Patterson Park residents fear that development headed for the abandoned Highlandtown Middle School could threaten the revitalization of their neighborhood.
For months, they have complained that the city has shut them out of the process to develop the seven-story structure next to Patterson Park in Southeast Baltimore. More than 100 residents gathered with three potential developers on Saturday and agreed to create a group of residents to help advise on the project, said City Councilman James Kraft, who represents the district and lives several blocks from the former school.
The 74-year-old, 258,000-square-foot building was shuttered in 2005 as part of the city school system’s plan to more efficiently use its schoolhouses, according to the city’s request for proposals. The red edifice dominates an entire block on South Ellwood Street next to a corner of Patterson Park, towering over the lines of two-story row homes that cover the surrounding area.
The former Patterson Park Junior High School is considered one of the most significant historical buildings in the area.
“Highlandtown Middle, right now, it is the biggest issue facing our neighborhood,” said Marisa Vilardo, president of the Patterson Park Neighborhood Association. “If it’s done well, it can be a huge asset to the area. If it’s done poorly, it can be a huge issue.”
Developers want to turn the former school into apartments, but residents are worried that the vast majority would be low-income housing. They are also wary that hundreds more residents would make finding parking, which is already difficult, nearly impossible.
The Patterson Park area has gone through waves of crime over the years, but in recent times, the diverse neighborhood has banded together to form a place that stands out for its revitalization.
“It is the center of that community up there, and we’ve worked very hard to get that community stabilized,” Kraft said of the former school. “It’s a stable community; it’s a very diverse community… sort of broken up between Hispanic Latinos, African-Americans and whites.”
Kraft said that after he went to Mayor Sheila Dixon in the spring, the city Department of Housing and Community Development put out a request for proposals and plans have moved rapidly. The city had already extended deadlines for developers’ proposals, and after this weekend’s meeting, developers agreed to slow down so residents could get more involved.
Vilardo said most residents hope that some retail will be included in the development.
