Housing Authority of Baltimore City | Baltimore, Maryland
Recognition:
One of four projects selected nationally for presentation at the American Architectural Foundation's 2009 Sustainable Cities Design Academy.
A master plan for O’Donnell Heights that will transform the 62-acre public housing site into a new neighborhood, and a model for sustainable development practices. The goal for the O'Donnell Heights plan process – defined by community involvement and consensus-building – is the creation of a vibrant mixed-income, mixed-use residential community that will include a significant number of public housing units, as well as market rate homeownership units. A phased development is anticipated to minimize the interim relocation of the approximately 300 households currently living there. Major redevelopment issues and opportunities include the need and desire for significant amounts of public housing; relinking O’Donnell Heights with the surrounding neighborhoods both physically and socially; the creation of new parks, playgrounds, and streets; the development of a wider array of housing units; and a focus on maintaining a safe and secure environment.