Around the Baltimore Waterfront Promenade

When I arrived in Baltimore in 1970, the area around the Inner Harbor was not one of the city’s strong points. In earlier years this had been a working waterfront, with industrial activity and shipping operations of all kinds. But after a period of decline, the harbor area was dominated by abandoned warehouses, dilapidated industrial structures, and aging piers along with much of the adjoining infrastructure in disrepair.

Yet, even with this sad state of affairs, there were those who had a vision of turning an eyesore into a sparkling gem of a revitalized waterfront. Indeed, it was early as 1973 that the first bricks were laid for the Baltimore Waterfront Promenade. Seen as connecting the shoreline from Canton Waterfront Park on the north, picking up many attractions along the way, and coming around to the Baltimore Museum of Industry to the south, this 7-mile walkway became a trailblazer and a model for many other waterfront communities.

The impetus for taking a fresh look at the Promenade, according to Andy Frank on a recent broadcast  of Tom Hall’s “Midday” show, was a troubling omission in a USA Today article. The national newspaper had published a list of the best urban waterfronts, “showcasing destinations where you can enjoy scenic strolls, vibrant city life, and impressive waterfront views.”  San Antonio’s iconic River Walk, with its curving canals, many restaurants, and festive scene, was a sure bet to make the list. The Charles River Esplanade, an attraction for many cyclists and joggers in Boston was included, as was the Detroit International RiverWalk, a 3-mile stretch where one can enjoy nature as well as observe the skylines of Detroit and nearby Windsor, Canada. There was no mention of Baltimore.

This snub spurred the effort leading to the release of a new report, prepared by Andy Frank, a former city advisor on economic development, now director of specialty projects, Cap Ex Advisory Group, along with his colleagues, Lisa Akchin also with Cap Ex, and Hailey Jordan with Kings Imagination Co. After conducting focus groups and interviews with key stakeholders and reviewing the successful models of other cities, the team issued their report, “Baltimore Waterfront Promenade: From Visionary Legacy to a Vibrant Future,” on behalf of the Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore,

According to the report, in spite of its many fine attributes, the Promenade falls short of its full potential for a variety of reasons. These include fragmented and unclear stewardship. Although the Waterfront Partnership has responsibility for 3.5 miles of the pathway, that leaves the remaining 50% of the walk in the hands of others, including several Baltimore city departments and about 25 private property owners tasked with capital repairs and maintenance under long-standing easement agreements. This reality may account for some of the other deficits, including physical gaps in the path itself, inadequate response to periodic flooding, less than satisfactory landscaping and uneven maintenance in general. In addition, people, particularly visitors to the city, need guidance to successfully experience this outdoor amenity.

The report has an ample set of recommendations. It placed emphasis on placemaking and branding. One stakeholder interviewed had this observation: “The Promenade is not a destination now because there is no marketing. There is zero signage and branding.” In response, the consultant team calls for commitment to “development of a visual brand and schematic wayfinding signage plan to connect the Promenade to downtown and neighborhoods, as well as with nearby transit, greenway, and waterway connections.”

There is also a call for more robust programming, including an annual signature event, “one that activates the full 7 miles at once, such as a picnic or Water Prom that brings multiple communities together to celebrate the waterfront.

There also could be greater opportunities for inclusion, for example offering small, minority- and women-owned businesses to gain exposure at key nodes along the Promenade. New York’s High Line, another model much admired by study stakeholders, provides vendor stations to provide a taste of restaurants from across its five boroughs.

Ultimately, the success of the re-branded and newly activated Promenade will depend on a new coherent management structure that can encompass the 7-mile length of the walkway. The report offers several models to consider, representing a challenge for the public and private entities that currently care for and support this rough jewel. If they are successful, once again, folks will come to marvel at how Baltimore has done it.

Joe Nathanson is the retired principal of Urban Information Associates, a Baltimore-based economic and community development consulting firm. Since 2001, he has written a monthly column for The Daily Record and can be contacted at urbaninfo@comcast.net