Edmondson Village Shopping Center moves toward major face lift with $9 million investment

BALTIMORE - The Edmondson Village Shopping Center is a step closer to receiving a major face lift.

Baltimore City Council members are considering a $9 million plan to invest in both the Edmondson Village and Walbrook Junction shopping centers.

Developer Lyneir Richardson, the CEO of the Chicago TREND Corporation, said the vision includes plans for a new grocery store, new shops, dine-in restaurants and safety features such as new lights, security cameras and 24/7 security.

Renderings for the shopping center can be viewed here.         

Richardson said he's already secured millions in funding, but his company also has a unique plan where every day Baltimoreans are buying into the property with as little as $1,000. 

More than $50,000 has already been raised, according to the fundraising link.

"My theory is that if more people have an equity stake, that they'll patronize, protect and respect shopping centers," Richardson said. "So our strategy has been to find these centers to make the case and then to try to have more people of color, specifically, and diverse small investors be a part of the ownership."

Built in the 1940s, the Edmondson Village Shopping Center was once a jewel in the community, but then came decades of decline.

There were two major fires in 2019 and then in 2021.

There's also issue of violence. 

Five teens were shot at the shopping center in January, and one died.

"I think where we see investment, there is lower crime, where we see  lack of vacancy and robust stores and people coming and going," said Councilman Kristerfer Burnett, who represents this area. I think, inevitably, not only does that create jobs for the community, whether we're talking about  construction or as new businesses open, but restoring that pride, restoring what it used to be. I think [it] will go a long way at changing a lot of the culture of violence."

Donnell Smith, a resident of the area, remembers when there was a movie theater and a bowling alley in Edmondson Village. 

He has dreams of what the future could look like.

"More stores, restaurants where you can sit down and eat," Smith said. "If you do that again, this generation and the neighborhood will be much peaceful much better, it will be a whole lot better."

If City Council passes this $9 million in funding, it would be split between the Edmondson Village Shopping Center and the Walbrook Junction Shopping Center.

Richardson said he's already acquired Walbrook Junction Shopping Center which had investment opportunities for the community as well. 

He said work will begin at that location this spring. 

The developer said he already has an offer for the Edmondson Village Shopping Center and he believes that deal will be finalized in April.

Richardson said if all goes as planned, work on Edmondson Village will start later this year with a grocery store. 

The entire project could take up to three years, bringing 900 construction jobs and 250 retail jobs, according to data from the Chicago Trend Corporation.