Baltimore City and Anchor Presidents Announce New Commitments

The Baltimore City Anchor Plan was signed today by Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and eight anchor institution presidents, solidifying a shared commitment to collaborate and align resources to increase public safety, local hiring, local purchasing, and quality of life.

Many of these issues are also at the center of Maryland Philanthropy Network’s Baltimore Integration Partnership (BIP) – an initiative complimenting the City’s efforts and expanding the table of partners to include City, State and regional government partners, additional anchor institutions, foundations and nonprofits driving policies to increase economic inclusion. The BIP is seeking to connect low income residents to jobs within anchors and anchor-supporting businesses; connect small and minority-owned businesses to anchor procurement opportunities; and leverage anchor real estate investment for the intentional benefit of the broader community.

An example of the strength of this collective approach is embodied in a long anticipated project The Center Theater at 10 E. North Avenue, in the Station North Arts and Entertainment District. A reinvestment project embodying the strength of this collective approach moved forward late last week.

BIP Partner, The Reinvestment Fund, just closed on financing for the Center Theater. The project is driven by the co-tenancy of the film programs of both The Johns Hopkins University and the Maryland Institute College of Art. The schools are partnering in a shared opportunity to meet their facility needs make an intentional investment to anchor a catalytic real estate project in the revival of Station North. TRF provided New Market Tax Credits, bridge and permanent financing as well as a predevelopment loan to support this catalytic project led by Jubilee Baltimore.

The BIP is funded by nationally by Living Cities and by local foundations including the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Goldseker Foundation.

Congratulations to the Mayor and her staff as well as Bon Secours, Coppin State University, Johns Hopkins University, the University of Baltimore, Loyola University, Notre Dame University, and Morgan State University for their leadership and commitment.