Affordable apartments to replace troubled Days Inn near site of Towson mass shooting
BALTIMORE -- A new affordable apartment complex will replace an old, trouble-some hotel near where a mass shooting and crash happened on Tuesday, Dec. 17, that left nine injured and one killed in Towson, Baltimore County officials announced.
On Thursday, county leaders detailed their plans to demolish the Days Inn on Loch Raven Boulevard and turn it into 122 brand-new affordable apartments.
"I'm proud of the ways in which we are working together and coming together to change the paradigm of housing in Baltimore County," Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski said.
The location is less than two blocks from where a car crashed and caught fire and nine people, between the ages of 14 and 27, were shot, which highlights the importance of making the area safer.
"Like I said, it's been shaken because it is out of character, both for this community and Baltimore County, we want to assure our residents that they are safe and we continue to step up our patrols."
Officials say 2026 is when they hope to have these new affordable housing units built.
Troubled hotel
The Days Inn hotel has had 471 service calls to police about various incidents, but now with a plan to build affordable housing, Baltimore County leaders hope this will re-emphasize the need for a safer Loch Raven corridor.
"Kind of a problem property that we've had here for a long time and we're going to replace it with something that is a beautiful building with a lot of stability," said Baltimore County Councilmember Mike Ertel.
The new Loch Raven Overlook apartments will do more than provide affordable housing, but will also create workforce development opportunities, according to county leaders, which they say is part of the answer to lowering crime and helping families thrive.
"And it's how we prevent instances of crime, violence and more, and it's how we move our communities forward," Olszewski said.
"We're in the process now of doing our own housing needs assessment unique to the county, tying it to job and transportation centers, commercial corridors, so we can get into the weeds," said Terry Hickey, from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development.