Zoom recording here.
Password: 6k$SVk55
GRIA Community Meeting 2/18/2026
Board Members Present: Wynnona Engle-Pratt (President),Samantha Horn (Secretary), , Frances McGaffey, Matt Williams, Corey Jennings (Vice President), Pete
Staff: Jennifer McKenzie
Total Attendees: ~25
On Zoom- ~10
- Community Introductions
- BPD- Officer Dandy- 1/17-2/17 stats- 0 homicide, 0 shooting, 0 rape, 1 robbery, 1 aggravated assault, 10 larceny, 2 auto theft; Overall Remington stats are better than previous year/holding steady
- Crime Plan for larceny- mostly shoplifting- plan in the district and arrests are increasing
- Question- do package thefts fall under larceny? Answer- Yes
- Question -Can we get data on traffic collisions in the future? Answer- Will ask supervisor
- Seawall– Thibault Manekin
- 211 W 28th Street project construction started ~ a week ago.
- Project will include apartment building with ~60 apartments, ground floor retail, and a public plaza
- This will be the first inclusionary housing project in Baltimore- 5% will be affordable to 50% median income or less, 5% for 60% median income or less
- The public plaza will be around 10,000 square ft. The original budget was ~$1.3 million, so the plaza will be more pared down than originally planned. They have about $800k in grant funds to deliver many features that have been discussed in the past, but may not be able to provide many of the bells and whistles.
- Showing early rendering- statement project w/ color and a 60 ft mural
- Question- placefinding for where building is in comparison to 7/11?
- A- Building will be closer to the intersection of 28th and Remington, and plaza will go from the building to the “R” statue
- Q- Name for building? A- not yet
- Q- What’s the plan for the greenspace? We have all the money to pay for project to finish it. Public infrastructure in place to create a park- bells and whistles are the only thing missing
- Q- will there still be a convenience store?
- A- no- tried to get 7-11 to stay but corporate denied saying they’re not doing any leases without gas stations and parking. Hard to contract w/ convenience store without parking.
- Retail tbd- one will be service oriented, one food based. Referenced the ideas from previous brainstorming sessions with residents
- Q- Can the public access the list of suggestions?
- A- We can send out to mailing list- it included a hardware store, daycare, something open late or 24/7
- Q- What is your construction team doing for piles [for construction building foundation]? Technical question for Matt Pinto
- Matt Pinto (Seawall, on Zoom)- auger cast piles, not driven piles. No driving/loud banging, work slated to begin in the next 2 weeks.
- Projected Timeline? Spring 2027, ideally open by April 2027
- Q- What will the rent be? Could you make more than the 6 apartments affordable?
- A- Pricing will be comparable to remington row- 1400-1900 for 1 bedroom; 2 bedroom more than that
- QWill any materials be reclaimed or recycled?
- AMatt- Not a lot in the construction materials or like we did at Remington Row because this is a completely new building. Hoping to use reused materials into the plaza
- Q- Will there be a snowball stand in the rendering?!
- Proving to be expensive so unlikely
- Q- How will Remfest be impacted for 2026 and/or 2027?
- A- 2026 Remfest footprint will be impacted but 2027 should be good to go
- Modifying footprint for Remfest- not ideal, power access from public plaza will be a benefit
- Q- Bus Shelter looks great! This is just a rendering- aesthetic shelter is likely on the financial chopping block- bus stop will need to move per DOT because it needs to be at the corner?
- Q- Will the building be dark like the rendering?
- A- Yes, will be dark grey
- Q- Can you walk us through the image shown and what will/won’t happen?
- A-Building stays the same but with a different mural; WILL have hot pink accent color; R sculpture will stay; planting ~20 trees; Will have seating and play area for kids;
- Comment- Recommends hardscaping and planters that may be a better options d/t the foot traffic, dogs, etc
- Comment- some grant programs may be able to help w/ bus stop;
- Comment- multiple requestis late night retail
- Q- what will the parking for the 60 units be?
- A- Remington Row has more than 100 parking spaces available d/t intentional overbuilding. Seeing more carless tenants. Residents may pay for parking; businesses will likely get validated parking
- Q- Any intention for grants for more public art installations? The more the better!
- Suggestion- Trying to tie the Ghost Rivers project into the plans- grant ideas welcome to go after them
- Q- Who’s the primary target for the units? Students?
- A- mostly 1 bedroom apts, increase in Hopkins students and young professional. Goal is folks from all over
- Q- If it’s mostly 1 bedrooms- how are you achieving the goal of families to move in? 55 1 bedrooms and 5 2 bedrooms; of 10% units set aside, it needs to be proportional to unit mix
- Advertising on apartments.com , some families in remington row, admittedly the building is small
- Q- Whats the lighting situation in the park?
- A- Minimum amount per code purposes plus more for safety, it’s in the plans but not shown on the rendering ot focus on aesthetics
- A- Will there be better nightime lighting during construction?
- A- BGE shut down power for the building and working on the power access; solar powered site lights
- Q- Did seawall opt only for the minimum of the inclusionary housing?
- Yes, due to financing. Could theoretically increase affordable units in the future
- Comment- Remington neighborhood plan includes density; new single stair bill will allow for units that are larger. This building was designed before that bill passed,
- GRIA is fundraising to update the neighborhood plan- public planning sessions, focus groups etc
- Seawall town Hall next week at R House at 7pm
- JHU Introduction and brief update- Wynn E-P
- Zeke Cohen’s office– MOU drafted- waiting to be finalized
- DOT– 4 way stop at installed Remington and 30th; they are “committed to completing” other requests but not committed timing; permanent speed humps need warmer weather
- Requested temporary speed humps on 31st provided by JHU
- JHU DSAI Buildings and upcoming Ductbank work- Lee Coyle Sr Director, planning; Rachel Fontana Sr Director Communications (Director, Baltimore City Government & Community Affairs)-
- Full presentation here
- DSAI Buildings-
- Traffic calming-JHU does not have a contract w/ workers on Agora project re: parking in the neighborhood. Can’t make them park off site
- Rachel is the person behind the email- responded to many messages
- Building will use ~ 4 megawatt power, 4-8 watts/ sq foot; building COULD consume 20 watts/ sq ft, but that is based on code and needs
- Majority of building is people- offices, etc
- Q- how will you manage the computing needs for 80 faculty that will work in the building?
- A- JHU does not broadcast for security reasons; no data center in the building. Servers only for running local equipment and not for processing AI
- Q- What’s the impact of this building on statewide/community wide power access?
- A- reiterated that this is an academic building, not a data center
- Chart re: energy usage comparison
- Q- quoted website that mentions “computing infrastructure”- where will it be? Who in Baltimore will be paying?
- Ductbank construction- construction needed for building substation at JHU
- This helps meet state mandate to move away from fossil fuels
- Question/Comment- S. Remington resident- wants extended intersections at 23rd AND 24th
- Mural road plans for Sweet 27- could Anderson Auto also get a mural?
- JHU hoping to lease parking from Anderson Honda,
- construction will be 9-3 to avoid rush hour traffic disruptions
- Q- Will there be a liaison?
- A- On call attendant for DSAI will do this project too
- Q- why was notice not given about the trees on Remington as per permit?
- A- not obligated by JHU- that was a city issue
- Q- can you incorporate this into your best practices?
- A- 17 meetings, biweekly emails and website update, they don’t provide updates for every detail of the construction
- comment- called arborists and they were told that they were told by JHU not to comment on tree removal? “We will not let this tree thing go, btw”. Doesn’t sound like open dialogue
- A- in the comfort of a community meeting, please take your issues with JHU directly to JHU, not subcontractors. “They’re just doing their work” and are not permitted to speak on overall project issues
- Q- responsibility on the conservation easement? Potential hawk nest and DNR police call
- A- DNR came out for hawk- did not see a nest but saw a squirrel’s nest, unsure about the DNR reporting process for if there’s a public report for that
- Q- What’s your take on the Steward Green Baseline Report on the health of Stony Run and forest conservation easement?
- A- working with Steward Green to formalize the next step of their work. Most of sites on the report are on the conservation easement
- Q- What have you done since 2001 to protect this conservation easement and forest?
- A- We understand that there are some issues- let’s take this as an opportunity to improve. JHU has not done a baseline in the past 8 years of the conservation easement or for Stony Run Park. Formulating scope to make improvements. Will provide public reports
- Comment- What I’m hearing that the community is seeking more than bare minimum of communications and input.
- Q- What’s the latest on when Agora building will be open?
- A- near completion/finish
- When will student center open to general public?
- A- it’s not
- Comments re: JHU reps donating to Zeke’s campaign donations?
- A- all but 1 individual is a Baltimore resident, the other is a Baltimore native and they donated as individuals
- Q- tree vigil had an overabundance of police presence- can you comment?
- A- We understand that this has not been a pleasant experience, main concern was public safety.
- Comments from group that police presence does not make community feel safe, breeds distrust, and makes community angry
- Sisson Street Task Force
- Website is live!
- Community Announcements
- Volunteer call out for flyer distribution! Please reach out to Jen at volunteers@griaonline.org to take a flyering route next month. Routes are ~2 blocks and a great way to meet your neighbors
- Church of the Guardian Angel thrift shop, runs 1st & 2nd Sat of the month, 10am – 2 pm, bring donations during open hours only, also seeking volunteers; Food Pantry, every
Wednesday from 9 am – 10 am, need volunteers for delivery drivers and some muscle on Tuesday mornings to unload trucks (9:30 – 10:15ish). Registration preferred but not required
Adjourned- 8:56 pm
Next Community Meeting: March 18, 2026