In 1984, downtown Baltimore was a very different place than it is today. After reaching its pinnacle in the 1940s, Baltimore began to witness a decline in population, employment and investment that continued well into the next four decades. The downtown area was no exception.
Despite successful efforts to redevelop Charles Center and the Inner Harbor, much of the area outside of these districts remained unchanged. Vacant storefronts along Charles Street were the norm. Graffiti and other signs of vagrancy were increasing. Streets were dark and sidewalks crumbling. Parking was lacking, and there was an overall sense of malaise.
Merchants and business owners found themselves at an important crossroads. Should they follow others leaving downtown, or take action to reverse the tide?
"The merchants on Charles Street are asking for help. ... Is this something you would be interested in working on?" With that call from Mayor William Donald Schaefer's office, I was given the assignment of a lifetime. With Mayor Schaefer's commitment and strong, effective business leadership from the likes of Grant Hathaway, Bernie Trueschler, Meb Turner, Bill Struever, and David Tarlow, Downtown Partnership of Baltimore was born.
This month's celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Downtown Partnership calls for reflection on the many accomplishments that have emerged under the watchful eye of this organization. Thanks to the work of thousands of people, downtown Baltimore in 2009 is a clean, safe and attractive community bustling with activity around the clock.
Clean and safe. In 1992, in response to concerns about safety, the Downtown Partnership established one of the first special improvement districts in the country. Support for the Downtown Management District grew out of meetings with major tenants and property owners, starting a tradition of regular communication between the partnership and its constituents. Now, each day, dozens of uniformed guides provide a watchful eye and helping hand, while "ambassadors" clean up trash and remove graffiti, sweating the details to ensure that downtown is clean and safe.
Attractive. When employer surveys performed in 1993 contrasted lush, green office parks in the suburbs with downtown's crumbling streets and sidewalks, the Downtown Partnership set about to improve downtown's streetscape. Funded by the city, the partnership began rebuilding sidewalks, paving streets and installing decorative benches and lights. This work continues. The renovation of Center Plaza created a beautiful, green open space in the center of downtown, and Pratt Street improvements are beautifying this important corridor.
