The Project will introduce West Baltimore’s first grocery store  in over 30 years. 

The lack of healthy food options has been one of the most serious issues effecting the lives of West Baltimore residents for decades. But that’s about to change thanks to a partnership between institutional investment manager MCB Real Estate (“MCB”) and Baltimore-based community developer Blank Slate Development (“Blank Slate”).  

Regional grocery chain Streets Market will occupy the anchor retail space at Reservoir Square, a nine-acre, $170 million mixed-use development located along the 600-850 block of West North Avenue. The project is currently under construction.  

MCB and Blank Slate acquired 600 W. North Avenue, a 1.5-acre parcel, to accommodate space for the supermarket, which will include 20,000 square feet of retail space and incorporate several local businesses as tenants, while providing approximately 75 rear-accessed surface parking spaces to support the shopping center. Early funders include the state-backed West North Avenue Development Authority (WNADA), which has designated the property as a key anchor along the North Avenue corridor. 

Streets Market will introduce a much-needed full service  grocery store  to the neighborhood, which has long suffered from a lack of quality offerings, from fresh produce to prepared foods, everyday essentials, and more. Currently, residents only have one option within a one-mile radius, located on the other side of one of Baltimore’s busiest streets, North Avenue. This is not the first time MCB has helped alleviate a Baltimore food desert. Other projects include Yard 56 in East Baltimore, with features a Streets Market, and Northwood Commons in Northeast Baltimore, which features Baltimore’s first Lidl grocery store. 

For MCB Managing Partner and Co-founder P. David Bramble, the Reservoir Square project carries a very personal connection that goes back to his childhood. “I’ve lived in West Baltimore since I was a few months old and am proud to call it my home today,” says Bramble. “I grew up just a few blocks from where Reservoir Square is being built and when I was young, it was nicknamed the ‘Murder Mall’ by those who lived nearby. For me and for MCB, being able to permanently cast aside that reputation and unlock the unlimited potential and opportunity that exists in this neighborhood is deeply rewarding.” 

Projects like Reservoir Square are catalytic not only because they provide critical access to quality food, but also drive residential demand, a critical piece in any comprehensive revitalization process.  Toward that end, the firms are also partnering on a mixed-income residential development on the 2900 block of Parkwood Avenue, slated to include rowhomes for sale and apartment rentals.  

For Alex Aaron, founder of Blank Slate and a Baltimore resident, both projects represent a new chapter for West Baltimore, one in which its residents enjoy the fruits of sustained investment and economic development. “We embrace the tag line ‘From Blight to Bright,” explained Aaron. These projects, and others, represent an opportunity to unlock the full potential of many neighborhoods in Baltimore that have gone too long without sustained investment. We’re committed to advancing the vibrancy of these communities, spur wealth creation via home ownership, and are proud to be embraced by residents eager for that change.” 

While Baltimore suffers from one of the worst cases of blight of a major US city (representing 20-32% of residential properties in the most distressed markets) renewed commitments from Maryland Governor Wes Moore via the new Reinvest Baltimore initiative ($50 million annual appropriation) and the presence of firms like MCB and Blank Slate have re-invigorated optimism that substantial change is underway.   

Founded in 2019 by Aaron, a Howard University and John Hopkins Business School alum, Blank Slate specializes in the adaptive reuse, restoration, and construction in emerging neighborhoods in Baltimore. The Company prioritizes neighborhoods in West Baltimore, including Druid Park Hill, which have historically suffered from substantial under-investment and blight, focusing on historic housing well suited for rehabilitation as well as ground-up commercial projects, spanning retail, office, and multifamily uses.  The firm has completed rehabs on 48 single-family properties to date as well as six properties ranging from three to nineteen units and has successfully revitalized four Baltimore city blocks. 

When asked about his vision for Baltimore, Aaron was optimistic that the city is on the verge of a sustained economic renaissance. “It’s exciting to think that our active projects, once complete, will not only help bring new life to these neighborhoods, but deliver over 300 new affordable and mixed-use housing units. But that’s just scratching the surface on what we have planned.” 

About MCB Real Estate

Founded in 2007, MCB Real Estate is a community-centric, privately held investment management firm based in Baltimore, Maryland. MCB has $3 billion in assets under management and a portfolio of approximately 15 million square-feet of industrial, office, retail, mixed-use, multi-family and life sciences properties, with nearly four million square-feet in development. The firm provides integrated commercial real estate services, including development, construction, property management, asset management, acquisitions, and legal support. www.mcbrealestate.com 

About Blank Slate Development 

Blank Slate Development is a Baltimore-based, minority-owned real estate firm offering comprehensive construction, development, and management services. Specializing in the revitalization of vacant historic properties, Blank Slate combines expertise with a software- driven approach to streamline project execution, helping clients achieve their goals while minimizing obstacles and stress throughout the project lifecycle. https://www.blankslatecdm.com/ 

About Reservoir Square 

Reservoir Square is collaborative project uniting a diverse team of developers, each bringing their unique expertise in community-focused investment, development, and management across various property sectors to create a vibrant mixed-use space in Baltimore. Through a partnership with Atapco Properties, MLR Partners, Blank Slate Development and MCB Real Estate, Reservoir Square is a multi-phased, mixed-use development will bring contemporary living and amenities, including market-rate townhomes, market and workforce apartments, retail, access to fresh grocery, and new office space to Baltimore’s historic Reservoir Hill neighborhood.