Growth and development

What readers want Harborplace to look like

Abby Zimmardi

Published 10/3/2023 4:47 p.m. EDT, Updated 10/3/2023 5:18 p.m. EDT

A colorful hand drawn illustration shows Harborplace as imagined by a reader. There's an elevated walkway, a flower stand, water views and a bake shop.
Banner reader Robert Eller wants new Harborplace designs to incorporate local vendors, restaurants, bicycle parking and a pedestrian bridge across Pratt Street, among other things. (Yifan Luo for The Baltimore Banner)

Harborplace will be getting a facelift in the near future, and the redevelopment might be leaving Baltimoreans curious about what it will look like — and if the developer, P. David Bramble, will take residents’ thoughts into account.

A spokesperson for Harborplace’s steward, MCB Real Estate, said Sunday that the two pavilions in the Inner Harbor will be torn down.

The timeline of construction is unknown aside from a 12-month “design phase” that includes focus groups and public forums.

If you had a blank slate to work with, what would you want Harborplace to look like? We took this question to readers in February, and more than 100 replied with their ideas. From adding a Ferris wheel to more green space, or even a bull riding pen, the possibilities readers came up with were endless.

The most common ideas and themes focused on Baltimore-based restaurants, businesses, musicians, chefs — anything local — emphasizing the waterfront and creating a food hall-style space. We then took submissions that embodied these ideas and asked readers to vote on their favorite suggestions.

After readers had their say, we commissioned Baltimore-based artist Yifan Luo to illustrate the top three submissions. This is what she created.

A hand drawn illustration of Harborplace as imagined by a reader. It shows a woman in a hat looking down upon green, landscaped open space beside the Inner Harbor.

Banner reader Alexandra Becnel wants new Harborplace designs to prioritize pedestrians and green space over automobiles. (Yifan Luo for The Baltimore Banner)

Green space and harbor views

“I want to see the redevelopment of Harborplace prioritize pedestrians and deprioritize automobiles. The new development should have more green space and more harbor views. The current structures block the water views. Only local restaurants and business. 50/50 split indoor and outdoor dining.”

— Alexandra Becnel, 145 votes

A colorful hand drawn illustration shows Harborplace as imagined by a reader. There's an elevated walkway, a flower stand, water views and a bake shop.

Banner reader Robert Eller wants new Harborplace designs to incorporate local vendors, restaurants, bicycle parking and a pedestrian bridge across Pratt Street. (Yifan Luo for The Baltimore Banner)

Local businesses, transit options and a farmers market

“Local vendors (florist, butcher, seafood, clothing, cheeses, sweets etc. ), local restaurants, bicycle and scooter parking, free water taxi 7 days, police presence, pedestrian bridge across Pratt St. Farmers market weekly. Community days benefiting various causes in the city; goodwill ambassadors.”

— Robert Eller, 127 votes

A colorful hand drawn illustration of Harborplace, as imagined by a Baltimore Banner reader. It shows a food hall with a wagon full of produce, plants, a tropical juice bar and views of Inner Harbor.

Banner reader Melissa Cisewski wants new Harborplace designs to showcase water views and a food hall model, with restaurants, a coffee shop, fresh produce and a small business incubator featuring Black and brown owners. (Yifan Luo for The Baltimore Banner)

A food hall with views and a small business incubator

“Food hall model — restaurants, coffee shop. Produce in the hall or farmers market, small business incubator featuring Black and brown owners. Local-only shops, no big chains. Showcase the water, like a tiki bar/sandlot bar. Green space. Connect to Baltimore history; think Arabber (no horses though)”

— Melissa Cisewski, 77 votes

abby.zimmardi@thebaltimorebanner.com