Photo Tour of Impact Village in Port Covington

Last week, the Port Covington Development Team hosted a ribbon-cutting event and tour of its Impact Village office buildings at 250 W. Dickman St. The newly-renovated office space is offered free of charge to nonprofit organizations and small businesses that are “making an impact in Baltimore.”

The Port Covington Development Team is comprised of lead investors Sagamore Ventures and Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group, as well as lead developer Weller Development Company.

Impact Village consists of a former warehouse and office building that was previously the home of Atlantic Forest Products. The Port Covington Development Team completed the renovations to the space. The complex also has four new office trailers.

The mission of Impact Village is “to empower local organizations and small businesses that are working toward positive changes in Baltimore City by providing complimentary office space for the duration of their term, thereby allowing for increased operational capacity by reducing overhead costs.”

Accommodations for Impact Village tenants includes free WiFi, security, mail services, shared conference rooms, and meeting spaces. This innovative hub builds upon the ecosystem that exists at City Garage office complex across the street.

Impact Village tenants include:

• CHOICE JOBS (UMBC)

The Choice Program believes in the power and potential of all young people. The Choice Program at UMBC provides engaging programming, connection to resources and holistic support to youth in central Maryland’s communities.

• CONSCIOUS VENTURE LAB

Conscious Venture Lab is an early-stage business accelerator with the goal of developing companies and leaders who embrace capitalism as a force for good in society. They work to help extraordinary entrepreneurs in their goal to build companies with societal purpose at their core.

• MOM CARES

MOM Cares serves under-supported mothers with a NICU experience in Baltimore City by providing postpartum doula care including transportation, childcare, advocacy, self-care opportunities, and nutritious meals to mothers and their families.

• MURPHY ENTERPRISES

Murphy Enterprises is a firm invested in community impact, workforce development, vendor/supplier inclusion and sustainability. The companies within their portfolio are anchored by a commitment to community and developing a stronger Baltimore.

• REVEILLE GROUNDS

Reveille Grounds is a mission- driven coffee shop and community gathering space that will build stronger communities for veterans and military- affiliated individuals in Baltimore by providing support, resources, and personalized care.

• SANDTOWN FURNITURE CO.

Sandtown Furniture Co. creates functional and lasting furniture from reclaimed wood and materials salvaged locally in Baltimore. Their core belief is that something beautiful can be manufactured locally from materials otherwise destined for a landfill.

• STANLEY SNACKS FOR SCHOOL KIDS

A nonprofit that supplies snacks to public schools in the Baltimore Metro area for kids who suffer from food insecurity and hunger. All snacks are from manufacturers/grocery, wrapped, and sealed.

• THE ARTS PROJECT INC.

The Arts Project Inc is a nonprofit dedicated to exposing youth to creative avenues of artistic expression. They host various sessions, events, and trips encouraging youth to tap into their creative selves.

• WOLF SECURITY

Wolf Professional Security Inc. is a private security and investigations firm, providing security needs for businesses in Port Covington including Impact Village, City Garage, Weller Development Company, and Baltimore Sun.

• SHARP DRESSED MAN

Sharp Dressed Man bridges a critical gap between programs providing men workforce training and ‘looking the part’ to get in the door for an interview. Sharp Dressed Man’s one-on-one styling experience equips men with a hand- selected suit and accessories for their interview.

• SUITED TO SUCCEED-DRESS FOR SUCCESS GREATER BALTIMORE

The mission of Suited to Succeed-Dress for Success Greater Baltimore is to empower women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire and the development tools to help women thrive in work and in life.

• PORT COVINGTON WORKFORCE OPPORTUNITY CENTER

The Port Covington Workforce Opportunity Center (PCWOC) focuses on job placement relating to employment opportunities within the development of Port Covington, primarily serving Baltimore City residents.

Sandtown Furniture Co. is using the warehouse space at Impact Village to store and dry wood for its furniture and to sell as part of its Wood for Good initiative. The company is currently building out a new headquarters in Carroll-Camden Industrial Area.

“When we began planning Port Covington, we knew we wanted it to be a neighborhood unlike anything else, both in the city of Baltimore and the country,” said Marc Weller, founding partner of Weller Development Company, in a press release. “Now, as the cranes over Port Covington indicate, this neighborhood is coming to life and Impact Village is a shining example of what we envisioned.  The cost-free offices in Impact Village allow tenants to maximize efficiency and further their businesses. We help them and in turn, they help the city – which is what Port Covington is all about.”

“Impact Village is something we can all be really proud of because it co-locates like-minded entrepreneurs and leaders and sets their organizations up for even greater success,” said Marc Broady, vice president of community affairs at Weller Development, in a press release. “We are creating an ecosystem of creativity where people and their organizations can continue to do great work in Baltimore without having to have that overhead cost.”

Coworking space

Suited to Succeed Boutique

Shared classroom and meeting space

Port Covington Workforce Opportunity Center

Choice Jobs

Conscious Venture Labs

Sharp Dressed Man

Sandtown Millworks / Wood for Good

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.