As construction of a biotech park in East Baltimore moves forward, residents fear losing their neighborhood's identity as the area is transformed.
"I'm going to lose all of my heritage," said William Weaver, who has lived in the area for 53 years.
Many residents have been forced from their homes under eminent domain by the nonprofit organization East Baltimore Development, Inc (EBDI) in partnership with the City of Baltimore.
Even if displaced residents move back to their former neighborhoods, many are worried that the $1.8 billion project will completely change the area.
"I was born and raised in East Baltimore, and I do not want to move now," Donald Gresham said. A lifelong resident turned activist, Gresham is president of Save Middle East Action Committee (SMEAC), an organization dedicated to representing community residents.
Resident Douglas Marion-Buy believes, however, that the rewards a biotech park promises are worth the sacrifices.
"If there is going to be improvement, it is welcome," he said. "If you gotta lose something to gain something, it's good."
Along the 900 block of North Castle Street, only eight of the 38 homes are not boarded up. According to a report from the Mayor's office, about half of the houses in this neighborhood are abandoned.
Marion-Buy hoped that with richer tenants and homeowners moving in, the city would focus more attention on the neighborhood. But with new residents moving in, he worried that the issues of crime and drugs in the neighborhood would not disappear, but would simply spread into different parts of the city.
"[Previous] developments on the East side shouldn't have been done. It made the city dirty. It was contained to one area, but now it spread everywhere. Same thing could happen here," he said.
Business owners expressed concerns over losing customers to relocation. "I'm very worried about losing business," said Mimi Oh, owner and operator of Mimi's Grocery, adding that she believed that EBDI has not been focusing enough on existing businesses.
Although she has received letters from EBDI concerning the development, Oh said she has no idea when the actual process will be moving forward and what her fate will be.
SMEAC and other organizations have been fighting for residents on many fronts, but feel they have received little in the way of formal written promises from EBDI concerning their grievances. "We do not have anything in writing. As they say, 'the proof of the pudding is in the eating,'" said Nathan Sooy, a staff member for SMEAC.
SMEAC's biggest contention with EBDI to date has been getting relocated residents back into their former neighborhoods. "The main conflict with the community is over what kind of community is going to be created by EBDI," Sooy said. Residents want to be able to return after construction is completed.
SMEAC wants EBDI to implement a program they have named "House for a House," which would keep residents in the neighborhood by relocating them into homes in their neighborhood that will not be demolished during construction.
"If 'House for a House' and some other approaches are fully promoted and utilized by EBDI ... there is hope," said Sooy, who added that although EBDI has tentatively agreed to the idea in principle, the organization has not committed to anything as of yet.
Gresham said he saw the "House for a House" program as "the best option for residents like myself who desire to stay."
Another pressing issue for residents is affordability. "Rent is going to be so high we won't be able to afford it," resident Antonia Wych said.
President and CEO of EBDI Jack Shannon has promised that the final development "is assured to have a mix of income levels. One-third will be affordable."
In an area were average home prices hover around $35,000, EBDI is offering to relocate residents into homes worth up to $150,000.
Many residents feel there is disconnect between EBDI and their community. "From the start this project has never been about the people of this neighborhood," Gresham said. "But now, [EBDI] must be responsible and accountable for these people."
Others have received assistance from EBDI's community outreach programs. "I just got visited by someone from family advocacy. She told me everything that's happening," Wych said.
