Inner Harbor East, sometimes referred to simply as Harbor East, is a relatively new mixed-use development project in
Baltimore
Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...
,
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...
,
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
. Major tenants of Harbor East include
Marriott International
Marriott International, Inc. is an American multinational corporation, multinational company that operates, franchises, and licenses lodging brands that include hotel, residential, and timeshare properties. Marriott International owns over 37 ho ...
and
Legg Mason.
A Four Seasons Hotel opened in November 2011.
History
Baltimore's Inner Harbor waterfront was filled with decaying warehouses from the industrial boom in the 1900s. Development was done under the auspices of a Land Disposition Agreement between the city of Baltimore and the Baltimore Development Corporation, the agency charged with such projects. The development integrated Harbor East with Fells Point and Little Italy through re-zoning, land subdivisions and more.
In 1983, Baltimore began the planning process with the hiring of Stan Eckstut of Cooper Eckstut Associates prior to John Paterakis' purchase of the land that would become Inner Harbor East. The Land Disposition Agreement was signed in 1993 with construction and retail following throughout the 1990s.
Design
The initial plan stressed both sidewalks and streets to connect residents and visitors to the waterfront. "The public space system was highlighted by a waterfront promenade that acts as a link to the Inner Harbor and to other nearby residential areas; bikers, joggers, and leisurely strollers bustle along this waterfront space."
[The American Institute of Architects. 2000. AIA. 1 July 200]
”
The idea was to decrease the height of the buildings near the waterfront to create views of both the waterfront and the city, incorporated aspects of
Mount Vernon, Baltimore, Mount Vernon Place with those of the
Fells Point and
Little Italy
Little Italy is the catch-all name for an ethnic enclave populated primarily by Italians or people of Italian ancestry, usually in an Urban area, urban neighborhood. The concept of "Little Italy" holds many different aspects of the Italian cul ...
neighborhoods.
The masterplan received a National Honor Award for Urban Design from the
American Institute of Architects
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is a professional organization for architects in the United States. It is headquartered in Washington, D.C. AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach progr ...
.
References
{{Baltimore neighborhoods
Buildings and structures in Baltimore