BALTIMORE — Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has been deeply involved in a new plan to revitalize downtown Baltimore, showing the close ties between the governor and Mayor Brandon Scott.
The city today released "Downtown RISE: A 10-Year Vision," which lays out action items to improve the central business district.
Moore, who lived in the city for years and interned for then-Mayor Kurt Schmoke, said he and Scott "over the past year... worked hand-in-hand to create a vision for downtown Baltimore."
The plan's home page features a video from Moore that notes:
...This cannot be Maryland's decade without it also being Baltimore's time. And as my dear friend [President of the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore] Shelonda Stokes says often, 'For it to be Baltimore's time, it's got to be downtown's moment.'
The partnership seems to stand in contrast to Scott's relationship with former Gov. Larry Hogan.
The two clashed often on major city issues, especially crime.
Rather than relying solely on status quo "solutions" and #MAGA talking points, how about actually meeting with me to discuss violent crime, gun trafficking, or restarting the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council — as I've asked before?@GovLarryHogan, I'm ready when you are. https://t.co/yArXJgC76C
— Brandon M. Scott (@MayorBMScott) May 4, 2021
There can be no more excuses and no more delays. Where are our crime bills? pic.twitter.com/YuZNOEJoP8
— Governor Larry Hogan (@GovLarryHogan) February 21, 2020
The plan's immediate goals include creating an inventory of infrastructure needs, and creating a Downtown-Stat program to "triage" downtown issues like crime reduction, infrastructure repair, and coordination.
Long-term goals include a "first year free" program that waives fees for new businesses; attracting a grocery store; and possible tax incentives for businesses from residents who are black/indigenous/people of color.
Some other notable, "intermediate" plans include creating a Security Operations Center for downtown; bringing in public bathrooms; addressing nuisance crime at Lexington Market; encouraging busking and street performance; overhauling the permitting process for restauranteurs by removing the requirement for a capital investment and instead just require them to establish a bona fide kitchen through the Health Department and enter into a memorandum-of-agreement with the Downtown Partnership.
The plan also mentions turning underutilized public spaces into childcare centers, to address the shortage of childcare and expand access to affordable childcare.
