It appears that the 25th Street Station development (mostly known for the Walmart and Lowes it will bring to the heart of Baltimore) will become a reality. The city planning commission voted in favor of the development. Be sure to check out this great article from the Baltimore Sun that gives a great description of how life really is on the business and residential side of things in Remington.
I am not a big fan of Walmart, but I support the project if they make sure it is not architecturally offensive and if a reasonable new traffic pattern can be established. One must remember that this is not just about a new Walmart, there will be new residential units also and they need to make sure that they fit in with the surrounding area and that no new “dead blocks” are created with windowless backs of projects fronting main streets. I am also vehemently opposed to any store in this development being forced by the government to pay a living wage to its employees. Let the free market set the salary.
I feel that it would be in the best interest of the two major tenants (Walmart and Lowes) and the developer to contribute money to some security agency (Johns Hopkins police or maybe the Baltimore police) in order to increase patrols in the Remington area. It will make the area safer and guarantee a more pleasant experience in and around the 25th Street Station complex.
I fear that many of the so-called “Hipsters” in the area are living in a fantasy world of sorts when it comes to Remington. There currently are major urban problems in Remington (that an empty car lot would not improve) that some younger people seem to be oblivious of. This is a recipe for a major crime event in the near future. I hope this does not happen but it jumped into my mind after reading this Baltimore Sun article.
There are some people who love to jump on the bandwagon and block anything that deals with “evil corporations”. Some of them have good intentions, but some of them are unable to or refuse to understand the realities on the ground. One reality that I have not heard talked about is the fact that just south of the proposed development another large industrial plot of land is about to go to auction. Things are clearly changing in the area, but the future is not set in stone. Those who are so opposed to the Walmart could get together and buy up this industrial piece of land and create their own inner-city business utopia of independently owned non-profit widget stores that pay “living wage” salaries. They could also just sit there and complain. It’s a free country, it’s a private transaction, and that’s life.
Adam is the most recognizable face of the recent resurgence in Reservoir Hill. He has appeared on many national and local radio shows, in several news publications, and at numerous events discussing his innovative urban redevelopment ideas and his unique lifestyle. Adam is a successful entrepreneur, community activist, and a local political guru who ran for city council in 2007. He is the founder and director of the TechBalt.com Buy a Block Project and BaltimoreHourly.com. His fearless local political commentary has rocked the local blog scene for most of this decade and he plans to take it to the next level in the next decade here on Charm City Current.
what is the industrial plot just south of there that is coming up for auction