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BDC Remains Committed To Baltimore

Date: 
May 19, 2010

05.20.10
BDC Remains Committed To Baltimore

Baltimore, MD (May 20, 2010) – The Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC) today clarified that there have been no final decisions regarding the reduction or elimination of any programs or funding for its Baltimore Main Streets activities.  Furthermore, no decisions will be made until the City Council has completed its budget review and reached agreement with Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake on the City’s budget for the Fiscal Year beginning July 1, 2010.

 

Baltimore Main Streets, which began in 2000, now consists of ten (10) Main Street neighborhoods:  Belair-Edison, Brooklyn, E. Monument Street, Federal Hill, Fell’s Point, Hamilton-Lauraville, Highlandtown, Pennsylvania Avenue, Pigtown, and Waverly.  Since that time, 388 net new businesses have opened resulting in 1,098 net new full-time jobs and 627 net new part-time jobs.  In addition, 519 commercial façade improvements have been completed with $4.65 in private funds being leveraged for every public dollar invested.  Main Streets is a volunteer-driven initiative and 5,914 volunteers have contributed an estimated 77,961 hours of service.
 

“BDC remains committed to the City’s small businesses during this challenging economic time,” said BDC President M.J. “Jay” Brodie.  He added that “BDC recognizes the importance of the Main Streets program and is exploring ways to support the program’s funding needs.”

 

All of the Baltimore Main Streets’ neighborhoods are continuing to operate and have many events planned for this summer including Federal Hill’s Jazz and Blues Festival on June 6th, the Last Taste of Summer on East Monument Street on August 28th, and the Annual Pigtown Festival on September 11, 2010.  BDC offers several programs that provide resources and technical assistance to small businesses including Baltimore Main Streets, the Small Business Resource Center, and the Emerging Technology Centers.  For more information about any of these programs, please visit www.BaltimoreDevelopment.com.