Developers of a $26 million affordable housing project on downtown Baltimore’s West Side cleared a key hurdle on Wednesday, when Baltimore’s Board of Estimates approved a request to sell five city-owned properties needed to build the residences.The project, called Sojourner Place at Park, will be constructed at one of Baltimore’s most prominent yet neglected intersections, the corner where Liberty Street and Park Avenue meet Fayette Street, part of Baltimore’s Five and Dime Historic District.The development is led by a joint venture of Episcopal Housing Corporation and Health Care for the Homeless, two non-profit organizations that responded to a request for proposals issued by the Baltimore Development Corporation. BDC was seeking a developer for the city-owned properties at 102, 104 and 106 N. Liberty Street and 142 and 144 West Fayette Street.Episcopal Housing Corp. and Health Care for the Homeless were selected after they proposed to combine the five city-owned properties with a sixth building at 111 Park Avenue to create one 48,000-square-foot development containing 42 apartments on the upper levels and commercial space at street level.At its meeting on Wednesday, with no discussion, the five-member Board of Estimates voted to approve a Land Disposition Agreement that allows the development team to finalize its plans to buy the city properties offered for redevelopment. The joint venture is Park Liberty Limited Partnership. The purchase price is $310,000.The development occupies a highly visible site where the older buildings of downtown Baltimore’s West Side, on the west side of Liberty Street, meet the newer buildings of Charles Center, on the east side of Liberty Street. The land area is 6,732 square feet, and the buildings are three and four stories high.144 (left) and 142 West Fayette Street in November 2023. Photo by Ed Gunts.In November of 2023, Baltimore’s Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation (CHAP) approved a design that calls for the facades of four of the city-owned buildings to be preserved as part of the development, with the new housing constructed behind them, and for a new building to be constructed in place of 144 West Fayette Street.A memo in the Board of Estimates agenda states that “a new 4 story apartment building will be constructed on the Property behind the facades of 102, 104 [and] 106 North Liberty Street,” but does not promise that the building at 142 W. Fayette Street will be preserved. A condemnation notice was posted on that building several months ago after part of its cornice fell onto the sidewalk below and a city housing inspector was called to the scene. Members of the development team say they are still attempting to preserve the building. Moseley Architects is the lead designer.‘A major change’Colin Tarbert, president and CEO of the BDC, said after the Board of Estimates meeting that Sojourner Place at Park represents a significant step toward revitalizing the area, which is seen by thousands of commuters every day. It is also just north of an area where the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore is working to create a $4 million civic space, tentatively called Liberty Park.“This project signals a major change for an intersection that has long been a symbol of blight in the heart of downtown,” Tarbert said in a statement. “By bringing high-quality housing and commercial space to this location, Sojourner Place at Park is not only addressing critical needs like affordable housing and homelessness but also helping to bridge the gap between the Central Business District and the West Side, fostering connectivity and growth for years to come.”The developer’s plan calls for Sojourner Place at Park to feature affordable housing and permanent supportive housing for formerly homeless individuals. By opening the party walls between a newly constructed building at 144 West Fayette and the five redeveloped historic buildings, the developers say, the new unified structure will create 42 one-bedroom units priced for households with incomes ranging from 70 percent of Area Median Income to 30 percent or less.Health Care for the Homeless plans to bring its expertise in providing housing stability and healthcare services to residents who have experienced homelessness.A rendering depicts the Sojourner Place at Park affordable housing project planned for downtown Baltimore’s west side. Credit: Moseley Architects.“This project is a full-circle moment for us: our headquarters operated at this very location for two decades,” said Kevin Lindamood, CEO of Health Care for the Homeless and President of HCH Real Estate Co., in a statement. “Converting our former clinic into affordable housing is the fulfillment of our mission; it’s the very best way to end homelessness and improve health. And we’re proud to be part of this effort to revitalize our former neighborhood through Sojourner Place at Park.”In addition to housing, Sojourner Place at Park will have about 10,000 square feet of commercial space on the first floor that can help create a more vibrant streetscape.“This development is part of a wave of investment that is transforming the West Side of downtown,” said Dan McCarthy, Executive Director of Episcopal Housing Corporation. “With new residential and commercial offerings, Sojourner Place at Park is helping to create a downtown that is active beyond business hours, fostering a safer, more engaging environment for residents, workers, and visitors alike.” No decision on The CompassSojourner Place at Park is one of two developments in the works that involve city-owned properties along Fayette Street, just west of Charles Center. The second is the $200 million mixed use development called the Compass, planned by a group called West Side Partners for 18 city-owned properties once known as The Superblock.The BDC had given that group until Sept. 30 to acquire the properties from the city and move ahead with its development, but the group asked for a three-month extension. Tarbert said on Monday that a decision had not been made on whether to grant that request.