A group of Baltimore clergy – backed by prominent city power players – want $25 million from Michael Beatty as the price for their support of the Harbor Point development, The Brew can exclusively report.

The Brew has obtained a 12-page draft agreement of a “community benefits agreement” drawn up by the Community Churches for Community Development, a group co-founded by Rev. S. Todd Yeary, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake’s pastor, and Rev. Alvin C. Hathaway.

Now circulating at the highest levels of City Hall, the document calls on a range of payments and services from the Beatty organization, including Internet wireless service and fresh produce for Perkins Homes residents.

First things first: friend of the blog and sane, decent Baltimorean Paul Gardner has launched a petition on Change.org to voice opposition to the Harbor Point TIF. Since you are also a sane, decent Baltimorean please click over and sign it now, before you continue reading.

Fells Point Station, a 47-unit apartment building located partially in a former police station, will open in November. The Henson Development Co. is the builder of the $13 million project, located at the corner of Bank and Broadway and managed by Mission First Housing Development Corp. in Washington, D.C., Henson's development partner.

Harbor Square Moving Along

The new ten-townhome development at Fort Ave. and Patapsco St. is well underway at the former site of a CVS.  The first five homes on Birkhead have been completely framed out and are under a roof and the next five on Fort Ave. have completed three stories of construction.  Eight of the ten homes have already been sold and the development should be completed this spring.

New Home Eyed for Heath Street

On E. Heath Street, adjacent to the garden at Light and Heath, sits two brand new townhomes as well as a vacant lot often used for parking spaces.  The entire area used to feature three gutted townhomes that later collapsed. This led to their demolition about five years ago.  Two new townhomes were built several years ago, but the third lot has sat vacant.  A plan is going before the Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals on April 2nd to construct one three-story home with a front garage.  The front garage would eliminate a parking spot on Heath St.

Heath St. has been making a lot of real estate progress of late.  In addition to the plans for the new townhome, a home across the street at 53 E. Heath St., at the former location of Dawn’s Grocery, recently went under contract quickly with a listing price of $309K.

 2 East Wells Looks to Break Ground in May

Chesapeake Realty Partners’ 2 East Wells in South Baltimore is hoping to break ground sometime between May and June.  This project will feature 153 apartments and 6,000 square feet of retail along Wells St.  It will also feature a 260-car parking garage that will provide approximately 50 spots available to neighbors for lease.  Wells St. is undergoing quite the transition with the recently completed 1901 South Charles, as well as the brewery project, which was recently supported by SBNA.