Baltimore's Billion Dollar Ghost Town --- You tube 11 minutes

Building Tales ^ | Mar 15, 2025 | Building Tales

[dennisw]

Baltimore Peninsula redevelopment project -

https://x.com/i/grok/share/mjqjZ25H9rfy472BXT6ci7KPj

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Covington

Mar 15, 2025 1,216,592 views

This video explores Baltimore’s newest and swankiest waterfront neighborhood. It’s a beautiful Saturday but there's just one thing missing … people. Like literally any people anywhere. On this particular Saturday I walked around for a half hour and could just about count all the people I saw on one hand. So what’s going on here… why are there all of these beautiful new buildings but seemingly no one here to use them? For that we need look at what led up to the Baltimore Peninsula Redevelopment Project as we see it today.

Highlights

0:00 - Intro

1:22 - The Plan (build Dubai in America)

2:08 - Controversy (should the city subsidize a billionaire's project)

3:12 - Groundbreaking (photo ops for everyone!)

4:14 - Phase 1 Opens (in underwhelming fashion)

5:53 - Project is a a crossroads (shieeeeeeeeeeee)

6:30 - What went wrong? (a lot)

7:33 - The role of Under Armour's weakness

8:32 - Logistical challenges

9:33 - My personal gripes with the project

11:01 - What's the future look like?

[dennisw]

[dennisw]

So how many state of Maryland and Federal tens of millions of dollars went into this unban development boondoggle? The prime project developer is Under Armour. Owned by Kevin Plank, whose net worth has gone down a few billion from this project’s mostly fail.

Baltimore Peninsula redevelopment project -
https://x.com/i/grok/share/mjqjZ25H9rfy472BXT6ci7KPj

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Covington

[Responsibility2nd]

Baltimore. When I think of Baltimore, I think of crime and corruption. I went to AI to refresh my memory of some of the former mayors and officials.....

Former Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh was convicted in 2020 on federal fraud and tax evasion charges related to a scheme involving her Healthy Holly children’s books. She was sentenced to three years in prison but was released early in January 2022 and transferred to a Baltimore halfway house to serve the remainder of her sentence under supervised release.

Key details:

Conviction: Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the U.S., and tax evasion.

Sentence: 3 years in prison (served nearly 2 years) followed by 3 years of supervised release.

Current status: Released from federal prison in early 2022 and transitioned to a residential reentry program. Her supervised release period is ongoing as of the latest reports.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here are notable Baltimore officials convicted of corruption or misconduct:

1. Sheila Dixon (Former Mayor)
Convicted in 2009 of misdemeanor embezzlement for stealing gift cards intended for low-income families. She resigned as part of a plea deal but later attempted a political comeback.

2. Gun Trace Task Force Officers
Eight Baltimore police officers, including Daniel Hersl and Marcus Taylor, were convicted in 2018 of federal racketeering, robbery, and overtime fraud. They stole drugs, planted evidence, and falsified records.

3. Marilyn Mosby (Former State’s Attorney)
Convicted in 2023 of perjury and mortgage fraud for lying about financial hardship to access retirement funds during COVID-19. She avoided prison but received a sentence of supervised release.

4. Baltimore City Jail Scandal (2013)
Tavon White, a gang leader, and 24 correctional officers were convicted in a massive racketeering case involving drug smuggling, bribery, and money laundering at the Baltimore City Detention Center.

5. Recent Law Enforcement Indictments (2024)
Five officers, including Corporal Zachary Small, were indicted for assault, excessive force, and misconduct. These cases remain pending as of February 2024.

Pattern of Corruption
Baltimore has faced systemic issues, with convictions spanning mayors, police units, jail staff, and prosecutors. Key problems include bribery, theft of public funds, and abuse of power.

[Wally_Kalbacken]

I think of Johns Hopkins, right in the middle of that mess. It’s like U of Chicago—a great school in the midst of horrible, horrible conditions. (I’m thinking particularly of the Law School campus.)

This project probably had a chance because of the physical barriers that separated it (I-95, the water, etc.) from the rest of Baltimore. But that ought to tell you something.

[Larry Lucido]

Babu: Where are people? Show me people!

[pepsionice]

I lived in the DC-shadow 2010-2013. I asked a co-worker (from Baltimore) about what to see/do (intending to take the train over for a day).

He basically drew a map of 90-percent of B-city...saying the only ‘safe’ area was where the ball-park was. I gave up on the day-trip.

[ryderann]

You didn’t go back far enough to when Nancy Pelosi’s father was mayor. He could have taught Tammany Hall a few tricks.

[Governor Dinwiddie]

Every American city is a victim of "civil rights" and the "Great Society".
The problem with every American city is a problem which can never be mentioned.

[Libloather]

Built right next to the rising ocean. It’ll be underwater in exactly 5.79 years. The socialist bartender sez so.

[Trump Girl Kit Cat]

Baltimore has probably the worst reputation of ANY damn American city and that says a lot!!! Why on God’s green earth would ANY business want to go there OMG I can not believe how stupid these people are it is really quite amazing they were smart enough to become wealthy in the first place!! It won’t be long before the whole damn place is full of broken windows, graffiti everywhere ect. ect.

[PLMerite]

"The Plan (build Dubai in America)"

The reality:

Forget it Jake, it's Baltimore.

[ponygirl]

I wonder if my college ex is involved in this project. He's an architect and this whole "urban revitalization" thing is right up his alley.

So grateful I did not marry him. I would hate living in Baltimore.

[shoff]

The Six Steps of a Project

one - Enthusiasm
two - Disillusionment
three - Panic
four - Search for the Guilty
five - Punishment of the Innocent
six - Praise and Glory for the Nonparticipants

[maddog55]

Let’s use the El Salvador prison as an example then build a nice pool, restaurant and tiki bar in one of the massive cells. Would you visit?

Baltimore is a corrupt, crime ridden shxthole and until you get rid of the corruption and crime then nothing changes.

[sauropod]

I saw this video. Haven’t been down there in a while. May be worth a return trip.

[newfreep]

The FrancisScottKey bridge debris, damaged from the terrorist attack, remains cluttered with no viable date to begin rebuild.

Baltimore almost makes Chicago look like a clean, conservative town...and they think it’s going to be Dubai in America in 5 years?

[sauropod]

Martin O’Malleyville.

[Samurai_Jack]

It’s not affordable.
a 1 bedroom little 550sq ft closet rents for 1800.00/mo
a 2br palace rents for 3500/mo

Who wants to live there when you can purchase a 5 bedroom mcmansion 20 miles away in a gated community for at comparable mortgage.

[vivenne]

That’s what happened to the waterfront area that was redeveloped. It’s a dump now.

[cyclotic]

My employer is based in Baltimore, not far from this boondoggle. I worked at headquarters for several years and am now home based on the road living 35 miles away.

I’m not a native having lived here 15 years. Baltimore is a complete dump. Kevin Plank is apparently a moron to think that people would come just because he built it.

The leadership of the city is completely toxic and hard, hard left. Besides that they’re racist against whites and completely stupid. Legitimately stupid.

The police Department is several hundred officers short of full strength. Most of the schools have zero students performing at grade level. Crime is high drugs are everywhere and the entire region is increasingly lawless.

No one in their right mind, heck, even purple haired childless cat ladies with “Hate has no home here” signs are dumb enough to buy a luxury condo in such an environment.