Everything You Need to Know About the Broadway East Impact Investment Area

The Live Baltimore team was recently invited to the Collington Square Recreation Center at Collington Square Park to learn more about the Broadway East Impact Investment Area.

We were honored to meet the Broadway East Impact Investment Area community workgroup, a collaborative assembly of residents and the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) employees. This group of individuals is committed to the redevelopment and improvement of the Broadway East neighborhood and told us all about the work they are doing within the community. Read along to find out what we learned during our discussion.

What is an Impact Investment Area?

Impact Investment Areas (IIA) are specified regions within the city in need of strategic investment. Identified and managed by DHCD since 2017, these areas include West Baltimore, Park Heights, Johnston Square, Coldstream Homestead Montebello, East Baltimore Midway, Southwest Partnership, and Broadway East.

How did Broadway East get to this phase of redevelopment?

Thanks to the collaborative work of DHCD, passionate Broadway East residents, and highly skilled local developers, the community has seen a reduction of 412 vacant homes since 2016. The community workgroup attributes this progress to knowing when and who to ask for help, understanding their community’s challenges and unique needs, and continuing to create and nurture meaningful partnerships.

What makes the Broadway East neighborhood unique?

Broadway East in East Baltimore is a developing neighborhood that is experiencing a resurgence after a long period of disinvestment. Some neighborhood assets residents love include the architecture, like rowhomes with marble steps, stained glass windows, and painted screens. They also appreciate the dedicated care for the youth of the community, who participate in after-school programs and attend Collington Square Elementary/Middle School and kid-friendly events. Additionally, residents showed gratitude for the geographic layout of their neighborhood. Not only are they close to beautiful Broadway Street, but there is also an incredible view of downtown from the southwest corner of Collington Square Park, where children often watch 4th of July fireworks.

What are some wins from 2024?

The Broadway East Impact Investment Area community workgroup saw major successes from their hard work in 2024. Some of these wins include new equipment and lighting in Collington Square Park thanks to a $20,000 donation from the Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC), better traffic patterns on Gay Street, updates to neighborhood greenspaces to aid in stormwater management, and reduce the heat index with a better tree canopy, and overall more safety and visibility for the Broadway East community.

What are some goals for 2025?

As the workgroup continues toward redevelopment of the 791 remaining vacant homes in the area, they have set additional goals that they believe will hold a lasting positive impact on the community. These goals include accurate and timely tracking of all development projects in the DHCD Impact Investment Area Project Tracker to keep the community updated on their progress. The team also plans to host recurring meet-and-greets to bridge the gap between local developers and community collaborators.

The new construction and rehabilitation developer request for qualifications closed at the end of 2024. Our team was truly enlightened and inspired by the passionate work of the Broadway East IIA workgroup and can’t wait to witness the continued improvements to this beautiful and tight-knit community!