Inner Harbor's long-neglected side slated for redo - Washington Business Journal:

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The redevelopment of Key Highway has been discussed for but a Baltimore City Council committees is considering legislation that would changed the zoning for some ofwaterfront corridor’s buildings to allow for new retailk stores and other commercial projects. The city coulfd hold a hearing as early as August onthe changes, whicjh would do away with much of the area’s industrially zonesd properties. No date has been scheduledr for those hearings because the city wants to make sure residentd and community groups weigh in on the said DouglasMcCoach III, the city’zs planning director. The sites in flux include Main SteepPolishing Co.
’s former Boyle Street plant, the Southj Harbor Business Center at 1414 Key Highway and the Little Havans restaurant at 1325 Key Highway. Also in play is Generaol Ship Repair Corp.’s 2-acre site in the 1400 blocmk ofKey Highway, which is slated for a zoning The company needs to expand its operationd to accommodate larger ships for its repair business, and Vice Presidentr Cary Lynch said the companu has been looking for other properties along the Lynch said the 45-person Genera l Ship Repair, which has been on Key Highway since 1927, has no specific pland to move in the immediate The road, which stretches from Light Street to Interstate 95, is already changing with the opening of the Ritz-Carltoh Residences and the conversion of the formerf Chesapeake Paperboard site into McHenruy Row shopping center.
HarborVie Properties Development Co. hopes to buildd a 26-story tower and a 17-storyy building further down Key Highway. Some of the area’es older industrial properties could befacing changes, includinf developer Martin Azola’s South Baltimore Business Center at 1414 Key Azola said he wants to create about 15,000 square feet of retailo space facing Key Highway. The project coul d help establish amore pedestrian-friendly feel to the he said. Marks, Thomas Architects moved out of the spac within the past month to take large r offices elsewhere in the Azola hashired Lutherville, Md.
, brokeragw MacKenzie Commercial Real Estate Servicesw LLC to market the spacew — as offices for now — with the hope the city will rezonde the property to allow for retail use. Nearby, developer Shapiroo Co. is working to convert the former Main SteelPolishing Co. site at Boyle Street and Key Highway into a newcommerciapl development, also pending the city’s rezoning. Mark Shapiro, principalk of Shapiro Co., said he had planned to convergt the space into about 90condominium units, but with a slowdown in the condo markeft he is now considering other options. Obrecht Corp.
has hired Shapiro to help marketits 1-acree lot at 1321-1325 Key Highway for potential Little Havana leases part of the which Shapiro is marketing for potential redevelopment as a commercial or hotel