Commercial Committee Meeting Minutes

September 27, 2016 at 7 PM

1 North Poppleton Street

Present:

Brent Fuller

Raven Thompson

Sonia Eaddy

Nancy Littlepage

Dan Rodenburg

Darren Williams

Summer Webster

Samuel Jordan

Min. Glenn Smith

Lisa Rawlings

Lauren Bradley

Jonathan Bradley

Michael Seipp

Stacy Smith

Catherine Neely

Yvonne Gunn

Bill Joyner

Daniel Coleman

 

  1. Presentation by Glenn Smith – Red Line

Glenn Smith was a West Baltimore resident displaced by highway to nowhere.  He and many others that were displaced were excited by the red line when it was almost approved but on June 25 2016 it was cancelled.  The red line would have spurred development which would have helped develop more developments and Mr. Smith decided to fight for the redline and lodged a title 6 complain.  

Mr. Smith met with a state wide organization that looks at transit at regional level.  He wants to show Annapolis that the community is fighting for this project.

Acting now is imperative and need to emphasize what the economic impact could be for the 1.3 B with a pledge of 900M from transportation fund.  It would have added 10,000 jobs along the red line corridor. Even with the cancellation it is not too late. Mr. Smith complaint says should have consulted with the community.

Would like to form a coalition to not be ignored and make noise with the governor.  Go to website. http://www.red-line-now.com/

Mr. Smith spoke to Highway Dept. who is soon finishing a study.  He complain with ACLU though the ACLU had a legal focus to its complaint.  He met with Senator Pugh. She supports the red line. Congressman Cummings is a supporter.

Anthony Fox has decided to be part of every place count dealing with transportation issues to meet with activists and influence transportation decision.

Can this project include the true bus line hub that does not exist everywhere?  CMTA reviewed the MTA work and notice that they are not providing the right services they committed to but instead has reduced the number of bus to increase reliability.

Looking for the committee support.  Looking for people who are committed to the redline or an intern that can do surveys.  Need sign off to bring the redline and improve economic revitalization. He will send the signature petition to Stacy S to distribute to all.

The group is interested in meeting the Patterson school contact that Jon could provide to Glenn.

 

  1. Bill Joyner Merchant Access Committee.  Spoke of year 1 result city wide. Now the merchants can get access to source to have a logo and put on the SWP and on the university websites.  Consultant helping with logo and branding has a deadline of Thanksgiving.
    1. The current focus on food is expanded now to a new sector of business and meets to discuss the program topic at 6 pm the day of SWP commercial at 801 Baltimore.  Bill is looking for inputs from community merchants as the goals will be set by university.
    2. The university and the U medical center have joined their efforts and both are working on collective spending to attract business to the university to help the neighborhood and the university.  Bill is looking for members to form this merchant advisory committee.
    3. Bill needs to update the directory created last year.
  2. Executive Director Report – Michael S
    1. No response from the state on the proposals presented in July expected to be ready in about 3 to 4 weeks.  
    2. Through a social impact development, a company in Franklin square is poised to do residential dev on the west side about 9 properties ready to be developed.
  3. Sub Committee Updates
    1. Lord Baltimore – Jon
      1. Committee selected 3 out of 6 who responded to the RFP.  Gensler and Republic were close and presented to the subcommittee.  The Gensler group was selected. One of the crucial factor is the guidance and suggestion to position this project to obtain tax credit.  Additional questions were sent to RFP respondents and responses were quick and thorough. Gensler bid was 39K.
      2. Insurance person came out and agreed to provide liability insurance to allow entry to the building.
      3. Gensler will look at the building.  Can it be saved and then what needs to be done to make is safe then decide if the floor can be raised.  Then this finding will help define its use and provide later what are the program ideas. Gensler will look at the financing historic tax credit and if the raised the floor can use new market tax credit.  Then the value will be decided on.
      4. City inspector is not thinking that the building is ready to fall down.
    2. Salvation Army Building – Lou  
      1. Not Present
  4. Vote for new subcommittee – Main Street – Catherine
      1. Catherine was selected as the chairwoman of this newly formed subcommittee by unanimous vote no abstention and no vote against
  5. New Business and Old Business
      1. The SWP is working with an Ohio company that created water filtration in high rise using microbe not chemical.  FEMA has contacted the company to test and see if they could use it. FEMA has ordered 600 devices and the company is selecting Baltimore to manufacture the filtration boxes that are extremely expensive to ship around the US.  They are make currently in Ohio. They will open their office on Pratt in 1101 building and will hire from the neighborhood and will need 12K square feet and are expected to have 200 employees. Official announcement is TBD. Timeline for the move is November 1 the company will move in.  Hire 5 people that they will train and then train in Ohio for a month then will come back and start and be functional in 24 months. Spec sheet for employee to come later and Lisa’s committee work training group will handle this request.
      2. Two other businesses looking at Mont Clare and one at Arlington and Pratt.
      3. Free community lunch noon to one on Friday with food provided by Ranchito.
  6. Adjourn

 

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