Bath House Square Featuring ‘Milk & Honey Market and Café’ Proposed for Pigtown
The Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC) Board of Directors recommended to the Mayor that city-owned 906 Washington Blvd. be awarded to Ernst Valery Investments. The two adjacent buildings that comprise the site includes 7,760 sq. ft. of interior space, 6,203 sq. ft. of total land, and 60 ft. of frontage along Washington Blvd. The Mayor approved the recommendation and the BDC will enter into an Exclusive Negotiating Privilege (ENP) and Right of Entry (ROE) agreement with the developer.
In October 2015, BDC issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the site. From the BDC, “The intent of the RFP was to promote the activation of new commercial activity and adaptive re-use of the historic property as a pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use development at a highly visible location along the Pigtown Main Street corridor.” The BDC received one other proposal for the site from Pigtown Main Street.
The two buildings at the property were originally a Baltimore City Fire Station constructed in 1872 and a public bath house that was constructed in 1901. The public bath house was most recently the home of the COR Health Institute which is relocating to East Baltimore.
Ernst Valery Investments proposed redeveloping the property as a mixed-use, market-rate housing project with eight new residential units and 1,850 sq. ft. of retail space on the ground floor featuring a Milk & Honey Market and Café, which also has a location in Mount Vernon. Milk & Honey’s menu includes bagel and breakfast sandwiches, deli sandwiches, hoagies, and paninis, soups, cheese and meat plates, and La Colombe coffee.
The $2.5-million development will be called Bath House Square. The developer will purchase the site in “as is” condition for $100,000 due at settlement. The project is expected to create approximately 15 construction and 10 permanent jobs, while generating more than $927,000 in real property, utility and payroll taxes, and construction-related permits and fees, over 20 years.
Adjacent to the property at 908 and 912 Washington Blvd. is a large 9,100 sq. ft. commercial property that was formerly a church. It was sold in June 2015 for $425,000.
Ernst Valery is also currently redeveloping The Chesapeake in Station North which includes two restaurants and a 102-unit apartment building.
About the Author: Kevin Lynch
Founder and Publisher of SouthBmore.com, longtime resident of South Baltimore, and a graduate of Towson University. Diehard Ravens and O's fan, father of three, amateur pizza chef, skateboarder, and "bar food" foodie. Email me at Kevin@InceptMM.com and follow me on Twitter at @SoBoKevin.
