Architects and artists have been given an extra month to propose ways to make three key gateways into downtown Baltimore more welcoming. The Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC), which is administering an international competition called “Design Baltimore: Gateways” on behalf of the c ity, has changed the deadline for entries from Aug. 23 at 11:59 p.m. EST to Sept. 25 at 11:59 p.m. EST. The change is a response to comments from prospective competitors that the Aug. 23 deadline didn’t give them enough time to prepare an entry. Launched in June, the design competition challenges multidisciplinary teams to propose “bold, innovative and implementable ideas” for transforming three of Baltimore’s primary vehicular gateways into “iconic arrival experiences that celebrate the city’s identity, history, culture and future.” The corridors are Russell Street, Conway Street and President Street. Winners will receive a total of $450,000 in prize money. Twelve finalists will receive $25,000 each and three Grand Prize winners will be selected from the 12 finalists to receive an additional $50,000 each, bringing the three top awards to $75,000. The idea is that there will be one Grand Prize winner for each of the corridors, and the intention is that those winning entries will be executed. Besides extending the competition deadline, the BDC has added two virtual sessions, called “Technical Office Hours with City Agencies,” that are intended to help answer participants’ questions before the submission deadline. The first virtual session, on Aug. 28, is called “Understanding the Corridors.” It will focus on corridor conditions, including right-of-way requirements; structural constraints; lighting; utilities; zoning and site conditions across all three gateways. The second virtual session, on Sept. 18, is called “Final Submission and Technical Questions.” It will focus on technical feasibility; submission requirements; file formats and other issues related to submitting an entry. Agencies participating in the Technical Office Hours sessions include the BDC, the city’s transportation and planning departments, and the Maryland Stadium Authority. Times have not been announced. More information is available on the competition’s website: www.designbaltimoregateways.com. ...read more read less