If the Baltimore city charter cannot be amended by voters to allow for the plans to go through, what happens next to the city’s aging waterfront?
On Monday, a judge struck down a ballot question that could have paved the way for the redevelopment of Baltimore’s Harborplace, throwing plans for a proposed $900M project into limbo.
The proposed redesign of Harborplace includes razing the existing Light and Pratt Street pavilions, reconfiguring the waterfront promenade, expanding greenspace, and most controversially, adding two high-rise apartment towers. In all, the area around the harbor would have around 900 apartment units if the proposed designs, unveiled in late October 2023, could go through.
Expanding the park’s footprint and adding housing is currently unauthorized by the city charter.
The Inner Harbor is a tricky place to develop: the land is owned by the city and classified as a “park” by the city’s charter. The buildings that comprise Harborplace however, are privately owned and currently held by Baltimore-based development company MCB Real Estate, which purchased it out of receivership. MCB also has full leasing and development rights.
Redevelopment could still happen via the ballot box
Anne Arundel County Judge Cathleen Vitale ruled that the ballot measure goes against Maryland’s Constitution in a case brought on by 20 Baltimore City plaintiffs and argued by attorney, and two-time mayoral candidate, Thiru Vignarajah.
During an emergency closed door meeting, the Maryland State Board of Elections unanimously decided to appeal the decision to the Maryland Supreme Court. If the state's highest court rules overturns Vitale's decision, city voters can go ahead and make their decision on Question F in November.
As it stands now, Vitale ruled that Question F will remain on Baltimore City ballots (which have already gone out for printing) but the results will not be certified.
“This legal challenge is a spurious attempt by the opponents of the project to derail it by any means necessary,” said Bryan Doherty, a spokesperson for Mayor Brandon Scott’s office. “We are confident the state will appeal and win.”
Scott has been an outspoken advocate for MCB’s plans from early on in the process.
MCB Real Estate is declining to answer questions at this time, according to a company spokesperson.
What redevelopment can happen?
If voters don’t amend the city charter, any redevelopment plans brought on by MCB will have to look very different from the ones currently on the table.
Again, the company does have full redevelopment rights, which means that unless they sell it or make some other arrangement, nobody else can redevelop it, either.
New construction for shopping and dining could be allowed. Reconstruction of the promenade, which frequently floods and is threatened by rising sea-levels, could also go forward.
But 32 and 24 story apartment towers? Not so much.
P. David Bramble, a West Baltimore native and co-founder of MCB Real Estate has refused to back down when it comes to adding housing around Harborplace.
“If somehow an initiative to stop our development passes,” Bramble wrote to Dan Rodricks at The Baltimore Sun in July, “MCB will not move forward … and whomever acquires the project will have to find the funding to pay off the bond holders and figure out what to do within the limited uses that would be available at the property.”