Passage of Question F will enable a new Inner Harbor Master Plan to be implemented which massively expands public space.. Today there are 13.9 acres of public space in the project area. If Question F passes, that same area would increase to 18.7 acres of public space. This is happens by turning spaces previously occupied by cars into parks, new waterfront promenades, and the creation of entirely new park and public spaces along the water.
The promenade, including the infrastructure supporting it, needs to be substantially rebuilt. That work needs to be done in a way that protects the promenade from flooding that occurs weekly, particularly in the areas in front of the Science Center and the Harborplace Amphitheater.
Our roads, as currently routed, hamper walkability and accessibility to the Inner Harbor and connectivity around Downtown. Today's approach to urban planning prioritizes making streets safer for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians.
The price tag for those cumulative public infrastructure improvements is roughly $400 Million. For comparison, the waterfront public space improvements at the Wharf in DC totaled approximated $320 million for a smaller footprint. Historically, improvements to our promenade have included substantial funding from the Federal Government.
David Bramble and MCB purchased Harborplace after it went into financial ruin. Anti-Question F activists who claim David Bramble "stole" Harborplace in a “back room deal” are spreading this lie borne from their own prejudices. In fact, it was purchased through a public process conducted by the Circuit Court of Baltimore City where anyone could have bought Harborplace - or even objected to MCBs purchasing it - but MCB was the only group to come to the table and nobody objected to the sale.
Residential apartments at the Inner Harbor will be mixed-income, including affordable and market-rate housing. Diverse, inclusive developments are not only the way of the future, but also lift people up.
Residential Housing guarantees that the Inner Harbor is a 24/7 community. Local businesses with space at Harborplace would benefit from constant economic activity. Mixed-use developments with walkable streets, commercial activity, and residential housing are ideal in today's urban environment. In Baltimore, some of the most economically sustainable, growing neighborhoods follow this model: Fell's Point, Federal Hill, Locust Point, Hampden, Pigtown, Remington, Canton, Highlandtown, and many more!
Question F amends an existing section of the City Charter that restricts uses around the Inner Harbor. That section was created in 1978 to enable Rouse’s plan for Harborplace to move forward by setting aside 3.2 acres for private, commercial uses. Since 1978, the City Council has passed zoning bills (as recently as this spring), Urban Renewal Plans, and even amended this section of the charter. Passage of Question F does not change their ability to make these changes in the future.
While final plans for parking will need to be confirmed based upon transit and right-of-way improvements under the Mayor’s Downtown RISE initiative, no parking garages are planned for the waterfront. In fact, the City’s Urban Renewal Plan (its master plan for the Inner Harbor) requires that any parking facilities cannot be at grade and must be concealed from view.
MCB envisions parking at Harborplace will be predominately served by the 6,000+ parking spaces within a ¼ mile radius from Light and Pratt Streets. There is quite literally a garage on every parcel immediately across the street from Harborplace and right now, downtown garages are struggling to generate enough occupancy.
Parking in surrounding neighborhoods should not be impacted because the surrounding neighborhoods have residential-specific permitted parking which prevent parking in restricted residential areas.
We can't believe we have to say this. Our opponent's misinformation machine is spreading the lie that fireworks will no longer be allowed in Harborplace after the redevelopment. That's laughable. That's false. It's unfortunate that the talking points of activist groups opposed to the redevelopment have been so ineffective that they have been forced to stoop to this low level.
The new maritime enhancements proposed in the plan will in fact enhance the infrastructure necessary to have even MORE tall ships visit our Inner Harbor. The proposed mixed-use environment and infrastructure will make it more attractive for visiting ships and their crews to want to stop in Baltimore.
Together, we will transform Harborplace into an accessible and vibrant community for all of Baltimore.
