Downtown

  Baltimore's first Pita Pit, a fast-casual concept that serves Lebanese-style pitas, is set to open Wednesday on the west side of downtown.  The eatery at 413 W. Baltimore Street was originally scheduled to open in September but faced some delays as franchisee Drin Kaziaj finalized a lease and hired contractors. The restaurant will be part of a project with a Panera Bread Co., PNC Bank, Samuelson's Jewelers and State Employees Credit Union. It will employ about 20 full- and part-time workers.

Baltimore's Lexington Market proudly calls itself the oldest continuously operating public market in the nation — and home to some of the best crab cakes in the world at its famed Faidley's Seafood cafe. Yet even a venerable landmark that's been in business since 1785 needs an occasional upgrade. That's why the announcement last week of plans for a $20 million to $25 million renovation of the market is welcome news for everyone who values its historical significance. But simply making cosmetic changes to the building's interior won't be enough to attract new vendors and customers to the site.

Developers converting older office buildings into apartments or building new complexes could get a significant tax break under a measure the Baltimore City Council approved Monday. The legislation is aimed at addressing a glut of vacancies in office buildings downtown, encouraging new or converted apartments in six other neighborhoods, and drawing new residents to the city. The list of requirements to qualify for the tax break is short: The development must be in one of the seven areas, must be a project involving at least 50 apartment units, and must have an environmentally friendly certification.

A number of downtown city streets will be temporarily closed mid-day Wednesday to accommodate the circus elephant walk from 1st Mariner Arena to Lexington Market. The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus elephants will leave 1st Mariner Arena at 11:45 a.m. and lumber north along Hopkins Plaza, west on Fayette Street and north on Eutaw Street to the Lexington Market parking lot. At 12:30 p.m., the procession will follow the same route back to the arena. In addition to temporary closures, Eutaw Street will be closed to through traffic from Fayette Street to Saratoga Street between 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., with detours and parking restrictions in effect.

An underground electrical fire was reported beneath the Sheraton City Center hotel Wednesday morning, but city emergency officials said it posed no danger to hotel guests. Half a dozen fire vehicles and a Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. truck surrounded the entrance to the hotel about 9:30 a.m, blocking several lanes of traffic in the 100 block of W. Fayette St. downtown. Hotel staff said guests had not been evacuated and were not affected. The Baltimore Mayor's Office of Emergency Management said via Twitter about 9:40 a.m. that firefighters were awaiting the power to be shut off before they could extinguish the fire.

Baltimore officials hope to draw more money from city-owned garages downtown, raising rates at garages on Caroline, Baltimore and West streets while adding a new monthly overnight plan at the St. Paul Street garage. The city's Board of Estimates is set to vote Wednesday on the proposal, which officials say is necessary to maintain the parking facilities. The Parking Authority of Baltimore City, which recommended the increases, said the new, cheaper option on St. Paul Street will make parking more affordable for people who live nearby.

Downtown Baltimore gained 10,000 jobs in 2012 — after losing the same number of jobs in 2011, according to the annual State of Downtown report to be released Thursday by the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore Inc. "At the very least, this is a correction," said Kirby Fowler, the organization's president, who was skeptical of the loss reported in 2011. The same firm, Nielsen Co. LLC, calculated both this year's and last year's job numbers for the Downtown Partnership. There are 113,100 workers within a one-mile radius of the intersection of Pratt and Light streets, according to the report.

A 7-Eleven that recently opened on the west side of Baltimore's downtown is celebrating Friday with 11 cent Slurpees, coffees and Big Gulp drinks. The store is located at 301 N. Howard St., in a part of downtown long targeted for revitalization. It's expected to add as many as 20 jobs to the local economy. The grand opening event, including entertainment, discounted drinks and an appearance by the Oriole Bird, is set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday. The store is the 44th 7-Eleven in Baltimore City, which is the convenience store chain's top market for hot pizza sales nationwide, chain officials said.

As a Friday deadline approaches, advocates are working to find housing for the homeless men and women living at a Baltimore encampment set to be cleared. Christina Flowers, president of Belvedere Homes, stopped by the site between Interstate 83 and the Fallsway on Wednesday with a promise to find housing for those who want it. She said her organization secured a three-bedroom house in the Harwood neighborhood to accommodate six of the roughly 18 men and women at the encampment. "At this point, it's just about being able to move forward," said Flowers, whose organization on North Charles Street provides housing for those who are homeless, suffer from disabilities or have a mental illness.

The flowers left in condolence are a kind but painful reminder that De'ontae Smith is gone, as is the funeral program his mother carries around to remember the boy stabbed to death downtown just hours after the Baltimore Ravens' Super Bowl victory parade. Chevita Bumbrey and her husband, Donae Wright, have struggled with De'ontae's conspicuous absence. He could usually be found slouching on the couch playing video games or dancing the "mump" to rap music - shuffling wide-legged on the wood floor.