The month of May was a time of celebration for Park Heights.

Within a three-day span, the community cut the ribbon on Renaissance Row Apartments, broke ground on Woodland Gardens II, and hosted Preakness festivities.  Advancing the development projects officially signals the arrival of long-awaited transformative change in Park Heights.

Renaissance Row

Where there were once blighted homes — and later an expansive dirt-covered site — now stands a brand-new, four-story housing development known as Renaissance Row. DHCD, in partnership with the State, razed several blighted properties and prepared the site, making way for the new development. 

Renaissance Row is an 84-unit building that provides affordable housing to low-income families. Apartments are available to tenants with incomes at or below 50 percent and 60 percent of the Area Median Income, adjusted for family size.

This project represents more than $21 million of investment for Park Heights. The City provided $2.15 million in Affordable Housing Program Bond funds and $1 million in a Video Lottery Slots Funds loan to Park Heights Renaissance, the community nonprofit, to help finance the project. 

Penrose, LLC, a national developer of affordable housing, served as the sponsor of Renaissance Row. Watch video.

Woodland Gardens II

Affordable senior living is on the horizon for Park Heights.

Mayor Brandon M. Scott, City and State officials, and stakeholders gathered with the community at the corner of Park Heights and Woodland Avenues to break ground on Woodland Gardens II. The four-story, 75-unit building will provide affordable housing to senior citizens. It will house seniors who earn incomes at or below 30 percent and 60 percent of the Area Median Income.

Comprehensive Housing Assistance Inc (CHAI), a nonprofit housing and community development organization serving northwest Baltimore, is sponsoring this project. 

Woodland Gardens II represents $18 million of investment for the Park Heights community. The City’s Board of Estimates approved a Payment In Lieu of Taxes deal to support capital and operating needs, and DHCD is providing a $1-million HOME Investment Partnerships Program loan to help finance the project. Additionally, CHAI secured federal funding and 4-percent, low-income housing tax credits to help finance the project.

The project is expected to be completed in Spring 2023. Watch video.