BDC resubmission · September 2026
Site & community
Charles North, in the Station North Arts & Entertainment District: Census Tract 1205, Legislative District 40, three blocks from Penn Station.
| Designation | Status |
|---|---|
| Block / lot (1820) | Ward 12 · Sec 09 · Block 0388 · Lot 009 (1,655 SF land) |
| Zoning | C-2 (mixed use permitted) |
| Historic | North Central National Register District; CHAP review |
| Urban renewal | Charles North Urban Renewal Plan |
| Incentive zones | Opportunity Zone (tract 1205) · Enterprise Zone |
| Revitalization | Sustainable Community / BRNI area (1816 award active) |
Why this block, why now
- Transit: Penn Station (Amtrak/MARC) is three blocks away, with Acela service up to 32 weekday trips. Walk Score 96, Transit 83.
- Penn Station status: Amtrak committed $90M and FRA awarded $123M. In June 2026 Amtrak paused the planned north station building; Penn Station Partners remains master developer.
- Anchors: the Charles Theatre and the SNF Parkway Theatre (an ≈$18M restoration) are neighbors. Nearby are North Avenue Market (≈$30M redevelopment, NIIF-financed), Motor House, Nelson Kohl Apartments, MICA and JHU.
- A stabilizing market: Midtown CSA median household income rose from $35k (2010) to $57k–$65k, and residential vacancy is under 1%. The 1800 block of N. Charles still has vacant, graffitied buildings.
- Tract 1205: population 2,126; median household income $61,338; 60% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Part 1 crime in Midtown fell from 99.5 to 64.5 per 1,000 (2011–2022).
- Community support: letters from the Charles North Community Association and Central Baltimore Partnership (December 2025).
Full sources: Community profile research.