Nearly 1,000 of Baltimore’s political, business, educational, and community leaders gathered in Johnston Square to celebrate the grand opening of The Hammond at Greenmount Park and the Johnston Square Branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen and Mayor Brandon Scott joined the crowd at 1100 Greenmount Ave. for the grand opening ceremony to shine a spotlight on the future for communities committed to progress and mutual support.
The opening of The Hammond and the new branch of Enoch Pratt represents the completion of a major phase of revitalizing East Baltimore’s Johnston Square neighborhood. Community-driven at its core, this transformation saw an entire block of vacant lots become a new four-story building with 109 affordable income-integrated apartments and the first new branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library in more than 15 years.
The Hammond at Greenmount Park came about through a partnership between Somerset Development Company, New Community Partners, and ReBUILD Metro. It has 109 one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments to be rented to families earning from under 30 percent to up to 80 percent of area median income. This will include 12 formerly houseless families who will also have permanent supportive housing and other support services.
The Hammond offers free wi-fi to all residents, many resident services, and a large community space where residents and community members can get together for community-building activities. There is a dog-wash station, a fitness center, a rooftop deck, a game room, and more.
“When we talk about Baltimore’s Renaissance, projects like this one are exactly what we’re talking about: 100 affordable homes and the first new branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library in 15 years,” Scott said. “This building will be an incredible resource for all of East Baltimore. It’s a prime example of what we can accomplish when a community like Johnston Square comes together and commits to changing their neighborhood for the better. With the support of so many of our partners, we are delivering on a future for our city that benefits all of our residents, especially those that have faced intentional disinvestment for generations.”
The revitalization included the first new library opening in 15 years. The Johnston Square Branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library is 9,000 square feet on the ground floor of The Hammond building. It is filled with books, world-class technological resources, interactive spaces and programs for teens, children, and families. The library aims to be a safe, healthy space for learning and personal development – filling a need in this East Baltimore neighborhood that has been underserved by social infrastructure and services.
“It’s a good day when we can celebrate the expansion of affordable housing, a new library and more public amenities in Baltimore, but the meaning of these new developments runs even deeper,” Van Hollen said. “It is about the promise of a brighter future. It is about building an even stronger community and opening more doors of opportunity. This project is bringing to life a vision for revitalizing Johnston Square – created by and carried out for the local community. I’ve been proud to help drive federal investment in the ongoing redevelopment of this neighborhood for the benefit of all who live here.”
The Hammond at Greenmount Park is named in honor of Regina and Keith Hammond, leaders of the Rebuild Johnston Square Neighborhood Organization who for the last 12 years have been organizing their neighbors to rebuild and improve their community without displacing residents. The 2020 Johnston Square Vision Plan outlines the detailed, block-by-block roadmap created by community residents to redevelop Johnston Square. It involves transforming hundreds of abandoned properties and vacant lots into new mixed-income homes, small businesses, parks, and green spaces. The Hammond phase is complete, and other parts of Johnston Square have been restored or are under redevelopment.
“Today we are not just opening a new building—we are opening new opportunities for our community,” said Regina Hammond, executive director of the Rebuild Johnston Square Neighborhood Organization. “Together, the housing and the library stand as symbols of what happens when residents lead the vision, when partnerships are built on trust, and when we never give up on our neighborhoods.”
