“A vibrant grocery market, an energetic local hub and gathering space, plus energy-efficient residences offering live-work opportunities for the people of Charles North.”
If you live or work in Charles North then you already know that our options for fresh, affordable food and groceries, and for beautiful housing that’s also affordable, are scarce. While residents of other Baltimore City neighborhoods can walk to their local market and find farm fresh food and exciting culinary delights, our community still struggles for better options than the under-stocked shelves at our discount grocery chain. The 2015 “Mapping Baltimore City’s Food Environment Report” called our neighborhood a “food desert”. We can do better; and Charles Street Market offers a healthy solution towards our shared vision of a better Baltimore.
A New, Neighborhood-Friendly Real Estate Development for Baltimore by Baltimoreans
Charles North has been described as “a multi-ethnic and multi-level local economy—in differing ways an art center; a residential neighborhood; a multi-dimensional cultural center; an educational and professional enclave; a creative live-work focus area within the city; and a demonstration of neighborhood sustainability and environmentally responsible lifestyle.” Charles Street Market significantly contributes to this vision.
Sitting on a lot size of 85′ x 150′, the 36,000 square foot Charles Street Market is an all-new mixed-use construction built for the community, by members of the community. It consists of street-level retail space for a proposed grocery market, plus energy-efficient residential dwelling units and parking.
The street-level grocery market space offers a modular floor plan; retail spaces as large as a stall and as small as a kiosk will serve both to incubate new small businesses and bring the community a diversity of exciting grocery options. Plus, an outdoor courtyard and pop-up market space will provide an opportunity for small vendors and creative individuals, such as young entrepreneurs and artists, to offer their talents. The outdoor courtyard will also be used as a gathering space for performances, displays of art and film, educational workshops, and community events.
Charles Street Market will be an energetic local hub and gathering space that will attract foodies, music lovers, artists, and area residents of every kind. The combination of this vibrant retail concept with Charles Street Market’s live-work residential component offers a holistic solution and an important step in the advancement of the Charles North vision.