Baltimore's Harborplace redevelopment project expected to start in the fall of 2026

The redevelopment of Baltimore's Harborplace is expected to begin in the fall of 2026.

The developer, MCB Real Estate, led by David Bramble, plans to replace the mostly vacant pavilions at the Inner Harbor with a mixed-use complex, which will include a park, residential buildings, and retail space, with an estimated cost of around $1 billion.

The redevelopment would create a 4.5-acre space with restaurants, commercial uses, multifamily residential development, and off-street parking. 

In April, MCB Real Estate announced that Gensler Baltimore will lead the design team.

Gensler, a global architecture and design firm, will lead the design team implementing the Harborplace Master Plan, which was approved by Baltimore voters last November with more than 60% support.  

All design images are available here.

Re-imagined Harborplace

MCB Real Estate says the new Harborplace will be a multi-use space for living, gathering, recreation, eating, shopping, and even an amphitheater.

Bramble previously said the existing pavilions will be demolished to make way for a revitalized mixed-use waterfront. 

The project entails the construction of four new buildings: 

• A 200,000-square-foot commercial building on Pratt Street, with an open public ground floor with publicly available conference spaces
• A 200,000-square-foot retail and commercial building that will house food and beverage options, including a 50,000-square-foot publicly accessible rooftop park on Pratt Street
• An 8,500 square foot retail building in a 30,000 square foot park and 2,000 seat amphitheater, bounded by Light and Pratt Streets
• A conjoined residential tower on Light Street with a stepped down design (32 stories and 25 stories) to maximize views. The building will include approximately 900 dwelling units, retail and commercial uses. 

Harborplace's history

Opened in 1980, Harbroplace served as one of the first waterfront malls of its kind.

Harborplace, initially developed by The Rouse Company, once thrived with local businesses and became a national model for urban renewal. 

Then,by the 2010s, the complex fell into decline under New York-based Ashkenazy Acquisitions, which acquired it in 2012. By 2019, the property entered court-ordered receivership due to Ashkenazy's loan defaults and failure to maintain the site.

In 2022, Baltimore-based MCB Real Estate acquired Harborplace through a court-approved deal, pledging to revitalize the struggling complex. 

Mixed reaction on Harborplace redevelopment

The redevelopment along the Inner Harbor was met with mixed reviews.

Former Baltimore Mayor and state governor Martin O'Malley called the project "a terrible developer grab of public waterfront parkland."

Some Baltimore residents expressed concerns about "unlimited height, unlimited use, unlimited residential" and that the plan "was just handed to one developer." 

Baltimore City and the developer hosted several town halls with the community, which included a lot of pushback about the viability and transparency of the project. However, the mayor and the developer said it is time for a change.

"We can't have these folks who want to make the Harbor great again and turn back the clock," Baltimore Mayoor Brandon Scott said.