Mission Statement – Greater Remington Improvement Association

GRIA is an independent, resident-based neighborhood association that:

provides an inclusive forum for discussion of Remington community issues
facilitates resident-led initiatives
connects residents to local resources
conducts advocacy on neighborhood issues
organizes and provides neighborhood cleaning and greening initiatives, and
directly supports our neighbors in need through housing services.

Through these efforts, GRIA hopes to retain Remington’s diversity, vibrancy, and community connectedness.

(GRIA’s mission statement was revised in 2017 and approved by the membership at the April 2017 community meeting.)

To view the official Bylaws of GRIA please click here.

GRIA updated its boundaries in June 2017 to include the west side of Howard Street. You can see the political boundaries of Remington, GRIA’s old boundaries, and GRIA’s new boundaries below.

2017 accomplishments:

Hired our first staff member, Shannon Conway!
Created a three year strategic plan for GRIA as an organization.
Raised over $140,000 to fund neighborhood projects and GRIA operations.
Fiscally sponsored neighbors on Wyman Park Drive to secure Spruce Up funding for improvements and artwork along Wyman Park Drive/Remington Avenue.
Worked with Baltimore City Department of Transportation to install traffic calming features at intersections in the neighborhood (flexposts at 28th/Remington and 29th/Remington).
Started a 28th and 29th Street Traffic Calming initiative with Charles Village Civic Association and Harwood Community Association and co-hosted a community visioning session about strategy for improving safety throughout the corridor.
Raised funding to support landscaping improvements at the Sisson Street Community Park, including installing a stage for performances and planting trees and flowers.
Hosted a Johns Hopkins University Center for Social Concern summer intern to focus on resident engagement activities at the Sisson Street Community Park.
Won first prize for “Community Vegetable Garden” from the UMD Master Gardeners!
Planted 500 daffodils donated by the Neighborhood Design Center at the Sisson Street Community Park.
Held three community popsicle and sprinkler nights at the Sisson Street Community Park!
Opened the Sisson Street Community Park to events for neighbors, including a community yard sale and wedding brunch.
Co-hosted Remington Kids Fest with the 30th Street Playground Committee, with more than 150 kids and parents gathering to celebrate the ongoing playground renovation.
Partnered with Baltimore City Rec & Parks to complete the renovations of the 30th Street Playground (to be finished by December 31, 2017).
Hosted four community dumpster days, filling the dumpsters each time with bulk trash from neighbors’ homes, streets and alleys.
Hosted more than 100 student volunteers from the Johns Hopkins University APO service fraternity for community cleanup days over the year.
Remington was approved on the National Register of Historic Places in Winter 2017.
Partnered with commercial property owners in Remington with matching grants for facade renovations on four buildings (Three Miles House, Long Johns).
Partnered with the Baltimore Harm Reduction Coalition to host an overdose training for residents to learn how to treat an opioid overdose.
Received funding to host muralist, Gaia, for a series of community workshops in preparation for three murals. The first was painted at 2601 Hampden Ave in October 2017.
Petitioned Councilmember Robert Stokes on behalf of neighbors to have the 2600 and 2700 blocks of Miles Avenue repaved.
Worked with Councilmember Robert Stokes’ office to have the billboard falling down on the 2500 block of Huntingdon along the CSX train tracks removed.
Worked with neighbors via NextDoor and Friends of Remington Facebook group to return a runaway rabbit to its house on W. Lorraine.
Hosted the Hauntingdon Halloween block party!
Advocated to the Planning Commission and Board of Municipal Zoning and Appeals to support the conversion of two residential properties from single family to multifamily, allowing each to add a basement apartment (2823 Huntingdon and 2938 Huntingdon).
Initiated the Home, Health & Safety Committee.
Raised grant funding to support home repairs for neighbors in need through the GRIA Home, Health & Safety Committee.
Opted to retain our two-year term limit for president and elected a new board president, Molly McCullagh.
Supported two Remington families with Christmas gift donations, in partnership with the Downtown Baltimore Family Alliance.
Voted to support the creation of the Remington Housing Work Group and supported board member Ryan Flanigan’s successful OSI application to create permanently affordable community controlled housing.
Expanded GRIA’s boundaries to include the east side of Howard Street, to Mace Street, to be consistent with our National Historic District boundaries.
A GRIA board member hosted a Baltimore Heritage Tour for 40 visitors to Remington.
Signed an MOU with Parts & Labor to maintain the public plaza adjacent to their outdoor seating.
Worked with 7-11 franchisee, landlords Seawall Development, and Baltimore City Police to keep the 7-11 open 24/7 with enhanced security presence to deter ongoing armed robberies.

2016 accomplishments:

Re-introduced the rezoning of 12 historic commercial properties to commercial zoning via city council ordinance using outreach to community members, business owners, and elected officials
Collaborated with The Community School and Seawall Development to coordinate a hiring initiative to connect residents to open positions at R. House and Remington Row, including a job fair
Hosted another successful Hauntingdon halloween block party
Worked with the City to enforce proper vehicle parking and on-site auto repair work at 401 W. 26th Street
Worked with the City to replace the caving sidewalk along 26th at Huntingdon
Supervised four seasonal cleanups by CSX contractors of CSX fence line along 26th Street
Board members identified rental properties in the neighborhood out of compliance with lead abatement certificates, leading to citywide investigation on lead paint loopholes
Initiated a process with the Department of Transportation to study parking in Lower Remington by reviewing angled parking along 2100 block of Huntingdon and revising placement of ‘no parking signs’
Created a Playground Committee and agreed to serve as fiscal sponsor for a Remington resident interested in obtaining grant funding to work with Rec & Parks to enhance and rehab the playground at 30th Street and Miles. Assisted in writing grants that secured over $60,000 in grant funding to the project. Collaborated with Seawall Development to approach neighborhood businesses to donate to the fund.
Worked with neighbors to purchase, fix, and distribute 11 bicycles for kids in the neighborhood
Renewed the Adopt-A-Lot agreement on the Sisson Street Lot and implemented $13,000 in grant funding from the Homewood Community Partners Initiative for irrigation, shipping container, and landscaping
Hosted the 2016 community picnic and gave away 70 recycling bins to Remington residents
Hosted four community dumpster days over summer 2016 to clear bulk trash from alleys and backyards
Hosted community cleanup days with volunteer groups (NCC on May 9, JHU President’s Day of Service on September 24, JHU APO on December 4)
Maintained community gardens at Sisson Street Lot and Making Miles, including outreach to neighbors to access plots, regular maintenance, and garden workdays
Continued to participate in Transform Baltimore rezoning process to advocate for neighborhood properties via in-person testimony and electronic communication to elected officials and community residents
Supported the ongoing process to include Remington on the National Register of Historic Places
Continued regular publication and door-to-door distribution of the Remington Newsletter
Donated funds to purchase fans for the gym at the Church of the Guardian Angel
Assisted with Church of the Guardian Angel’s annual Back To School Fair
Assisted with installation of a washer and dryer at Margaret Brent Elementary and Middle School for school community use
Assisted the Church of the Guardian Angel’s weekly food pantry by picking up food donations from the Maryland Food Bank
Lobbied the City to install a fence at the end of 24th Street and Sisson Street
Secured $50,000 in state funds (via the Baltimore Regional Neighborhood Initiative fund) for matching grants for facade improvements on commercial properties in the neighborhood

In 2015 GRIA board members and volunteers accomplished the following:

Spearheaded the rezoning of 12 historic commercial properties to commercial zoning via city council ordinance using intensive outreach to community members, business owners, and elected officials
Secured an Adopt-A-Lot agreement, worked with the Neighborhood Design Center to create a common vision, and secured a $13,000 grant for the Sisson St Lot
Hosted a community picnic and gave away 160 recycling bins and 80 trash cans to Remington residents
Hosted four community dumpster days to clear bulk trash from alleys and backyards
Installed a community garden at the Sisson Street lot, secured soil and compost for garden beds, and oversaw regular watering
Oversaw the completion of the Huntingdon Ave path between 31st and Wyman Park Drive
Oversaw the installation of the R sculpture at 27th and Remington
Updated the Remington Neighborhood Master Plan and submitted to the City for agency approval
Facilitated The Gathering (food truck rally) coming to Remginton
Initiated the process to include Remington on the National Register of Historic Places
Hosted another successful Hauntingdon Halloween block party
Hosted a neighborhood tour for Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake
Resumed publication of the Remington Newsletter
Contributed funds to purchase a printer for Remington Newsletter
Formed the GRIA Land Use Committee (meetings are the first Tuesday of the month at 7:30pm in Price Modern, 2604 Sisson St.)