Sagamore, Port Covington Set Course For South Baltimore Communities
BALTIMORE (WJZ)-- Representatives from six neighborhoods and Sagamore Development signed on as partners Tuesday to work with South Baltimore communities.
Port Covington is home to Under Armour's world headquarters and soon to be much more.
There were fears the multi-million dollar development would suck the life out of the surrounding low income neighborhoods. Now they have been drawn in.
Plans for developing the South Baltimore Port Covington waterfront raised a red flag for neighboring communities who felt the City was taking money from the poor to benefit the rich.
"We just have so many questions about what it means for the broader community," said Charly Carter of Maryland Working Families.
"We've been used as the industrial area and waste area for the city of Baltimore. I grew up here in Cherry Hill, the city dump was 200 yards away from my house," said Michael Middleton, who works with the Cherry Hill Development Corporation.
Sagamore Development received $660 million in tax funding from the City and in exchange agreed to provide affordable housing, a 30 percent local hiring mandate, $39 million to six neighborhoods, and $55 million in benefits citywide.
Tuesday was a high-five moment as Sagamore and the six South Baltimore neighborhoods became one.
"Not only allowing for philanthropy to flow into these six communities but more importantly allowing for a partnership to be created," said Alicia Wilson of Sagamore Development.
The new coalition includes Port Covington, Westport, Mount Winans, Lakeland, Cherry Hill, Brooklyn and Curtis Bay to share in the jobs, infrastructure, housing and cultural and social benefits of Sagamore's presence.
"We're bringing Sagamore to the table with us, doors open when you speak that name," Middleton said.
Sagamore Development is majority owned by Under Armour founder Kevin Plank.
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