Baltimore group sues to block Harborplace redevelopment, demolition of pavilions

A group of Baltimore community members and business owners has filed a lawsuit challenging the planned redevelopment of Harborplace.

The lawsuit seeks to block the demolition of the Inner Harbor pavilions and stop the redevelopment project from moving forward.

The plaintiffs allege city officials violated the Baltimore City Charter, zoning laws, and other legal requirements in approving the project.

One of the plaintiffs, David Tufaro, is also seeking to have the Harborplace pavilions designated as historic landmarks.

Tufaro, founder of Terra Nova Ventures, submitted an application to the Maryland Historical Trust. He said Harborplace's grand opening in 1980 helped revitalize Baltimore's waterfront and became a model for waterfront redevelopment in other cities.

"This project drew more than 20 million people a year during its initial years. There are various reasons why they've been in decline, but they're not obsolete. They need to be brought up to date," Tufaro said. "The idea of demolishing them in light of the historical significance is a major reason not to do it."

Baltimore-based MCB Real Estate, led by David Bramble, acquired Harborplace through a court-approved deal in 2022, with plans to revitalize the struggling complex.

A $900 million redevelopment project is expected to begin this fall.

MCB Real Estate says the new Harborplace will be a mixed-use destination for living, gathering, recreation, dining and shopping, along with an amphitheater.

The plan calls for replacing the mostly vacant pavilions with a mixed-use complex that would include a park, residential buildings and retail space.

The project includes four new buildings:

• A 200,000-square-foot commercial building on Pratt Street with a publicly accessible ground floor and conference spaces.
• A 200,000-square-foot retail and commercial building with food and beverage options and a 50,000-square-foot publicly accessible rooftop park.
• An 8,500-square-foot retail building within a 30,000-square-foot park that would include a 2,000-seat amphitheater bounded by Light and Pratt streets.
• A residential tower on Light Street with a stepped-down design of 32 and 25 stories. The building would include approximately 900 residential units, along with retail and commercial space.

The redevelopment, which is backed by Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, would create a 4.5-acre space with restaurants, commercial uses, multifamily residential development and off-street parking.

CBS News Baltimore reached out Baltimore City and MCB Real Estate for comment.