24-story apartment complex in Baltimore's Little Italy would require rezoning, residents asked to weigh in

A proposed 24-story apartment building is once again at the center of conversation in Baltimore's Little Italy neighborhood. 

Residents and business owners are being asked to weigh in on a proposal to rezone the neighborhood, allowing for the construction of a 24-story apartment complex.

The rezoning proposal comes after a developer again requested to build an apartment complex on President Street, where currently, a parking lot sits at the proposed project site.

They have until October 1 to share their thoughts in a survey. 

The Little Italy Neighborhood Association said results from the vote will determine if Baltimore Councilman Jermaine Jones introduces legislation to rezone the property. 

First community vote

Results from the first vote in 2023 revealed that Little Italy residents and businesses overwhelmingly voted against the rezoning.

"It was like 80% not," said resident Joe Fowler.

"This is not about anti-development," said Lisa Regnante, the president of the Little Italy Neighborhood Association. "This is about looking at a project that wants to come into our neighborhood and build outside of the zoning code."

Regnante said the area is zoned for buildings 12 stories high.

"This zoning code is zoned for a C-5-DE , which means it's a transitional height building," Regnante said.  "They designated that because Little Italy is generally a historic...community. The rowhomes here, which are about 90% of what the structures here are, are about two stories. Some are four, maybe five."

"Keep to the code"

Karen and Joe Fowler live just a block away from the proposed project site.

"I think people do not want something that's not already zoned for," Karen Fowler said.

She said some of her neighbors aren't angry about redevelopment in general, just the scope of this project.

"We just don't want this massive thing," she said.

"It needs to be well thought out and not clutter the skyline towards the Inner Harbor," Joe Fowler said.

Another Little Italy resident told WJZ off camera that, as a licensed architect, he supports responsible development under the current zoning code.

He said he fears "no height restrictions would have detrimental effects on our historic neighborhood, including a 60% reduction in sunlight during the winter months and the creation of a wind tunnel that could facilitate the build up of snow and ice and make walking much more unpleasant."