BALTIMORE — “I can see a change that’s coming.”
Morgan State to lead redevelopment of former Lake Clifton High School campus
Gail Brown has lived on the border of Clifton Park for years. Her father bought this house on Harford Road, and Gail inherited it.
“I was wondering what was going on. I never knew. I just see a lot of construction” Brown says.
Monique Thomas moved her family here because she heard the neighborhood is on its way up.
“This area has gone through a lot of ups and downs,” Thomas says.
“At the time I just wanted to find a place that was nice and a community and what have you.”
When she heard Lake Clifton High School's campus was demolished, she felt relieved.
“It’s definitely unnerving when you’re around any abandoned areas because that breeds negativity.”
Years of urban flight and disinvestment lead to its closure in 2005.
It became the site of fires, shootings and other safety issues over the next couple decades.
With that concern leveled, hope now has room to grow.
“We're getting ready to really start, I would say, the master planning with Morgan State," says Tamara Woods, assistant commissioner, Land Management Development Division.
Woods is in charge of four teams for the city who broadly manage how land is used.
She says it has been a six- or seven-year process to take this step forward to revitalising eastern Baltimore.
“It’s huge because our surplus schools are schools that are no longer really needed for their intended purpose built, and we have to think creatively on how to reuse them, and when you have a site that is 44 acres, imagine the possibilities," says Woods.
When the city released a land disposition agreement, a list of eight potential buyers was developed. Both potential and respect for the past were priorities.
“We're one of the most historic cities in the country, and so you cannot. You know, be part of any kind of revitalization and not, you know, really pay homage to the past,” Woods says.
Morgan State proved to be the perfect fit to do both.
“Morgan State's been very intentional at preserving the past and our legacy buildings,” says Kim McCalla, VP of facilities, design and construction.
Kim is a key figure in guiding how the university will grow its campus footprint. She brought a surprise to our interview. A time capsule was found as they demolished the site.
“It’s pretty exciting to see what people back then really valued."
"People need their stories told, and cities evolve. You know, so the way that cities evolve is understanding the past; no, they know how to move forward” Woods says.
The community hopes they move forward with the university.
“I’m just hoping this can contribute in a positive manner. When you have the right community of people together that anything can happen, and you can bring things up instead of just faltering," says Thomas.
“I’m just glad to see that the community is coming up here. I really see it,” says Brown.
