Ed Rutkowski, executive director and founder of the Patterson Park Community Development Corporation, will leave the group Jan. 1 to focus on new development projects, the organization announced Thursday.
The Patterson Park CDC under Rutkowski is credited with turning around the Patterson Park area starting about 10 years ago, using the neighborhood?s existing qualities and creating middle-class affordable housing to jump-start the local housing market.
“Ed was one of the very first of the community development leaders to recognize that if you were going to turn a neighborhood around, the traditional reliance on public subsidy wasn?t going to do it,” said Timothy Armbruster, president and CEO of the Goldseker Foundation.”He recognized it would be more beneficial if you recognized what the assets were in the community and try to strengthen the market.”
Rutkowski?s work will be supported by a challenge grant from the Goldseker Foundation. While he said Patterson Park isn?t “done,” Rutkowski looked forward to bringing his experience to new Baltimore neighborhoods.
“I?ve certainly learned a lot about the need to create critical mass in difficult places,” Rutkowski said. “We understand not just the market dynamics, but the need for critical mass, the idea of developing enough that you?re changing the whole thing, not just here and there. Where we went in strongest came out the best.”
The Patterson Park CDC board named Chief Operating Officer Mark Tough as its acting executive director, and Rutkowski said he plans to stay on its board.
“Ed has been really fundamental to helping Patterson Park become what it is,” Tough said. “I believe he and the board feel very comfortable with moving forward with me, as someone who?s been in the neighborhood and done this kind of work for a long time.”
The group?s other local partners agreed.
“The park would not be where it is now if not for his support from the very beginning,” said Tim Almaguer, executive director of Friends of Patterson Park. “I definitely have confidence that this organization will sustain itself. I know Ed would not leave without having faith that it would be sustainable and as magnificent as when he started it.”
Armbruster said it?s not completely clear what form Rutkowski?s new effort would take but said other community organizations have been asking for his help.
“It seemed to many of us that … the experience Ed had should be exported,” he said. “It?s going to be more than Ed hanging out a shingle ? he?s going to be the driver, and we?ll see if it works. There?s enough demand for his expertise.”
