What to Expect Next at the Baltimore Peninsula Development

The Baltimore Peninsula Development team is currently wrapping up Chapter 1B of the project which is bringing five new buildings along with new streets and public spaces to Port Covington. As Chapter 1B is coming online, the development team provided insight last week on what might come next at the development.

Chapter 1B brought 440,000 sq. ft. of office; 586,000 sq. ft. of residential from 537 total housing units which break down as 367 market-rate residential dwelling units, 89 affordable dwelling units (ADU), and 81 extended-stay units; 116,000 sq. ft. of retail; more than 1,000 parking spaces; and 10 acres of parks and public space.

Completed buildings include:

• 250 Mission: 223,000 sq. ft. building (162 residential units, including 35 affordable units, and 40,000 sq. ft. retail)
• 2455 House Street: 221,500 sq. ft. building (212,000 sq. ft. office and 9,500 sq. ft. retail)
• Rye House: 293,000 sq. ft. building (254 residential units, including 54 affordable units, and 16,000 sq. ft. retail)
• Rye Street Market: 273,000 sq. ft. building (228,000 sq. ft. office and 45,000 sq. ft. market)

Still under construction is:

• ROOST: 133,000 sq. ft. building (40 residential units, 81 extended-stay units, and 6,000 sq. ft. retail)

Bozzuto is currently leasing apartments at Rye House and 250 Mission. Baltimore Peninsula Development team and its partners are working to lease the office and retail spaces.

A new street called Mission Blvd. is now open. Vision Street, which was formerly part of E. Cromwell St. and connects E. Cromwell St. to E. McComas St., is expected to reopen this fall.

New Public Park

Also slated to open this fall is a public park which is temporarily called Triangle Park. The park, which is shaped like a triangle, is adjacent to 250 Mission and Rye Street Market.

Triangle Park will have a “massive playground” and a play area featured shaped like a crab.

Rye Street Tavern

MaryAnne Gilmartin, founder and CEO of MAG Partners which is one of the development partners of the Baltimore Peninsula Development team, said an announcement about Rye Street Tavern will come this week. Rye Street Tavern is located within the Sagamore Spirit Distillery. It opened in 2017 but closed in May 2021 to “reimagine” its concept. The restaurant was run by New York City-based NoHo Hospitality.

Gilmartin said the new concept will have “incredible activity” at the rear of the property which faces the Patapsco River.

Rye Street Tavern has been operating as a private event space since September 2021.

Entertainment Venue

Gilmartin said an “entertainment venue” which would bring many events to Baltimore Peninsula is planned for the west side of S. Hanover St. She declined to give additional details on this project.

Building Pause? 

Many construction projects around the country and in South Baltimore are in a holding pattern due to high interest rates, difficulty to obtain construction loans, inflated construction costs, and supply chain issues. Gilmartin noted it will be very challenging to get additional new construction off the ground this year due to the current market conditions. But, she was confident things will return to normal in the future.

Industries Targeted 

Gilmartin said Baltimore Peninsula Development team is hoping to lure the film industry to the project. She noted there is space within the master plan for the type of warehouses needed for film sets.

She also noted the team’s focus on the healthcare, life sciences, lab space, and sports management industries.

The Rye Street Market building is creating “plug-and-play” suites for startups looking for spaces between 1,800 sq. ft. and 2,700 sq. ft.

Outside of the Baltimore Peninsula Development 

Also under construction in Port Covington is the Locke Landing housing development and Under Armour’s new global headquarters.

Locke Landing is a project by 28 Walker at the former 25-acre former Locke Insulators property at 2525 Insulator Dr. 28 Walker and its development partners K. Hovnanian Homes, DRB Homes, and Greystar are planning 809 housing units at the waterfront site.

28 Walker began demolishing the former Locke Insulators complex in December.

Locke Landing will have 297 new townhomes by DRB Homes on the southern portion of the property. This will consist of 103 16 ft.-wide townhomes, 152 20 ft.-wide townhomes, and 42 24 ft.-wide waterfront townhomes.

The master plan will also have 92 “2 over 2” housing units by K. Hovnanian Homes on the northern section of the property near E. Cromwell St. Each unit is two levels of a four-story townhome building.

28 Walker is also partnering with Greystar on a two apartment buildings totaling 420 units. The buildings we be on E. Cromwell St. on both sides of Insulator Dr.

Under Armour began construction on a new 280,000 sq. ft. office, retail, and fitness building called TMB2 in December. TMB2 is a five-story, 75 ft. building with an east-west orientation. Under Armour is hoping to open TMB2 by the end of 2024.

Under Armour began construction on a NCAA-regulation track and field facility with a multi-sport playing field in February 2022. Final touches are being put on the stadium.

This facility will serve primarily as a testing ground for Under Armour’s innovation, product development, and sports marketing. The athletic facility will also be available to Under Armour team members and the greater Baltimore community through shared-use agreements and special events. It will have bleachers with a solar powered canopy overtop and a seating capacity of 1,400.

A former Sam’s Club at Under Armour’s campus was transformed into a 170,000 sq. ft. office building called Building 37 that opened in 2016. A former Walmart building (Building 96) still stands and has been used for warehouse sales, PPE manufacturing, town halls, and retail mockup stores.

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.