Northwood Plaza Shopping Center
Design Workshop
Final Presentation
The Northwood Plaza Shopping Center in northeast Baltimore, built in the 1930s, is purported to be one of the first shopping centers of its type in Baltimore City - a strip mall built to cater to the new suburbs of the day. However, after a lively heyday lasting through the 1960s, the plaza began a long slow decline as its department store anchor, theater and other retailers began relocating to the expanding Baltimore County suburbs.
In April 2007, a subcommittee of the Northwood Plaza Working Group (an ad-hoc group of community representatives formed to address concerns of vacancy, crime, sanitation, and safety at the shopping center) applied to NDC for design assistance, hoping to generate ideas for sprucing up the 20+/- acres site. With NDC's guidance, the group quickly decided that the issues at the shopping center went beyond the scope of mere façade and parking lot improvements, needing instead to be addressed in a more holistic fashion. The group wanted to see the site fully revitalized, not simply "spot improved."
In order to accomplish this goal, the subcommittee, now the Northwood Design Team, determined that a community-based plan was needed - one that would convey the surrounding neighborhoods' needs as well as desires for creating a commercial heart for their community. A public design workshop was felt to be the best and most inclusive way of making sure that such a plan best represents the diverse interests of residents, along with the faculty, staff and student populations of nearby Morgan State University.
Design Workshop
On Saturday January 19th, 2008, the Neighborhood Design Center co-sponsored a public design workshop for re-envisioning Northwood Plaza Shopping Center. The event, held at Morgan State University, was well attended with more than 80 residents representing 13 surrounding neighborhoods participating. Additionally, eighteen NDC volunteers from STV, Inc., the Baltimore City Planning Department and Morgan’s own Institute of Architecture and Planning (IAP) assisted in leading eight break-out groups in which attendees discussed their ideas for the future of the site. Also attending and participating were Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke, Councilman Bob Curran, Planning Director Doug McCoach and George Hill of the MTA.
Images of a breakout session (left) and the public presentation (right)
At the workshop, residents, business owners, students and design professionals discussed issues for potential uses and the needs of various user groups including desired types of businesses, services, institutions, housing, recreational opportunities and open space. At the end of the day, representatives from several of the groups presented the graphic results of their lively debates and brain-storming sessions. Some common themes quickly emerged including not just unanimous dissatisfaction with the plaza but, more importantly, a passionate belief that the location presents a remarkable opportunity for a new shopping, dining, social, educational and cultural experience within city limits. Specifically, participants expressed the desire to create a place that is more pedestrian friendly (in which vehicular traffic is limited or calmed), that encourages interaction among otherwise diverse groups of people, and in creating a unique destination that can be enjoyed day to day as well as support special events such as outdoor concerts, film festivals, or sidewalk events.
Following the workshop, NDC volunteers met for working sessions at the Planning Department, NDC's offices, and MSU to further develop participants' ideas.
Final Presentation
The final presentation of the Northwood Plaza conceptual designs was held on Saturday April 12, 2008 from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. at the new Student Center at Morgan State University. Over 50 people attended, including Mayor Sheila Dixon, Deputy Mayor Andrew Frank, and Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke. The Department of Planning began the morning with a presentation of the community survey results, followed by a presentation by NDC volunteers from the design and planning firm of STV who presented plans, sections, and sketches of the master plan, including a 3-D video of the proposed design. The morning ended with comments and questions from attendees.
For more information, please contact NDC Program Coordinator, Kristen Humphrey at 410.233.9686 ext 103 or khumphrey@ndc-md.org. In the coming weeks we will be posting final drawings - so check back soon!