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Department of Housing and Community Development

A New Canvas for Baltimore: Central Neighborhood Businesses Revitalize for the Future

Central Baltimore City is in the middle of a renaissance. With $50,000 in matching grants from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development’s Remington Commercial Façade Improvement Program, local businesses have been able to continue moving toward a brighter future through exterior renovations. DHCD supported this project with a FY-2017 Baltimore Regional Neighborhood Initiative (BRNI) award in the amount of $50,000 to the Central Baltimore Partnership.

In recent years, the historic neighborhood has had to contend with the issue of neighborhood blight. The Remington Commercial Façade improvement Program, which was facilitated by the Greater Remington Improvement Association in partnership with the Central Baltimore Partnership, provides matching grants to commercial properties in the area. This program intends to combat the decades of disinvestment for commercial properties in Remington. Grants were awarded in amounts up to $10,000, and recipients were required to provide 25 percent matching funds.

With these funds, businesses gain the ability to make upgrades to exterior painting, signage, lighting, and more that improve the appearance of the property and its immediate surroundings. This will allow Remington to continue growing and thriving, and will attract more businesses and homeowners to the area.

To date, five projects have been completed in the neighborhood. These include:

  • 29th Street Tavern (398 West 29th Street)
  • Sweet 27 (123 W. 27th Street)
  • B. Willow (220 W. 27th Street)
  • Khepera’s Kitchen (418 E. 31st Street)
  • Brown Rice Korean Grill (2404 N. Charles Street)

“A New Canvas for Baltimore” is a regular series covering Project C.O.R.E. (Creating Opportunities for Renewal and Enterprise). Project C.O.R.E. will clear the way for new green space, new affordable and mixed use housing, and new opportunities for small business owners in Baltimore City. The initiative will generate jobs, strengthen the partnership between the City of Baltimore and the State of Maryland and lead to safer, healthier and more attractive communities. For more information on Project C.O.R.E., visit http://dhcd.maryland.gov/ProjectCORE/