Mayor Rawlings-Blake Plants the Seeds for the New O'Donnell Heights
New vibrant mixed income community envisioned
The Housing Authority of Baltimore City (HABC) has selected the joint venture team of the Michaels Development Company and Greater Baltimore AHC, Inc. to serve as its development partner for the planned revitalization of O'Donnell Heights. O’Donnell Heights is an outdated public housing complex located on the city’s Southeast side that will be redeveloped as a new mixed-income, mixed-use community featuring public, affordable and market-rate housing.
“The Housing Authority of Baltimore is excited to be moving forward with our master planning process as we work to transform one of the city’s most important neighborhoods and enhance the quality of life for current and future O’Donnell Heights residents,” said Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake. Baltimore Housing Commissioner Paul T. Graziano is excited about the announcement. “We are confident that the team of the Michaels Development Company and Greater Baltimore AHC, which both have proven track records of creating successful housing communities, is the right partner for this project,” said Commissioner Graziano.
Located on 62 acres just outside of Dundalk, O’Donnell Heights was originally built in 1942 and last modernized in 1983. HABC has been working with both current and former residents of O’Donnell Heights—as well as a variety of other local stakeholders—to fashion a development plan for the creation of a newly-vibrant residential community that will include a significant number of public housing units, market-rate apartments and for-sale homes. Preliminary plans for the redevelopment include high quality mixed-income housing that will serve a range of family sizes. The plans feature enhanced community amenities and a well-designed open space.
“We are honored to be selected and look forward to working closely with HABC, as well as the residents, community groups, local businesses, city and state officials to translate their vision for a vibrant, diverse and sustainable community into reality,” said Robert Greer, President of the Michaels Development Company.
“We are very excited for the opportunity to renew the housing at O'Donnell Heights in order to benefit long-standing and future residents as well as the surrounding community,” said Andrew Vincent, director of Greater Baltimore AHC.
The joint venture of Michaels Development and Greater Baltimore AHC was selected by HABC in a competitive process after answering a Request for Qualifications issued by HABC on August 24, 2009 and a follow-up interview conducted on October 22, 2009.
About HABC: The Housing Authority of Baltimore City (HABC) was established in 1937 to provide federally funded public housing programs and related services for Baltimore's low-income residents. HABC is the fifth largest public housing authority in the country. The Agency currently serves over 20,000 residents in more than 10,000 housing units. HABC's portfolio includes 28 family developments, 17-mixed population buildings, two senior buildings and scattered sites throughout the City. Baltimore's Housing Choice Voucher program provides an additional 12,000 families with rental housing subsidies each year. Visit baltimorehousing.org to learn more.
About the Michaels Organization: Headquartered in Marlton, NJ, Michaels Development Company, is part of the Michaels Organization family of six integrated real estate companies dedicated to excellence in affordable, mixed-income, and military housing. The organization has four decades of experience in housing development, including the reconstruction, ownership and operation of over 40,000 units of mixed-income and affordable housing in 27 states. Its unique capabilities enhance the development process from conception to completion while its property and asset management expertise ensures long-term value. The Michaels Organization’s comprehensive expertise includes: development, financing, tax credit syndication, construction management, property and asset management, and award-winning social service programs. In April of 2010, “Housing Finance Magazine” ranked the Michaels Organization as the number one developer and owner among its top firms.
About Greater Baltimore AHC: GBAHC has been in the Baltimore region since 2002 and has developed five properties with more than 1,000 affordable apartments. Projects include Barclay Greenmount, Greenspring Overlook, Kirkwood House Apartments, Lansdowne Apartments and MonteVerde, a high-rise with 301 affordable apartments for low-income seniors and non-elderly disabled residents in Lower Park Heights. Kirkwood House Apartments, a 261-unit mid-rise project in northeast Baltimore City. GBAHC is part of AHC, Inc., headquartered in Arlington, Va., a private, not-for-profit developer of affordable housing in the Mid-Atlantic region providing quality homes for low- and moderate-income families. Since its founding in 1975, AHC has developed and preserved 32 properties with more than 4,100 affordable apartments. In addition, GBAHC and AHC provide homeownership services and on-site educational services to improve the quality of residents’ lives. For more information visit www.gbahc.org.
