BALTIMORE, March 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Greater Baltimore Committee President
Donald C. Fry praised the state's selection, announced today, of a team headed
by Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse to plan and develop a mixed-use complex of
offices, homes, shops and a hotel on the 25-acre State Center site that houses
five Maryland government office buildings.
    The state's concept for the project, published in a Fall 2005 request for
developers, includes 3,200 housing units, 1.2 million square feet of office
space, 570,000 square feet of retail space and a 200-room hotel. The
development site is bordered by Martin Luther King Boulevard, Madison Street,
Dolphin Street, and Howard Street.
    "This is a key transit-oriented development opportunity with significant
implications for Baltimore's continuing downtown transformation and for
strengthening the role of transit in the city and region," said Fry, noting
that the development will be at a major transit hub served by the Metro, light
rail and multiple bus lines. "Existing and future stations, such as those
planned for the Red Line, represent important opportunities for economic
development that benefits local communities and the region.
    "This project is a very logical extension of the tremendous amount of
existing private and public investment in revitalization opportunities beyond
Baltimore's waterfront areas on both its east and west sides," said Fry.
    Downtown revitalization and developing a fast, easy, and reliable transit
system in the region are top priorities for the Greater Baltimore Committee, a
private organization of business and civic leaders that works to strengthen
the business climate and to identify and nurture major business development
opportunities in the Baltimore region.
    The GBC houses the Baltimore Transit Alliance, a diverse coalition of
business, community, higher education and environmental organizations that
advocates for better regional transit.
    "We hope that, among other things, this project will serve to strongly
motivate the city and state to continue to work together to improve light rail
service along Howard Street, resulting in better timing of traffic lights for
trains and reduced light rail travel time through the city center," Fry said.
    "Struever Bros. is smart to take on this project," Fry said. "The company
is widely known for its innovative development strategies and for converting
existing, underused assets into attractive locations for business and
commercial use.
    "At the GBC, we're encouraged that the concept of this project includes
substantial housing at several price levels, including affordable, workforce
rates as well as higher-end market rates," said Fry. "As a community, it's
important that we find ways to develop more affordable housing for the broad
middle class that is the core of our workforce."