Construction work has begun for “Flats at the Markley,” a five-story, 146-unit apartment building in the 4500 block of Harford Road in northeast Baltimore.
MCB Real Estate, the lead developer, announced that it has begun clearing the site for the project, which is designed to help meet the off-campus housing needs of Morgan State University to the south.
Headed by P. David Bramble and Peter Pinkard, MCB worked with Mark Renbaum of MLR Partners and Morgan State to upgrade the Northwood shopping center, now Northwood Commons, also near the Morgan State campus. MCB is also the company working to reimagine the Harborplace pavilions downtown.
“We are excited to build on the success of our Northwood Commons redevelopment,” Bramble said in a statement. “MCB is committed to the continued growth of Morgan State University, Maryland’s flagship HBCU [historically Black college or university] and the continued revitalization of the neighborhood.”
“This new facility will provide Morgan students with a high-quality option for off-campus housing. We are excited that Morgan will be one of the first HBCU’s in the country to see this same kind of investment in off-campus housing that is being made at the University of Maryland College Park and Towson University,” said Morgan State president David Wilson, in a statement. “This project also builds on our efforts to promote investment within the Morgan Mile around our main campus.”
Charles Alexander of Alexander Design Studio is the architect for Flats at the Markley. Demolition of a vacant printing facility on the site started this past week and is supported through a partnership between MCB and the non-profit Hamilton-Lauraville Main Street (HLMS).
With Morgan’s support, HLMS received funding for the project from the Seed Community Development Anchor Institution Fund from the State of Maryland’s Department of Housing & Community Development. Amy Bonitz, vice president of community development, is leading the project on behalf of MCB with assistance from Reni Lawal, a development associate at MCB. Sam Polakoff, who developed the SOHA Union and other projects nearby, is also a partner in the project.
“HLMS is excited to work with MCB and Morgan, our community’s anchor institution, to enhance the vibrancy of this long dormant block,” said HLMS Executive Director Daniel Doty, in a statement. “Having Morgan students live on a street where they already support local businesses will be a major win for all of us who have been working to bring new investment to the amazing neighborhoods in Northeast Baltimore.”
I would give up red meat to see that section of Harford Road that clean….