Board of Public Works Approves $10 Million to Support Improvements to Baltimore City's Central Business District

ANNAPOLIS, MD - The Board of Public Works today approved $10 million to support safety, security, and streetscape improvements in Baltimore City's central business district. The capital grant, provided to Downtown Partnership of Baltimore, reinforces the Moore-Miller Administration's commitment to the revitalization of Baltimore City, making Maryland both more competitive and more affordable. 

"We aren't going to choose between building a thriving economy and ensuring true public safety - we can, and we will, pursue both at the same time," said Gov. Moore. "The State of Maryland is proud to work alongside Downtown Partnership of Baltimore to make Maryland both safer and more competitive. Together, we are combining state resources with local knowledge to deliver real results for the people we serve."

Downtown Partnership of Baltimore, Inc. is a nonprofit organization that collaborates with local businesses and government officials to identify needs, develop strategies, shape public policy, and implement programs that strengthen the economic progression of downtown Baltimore City. The organization's work promotes public safety, hospitality, economic development and advocacy through strategic partnerships and community engagement.

Last week, Governor Moore attended Downtown Partnership of Baltimore's  annual meeting, where the organization unveiled its 2024 Annual Report highlighting Baltimore City's ongoing transformation. With nearly $7 billion in development projects planned up to 2028, the state's ongoing efforts to revitalize downtown include the relocation of more than 6,000 state employees to the central business district, the reimagined Lexington Market, and the revitalization of Baltimore Harborplace.

“We are tremendously grateful to Governor Moore, Treasurer Davis and Comptroller Lierman for their approval of this significant state grant that will further accelerate our efforts to enhance quality of life, public safety and capital improvements within the central business district and the surrounding 106 blocks that we service throughout downtown Baltimore," said Downtown Partnership of Baltimore President Shelonda Stokes. “The momentum underway in downtown is unmistakable and is being fueled by the strong partnerships we enjoy with federal, state and city leaders who understand that investing in the success of Baltimore's core is an investment in the success of Baltimore City, and that of the entire state."

In the FY24 and FY25 budget, the Moore-Miler Administration allocated $9 million each year to Downtown Partnership of Baltimore through the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. Last year, the governor announced a $67.5 million investment in the Harborplace redevelopment project, which represents a generational opportunity to reimagine Baltimore's waterfront for the next century.

Last month, Governor Moore also signed an executive order to establish Reinvest Baltimore, a coordinated effort between the State of Maryland, Baltimore City, and nonprofit and for-profit partners to eliminate concentrations of vacant properties, revitalize neighborhoods and maximize the economic potential and quality of life for residents in Baltimore City. 

The governor's order established the Baltimore Vacants Reinvestment Council, which will tap key community, corporate, philanthropic and government leaders to leverage targeted investments to move at least 5,000 vacant properties into homeownership or other positive outcomes more than the next five years. The governor also announced $50 million in funding from the FY25 capital budget to accelerate the elimination of vacant properties in Baltimore.