BALTIMORE — Millions in public funds were allocated to bring a grocery store to East Baltimore, but the project's future remains unclear despite announcements in October 2023 that Lidl would anchor the development with an anticipated opening as early as February 2025.
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For 84-year-old Alvin Webb, grocery shopping means a two-hour round trip on public transportation to reach the Giant store three miles from his home.
"It's just atrocious," Webb said.
Without a car, Webb buys staples from the Family Dollar up the road, but fresh food requires a longer journey.
"I take the red line bus going up Greenmount Avenue and usually, I'll catch a hack back down," Webb said.
But that lengthy trip could one day be a few steps. The vacant lot Webb passes while pushing his shopping cart is expected to become a 31,000-square-foot grocery store anchoring The Blake at Somerset, located at 1231 Jefferson Street. This development includes four new apartment buildings offering affordable housing at the former site of Somerset Homes.
This project is part of the $1 billion Perkins-Somerset-Oldtown development plan transforming neighborhoods of extreme poverty into mixed-income communities.
"I love it," Webb said about the prospect of having a grocery store nearby. "It would mean so much. I live right there in that building, it would mean so much."
Developer and Grocer Remain Tight-Lipped
Dana Henson of the Henson Development Company, one of the developers for the project, told The Baltimore Banner in October 2023 that this was her "most personal achievement" and that Lidl had signed a long-term lease.
However, when WMAR-2 News reached out to inquire about the lease, Henson sent this statement: "As a company policy, you will find that I do not provide any comments or details on my projects to media unless I'm having a groundbreaking or ribbon-cutting when all media is present to receive the same public announcement/information at the same time. I have no comment."
When pointed out she had already disclosed details about this project to several media outlets, she declined to comment.
Lidl was no more forthcoming. In an email, the PR firm representing Lidl, Weber Shandwick, wrote: "At this time, we do not have any new information to share about a potential Lidl store in Southeast Baltimore. As soon as there are any updates regarding Lidl stores in the Baltimore area, we'll be sure to reach out."
When asked for clarification on whether they still intend to move forward with the store originally announced at this location and seen in marketing materials, they stopped responding.
WMAR-2 News also contacted Mission First Housing Group, the nonprofit organization partnering with The Henson Development Company to redevelop the Somerset and Oldtown neighborhoods. This article will be updated with their response.
Funding and Development Status
To make the grocery store happen, the state legislature promised $1.35 million in state bond funding, with additional grant money from the federal government.
Senator Cory McCray, who spearheaded the funding effort, explained the commitment: "Bringing a grocery store to the Somerset neighborhood has always been about securing food access and equity for East Baltimore. That's why I led efforts to secure a total of $1.35 million in state bond funding over three years — $1 million in 2022, $300,000 in 2023, and $150,000 in 2024."
McCray noted that while the grocery store is a required component under the bond terms, there is no fixed deadline for when it must open. And while a bond bill expires in 7 years, he added that an extension can always be granted.
According to Ingrid Antonio, Senior Vice President of Communications for the Housing Authority of Baltimore City (HABC), the Perkins Somerset Oldtown development received a federal Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grant in 2018. Antonio confirmed that funding has been specifically designated for a grocery store component. "The specific amount allocated for the grocery component hasn't been finalized yet, as these allocations are determined during the financial closing stage for each phase," she wrote in an email to WMAR-2 News. The 2024 State of Maryland Bond Initiative Fact Sheet lists $3.3 million in federal grant funding.
The Mayor's Office also confirmed that "The Blake at Somerset — which includes dedicated space for a grocer — is on schedule for financial closing this summer. This development is another important part of our ongoing efforts to address food access challenges in Baltimore neighborhoods," said Kamau Marshall, chief spokesperson for the Mayor.
Food Access Challenges in Baltimore
"Grocers don't want to come to poor areas of Baltimore," said Darriel Harris, an assistant scientist with the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future who studies food systems.
Harris explained the disparity in grocery store distribution across Baltimore, noting that Canton has three grocery stores and a Target within a mile of each other, while fresh food options are limited in East Baltimore.
"Research indicates that people like good experiences when they go into the grocery store. And so, if your area is an area that people perceive to be high crime, whether it is or not, if they just perceive it to be high crime, then the likelihood of someone coming into that area to go grocery shopping is very low," Harris said.
Harris believes grocers are likely weighing whether the location would be profitable. But for residents, access to an affordable, clean grocery store could have long-term health impacts.
"There is nothing more heart wrenching than to interact with teenagers, and the only food they know is pre-packaged food," Harris said.
Project Timeline Moving Forward
According to the 2024 Bond Initiative Fact Sheet, construction of the grocery store was estimated to be complete this past February. A Baltimore City planning document released last fall anticipates it'll open in 2026.
According to the HABC, the development team is actively working through construction budgeting and finalizing agreements with key partners, including the State of Maryland. Responsibility for building out the grocery space rests with the developer, and plans for the construction of the building are being finalized.
Senator McCray expressed confidence in the project's eventual success: "The developer has a strong record of delivering in Somerset — including new housing at 1234 McElderry Street, The Ruby, The Ella, and the recent groundbreaking of the Nathaniel McFadden Learn & Play Park. Based on that track record, I remain confident they will secure a grocer and fulfill this commitment to the community."
For residents like Webb, who would benefit enormously from a local grocery store, the message is simple: "Tell Lidl, hurry it up."
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