtown and other shops in Baltimore.
December 11, the 31 st Cookie Tour at Union Square.
Starting next year at some still TBD periods some 1,000 volunteers will come to the Southwest
to do some projects. Skills and ages will vary. Provide requests for their time to Lou Packett
who will let the committee know the date of availability at the next meeting.
6. Adjournment
