Politics & Government

Is Baltimore's Inner Harbor Due for a Facelift?

An amphitheater, kayak launch, bike share program and floating swimming pool are some of the suggestions to revitalize the Inner Harbor.

Bike shares, a barge pool and a bridge connecting the east and west sides of the Inner Harbor are all part of a plan to revamp the downtown Baltimore destination, reports Baltimore Business Journal.

The project aims to build on the success of the Inner Harbor as a tourist destination. Last year, the attraction saw 14 million visitors, the Business Journal said.

The "Inner Harbor 2.0" plan calls for constructing a pedestrian bridge to connect Harbor East with Federal Hill, turning Rash Field into a grassy park and squaring Light Street to link McKeldin Plaza to the harbor amphitheater, reports the Baltimore Sun. Other elements include a kayak launch, bike share program and urban beach, featuring a floating swimming pool.

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Urban beaches -- part of the vision for the project at Rash Field -- takes its inspiration from cities such as Toronto and Seattle, the Business Journal says. Both of those cities — and many outside North America such as Paris, Prague and Brussels — are planning or have built urban beaches that are drawing families with children, tourists and residents alike to waterfront attractions.

Baltimore’s Inner Harbor has a $2.3 billion economic impact on the city and state, a new report shows, an impact that could diminish if new investments aren’t made, the Business Journal earlier reported.

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Baltimore saw 23.3 million visitors that spent $5.05 billion in 2012, according to a study by HR&A Advisors Inc., a New York consulting firm. Of those visitors, 60 percent — 14 million — went to the Inner Harbor, and the average Inner Harbor visitor spent $207 per trip. The Business Journal said HR&A estimates a failure to invest in Inner Harbor improvements could lead to a 4 percent to 8 percent drop in visitation and result in a negative economic impact.

The Inner Harbor, some of which turns 40 this year, needs upgrades to its crumbling brick promenades, deteriorating bulkheads and unreliable light fixtures, supporters of the project told the Sun. The area also needs updates to remain a draw for local residents and the millions of people who visit the Inner Harbor each year.

The plan, which could take as many as 30 years or more to implement, does not yet carry a price tag, the Sun said.


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