“Yes” on Question F
Let’s bring urban vitality back to the Inner Harbor
Evans Paull
Because I wrote the book (Stop the Road, Stories from the Trenches of Baltimore’s Road Wars) that celebrated the victory of the activists over the establishment and stopped three destructive highways, many folks assume that I must be siding with the activists and opposing the commercial development in the Inner Harbor.
This could not be further from the truth.
If we want downtown and the Inner Harbor to be the heartbeat of the region, to be a vibrant place for all to enjoy, it’s going to take a dramatic change. And that change is going to involve some density and some loss of public space. The old charter restrictions with limited development worked for a period of time largely because of tourism, but tourism is fickle and extremely seasonal; so, it proved to be unsustainable. The MCB plan is based on the sound theory that mixed use, density, and 24-hour presence are the keys to revival.
An Inner Harbor revival will have enormous secondary benefits, boosting all of downtown, as well as the stadium area, making the entire district more desirable for live-work-play. Further, the vast majority of the Inner Harbor will remain parkland – the redevelopment will essentially mean that more people will be attracted to the area, thereby increasing utilization of what is currently a rather moribund park space. Let’s be honest here: when was the last time you used the Inner Harbor as a park?
My comments above are purposely general – I am not supporting the specific MCB design plan. I would urge consideration of the following:
- A more collaborative and public process to determine an acceptable plan and design;
- A strongly worded guideline or requirement for the retail businesses to be primarily home grown, not the all-too-familiar national chains; and,
- Narrowing Light Street so that some of the envisioned development can be moved further from the waterfront and the Promenade.
Lastly, I want to support a complimentary use of some of the remaining parkland, using it for a tented beer emporium and events space, capitalizing on the number one trend in entertainment: the emergence of direct sale breweries as gathering places for families, friends, tourists, and locals. This “Maryland Spirit Tent” would be a permanent tented facility, open air in the warm months, and enclosed in the winter months. Featuring local and Maryland breweries, the tent should double as an event space, with constantly-changing art shows, concerts, food festivals, etc., all featuring local talent. There are now 42,000 people living in the downtown area, with many thousands more living in Fells Point and Federal Hill, all within walking distance (no need for parking!!!). Is there anything more perfect than a beer tent to bring them to the Inner Harbor? They will make coming to the Inner Harbor “cool” again.
My contact information:
evpaull@comcast.net; 202-329-4282