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| Communities by Design Built Works: Architects Demonstrate the Value of Community Design | | > | A Civic Vision for Turnpike Air Rights Boston, Massachusetts | | > | East Baltimore Comprehensive Physical Redevelopment Plan Baltimore, MD | | > | Inner Harbor East Baltimore, MD | | > | Lafayette Courts Baltimore, MD | | > | Mid-Embarcadero San Francisco, California | | > | Landmark Lighting Master Plan Milwaukee, WI | | > | New York State Canal Recreationway Plan Albany, NY | | > | Pennsylvania Convention Center Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | | > | The Village of Park DuValle Louisville, KY | | > | Riparian Meadows, Mounds, and Rooms Warren, Arkansas | | > | UrbanRiver Visions seven communities, Massachusetts | | > | West Harlem Waterfront Park New York, New York | | > | R/UDAT Built Works | | > | R/UDAT Austin, TX | | > | R/UDAT Moose Jaw, Canada | | > | R/UDAT Salt Lake City, UT | | > | R/UDAT San Angelo | | > | R/UDAT Springfield, IL | | | |
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Project Details
Architect: Urban Design Associates
Award: National AIA Award for Regional and Urban
Design 2003
Implementation Status: Plan adopted by the City
and beginning development in 2006
View Communities by Design Built Works: East Baltimore Comprehensive Physical
Redevelopment Plan (requires Google Earth)
Find Communities by Design Built Works: East Baltimore Comprehensive Physical
Redevelopment Plan (Google Maps)
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Background
Urban Design Associates was commissioned by the City of
Baltimore with funding from local foundations to develop a Master
Plan that will create a Bio-Technical District as well as
revitalize the East Baltimore neighborhood. The Plan provides
2,000,000 square feet of research facilities as an extension of
Johns Hopkins Medical Center and 1200 new and rehabilitated
residential units. The process itself produced an unprecedented
consensus among the community, the City, and the Hospital.
Implementation Status
A much more evolved plan has emerged during the implementation
phase with the assistance of several consultants. The current plan
is for approximately two million square feet of biotech space to be
located north of the Johns Hopkins Medical campus, to be built over
a seven- to ten-year time frame.
This space would house thirty to fifty companies, providing up to
eight thousand jobs, one third of which would be for high school
graduates, one third for college graduates, and one third for those
with advanced degrees. The entire plan has been developed alongside
a comprehensive East Baltimore revitalization strategy, coordinated
by and under the leadership of city officials. The biotech center
would be integrated with the community through collaborations with
numerous educational institutions at a variety of levels, from high
schools and colleges to a variety of university programs.
The Plan was adopted and the project has broken ground.
Public Process
The planning process was carried out in two major phases. Phase
I included a general feasibility study of the biotech center, its
impact on the area, and an analysis of existing neighborhood
conditions by the design team. Specific issues studied during Phase
I included the economic viability of the biotech center based on
location and size, potential employment opportunities, and
residential housing market opportunities.
During Phase II, the team focused on the development of design
alternatives and strategies for the East Baltimore neighborhoods,
and how the biotech center could be used as a catalyst for
revitalizing the area.
Community Impact
The development of a biotech center and the related neighborhood
revitalization will stabilize East Baltimore by creating job
opportunities and by serving as a catalyst for economic development
within the area.
Key elements of the plan include a biotechnology facility,
rehabilitated and newly-constructed housing, public open space and
recreation facilities. The plan builds previous community planning
efforts, which recognized that the neighborhood had become so
severely distressed that major reconstruction was needed.
Therefore, the neighborhood revitalization plan used the
construction of the Bio Technical District as part of the process
of creating a new image and mix of uses. Residential development
will be a mix of restoration and new construction based on the
traditional character of the community.
Lessons Learned
The long decline of the neighborhood has resulted in its having
a negative image throughout the city and the region. The prospect
of a major reconstruction, with new uses that build on the
strengths of Johns Hopkins has changed the perception of the area,
particularly in view of other related developments nearby. The
process of deciding to demolish a large number of units was
difficult, took place over many years, and was accomplished because
there was consensus that an incremental approach could not
work.
Principles for Livable Communities
UDA used all 10 principles in the design of the community. The
order of their use in our process is as follows: 1. Design on a
Human Scale; . 7. Create a Neighborhood Identity; 6. Build Vibrant
Public Spaces; 2. Provide Choices; 4. Preserve Urban Center; 3.
Encourage Mixed-Use Development; 5. Vary Transportation Options; 8.
Protect Environmental Resources; 9. Conserve Landscapes; and 10.
Design Matters
Overall Sustainable Contribution
At the beginning of this planning program, the area was only 25%
occupied, had largely very low income families, and some of the
worst crime in the city. The plan calls for rebuilding it as a
mixed-use, mixed-income community with a wide range of housing
types. It builds on the strength of the Hospital and creates new
economic development for the center city. It is located on both a
transit and train line. Its mix of uses offers the possibility of
living and working within a walkable community. The mix of incomes
will introduce stability and ensure the long term sustainability of
the area.
A much more evolved plan has emerged during the implementation
phase with the assistance of several consultants. The current plan
is for approximately two million square feet of biotech space to be
located north of the Johns Hopkins Medical campus, to be built over
a seven- to ten-year time frame.
This space would house thirty to fifty companies, providing up to
eight thousand jobs, one third of which would be for high school
graduates, one third for college graduates, and one third for those
with advanced degrees. The entire plan has been developed alongside
a comprehensive East Baltimore revitalization strategy, coordinated
by and under the leadership of city officials. The biotech center
would be integrated with the community through collaborations with
numerous educational institutions at a variety of levels, from high
schools and colleges to a variety of university programs.
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| Proposed rehabilitated houses |
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| Public process |
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| View looking west along Eager Street into a new residential address through renovation on the north side of the street and the construction of new, front-loaded townhouses and apartments on the south. |
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| Master Plan showing strategy areas and initiatives |
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| A new main street and series of parks and squares will create a revitalized image for the neighborhood. |
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