[This story originally appeared in the June-July 2024 issue of the South Baltimore Peninsula Post.]
The still-developing Baltimore Peninsula neighborhood along SoBo’s southern shore now has a full-time office dedicated to caring for its public spaces and helping to shape the future of its public parks and waterfront.
In April, the Baltimore Peninsula Community Benefits District, a nonprofit established by the Baltimore City Council in 2020, brought on its first employee: executive director Claudia Jolin. The district, which covers most of the former Port Covington, except for the Under Armour campus and the Locke Landing residential development, is authorized by the city to levy a supplemental property tax on property owners within the district. The revenue will pay for additional services such as beautification, security, and events.
Making sure the district is “clean, green, and safe” is the first order of business for the new organization, Jolin told the Peninsula Post in an interview. A memorandum of understanding between the city and the district that details the services each will provide is nearing completion, she said. The district will draw from its initial annual budget of $700,000 to pay for its share of services.
On the longer term, Jolin sees the new organization as playing a key role in shaping the roughly 40 acres of public land in the district, which includes over two miles of waterfront, into a “super unique Baltimore experience” for both residents and visitors to enjoy. Coordinating community input and galvanizing financial support around such a project would be an exciting future prospect for her as executive director, she said.
“My job right now is to set the strong foundation for the success of the public realm of this area,” she said. Jolin brings with her nearly eight years of placemaking experience as vice president of economic development at the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore, where she produced economic impact reports, managed grants, and oversaw the operation of the Bromo Arts District.
Laying the foundation starts with creating a three-year strategic plan to guide the organization as it begins to take over responsibilities from the developer, MAG Partners, and build relationships with stakeholders, Jolin said. She plans to start stakeholder engagement meetings in the near future to advance those relationships. “That’s a huge role for me, getting everybody around the table,” she said.
In the coming months, Jolin will be working to support the summer season of public events around Baltimore Peninsula that the developer already has scheduled. Then she will start planning how she’ll put her stamp on the winter season. “I want to make this a super wintery wonderland throughout the public realm,” she said. “My goal is that everyone who visits here, works here, and lives here this winter goes home and says, ‘I just loved that.’” – Steve Cole
South Baltimore Peninsula Post 