MCB Real Estate, the developer of Reservoir Square at 700 W. North Avenue with 120 townhouses so far, is asking for community support to allow it to build 52 more single-family units where once they had planned a mixed-use office/residential/retail building. MCB Managing Partner David Bramble and several others from the firm met with Reservoir Hill and Bolton Hill community members on Dec. 1.
The original plan was to build a mixed-use building at the corner of North and Park Avenue, with a first-floor grocery store and retail stores, with apartments on the upper levels. For various reasons this plan was abandoned, and the grocery store and retail are now being built on the next block at 600 W North Avenue.
Bramble confirmed that, as promised, Streets Market has signed a lease to occupy a retail strip at the adjacent block, with construction of the grocery store and retail space ready to proceed. Similarly, the high rise office building on the west end of the block, currently under construction, is already leased to the city to house a workforce development agency.
Bramble said that, after exploring all options and “doing the math,” MCB determined that only town homes were feasible to replace the high-rise mixed-use building. He has previously said that there is no room for further retail, and ruled out green space, community space, rental apartments or condos or other alternatives.
Reservoir Hill Association President Keondra Prier said her organization would not oppose the changes. RHA sent a survey to selected residents of Reservoir Hill and Bolton Hill asking for opinions and got a mixed response. The piece of land in question, Parcel C, is zoned C2 (commercial) which does not permit town homes. Building them requires approval by the city zoning board. A public hearing on the zoning change has not been scheduled. Public comments can be sent by email to bmza@baltimorecity.gov.
–Jean Marie Adrian
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