New Key’s Pointe Residences Open in Baltimore, Part of O’Donnell Heights Revitalization

By Adrian Maties, Associate Editor

At the start of the month, the city of Baltimore celebrated the opening of the newly constructed Key’s Pointe Residences, the first phase of the O’Donnell Heights Revitalization project. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake was present at the ribbon-cutting ceremony along with Paul T. Graziano, executive director of the Housing Authority of Baltimore City, The Michaels Development Company, AHC-Greater Baltimore, Inc., and other elected officials and members of the community.

The Baltimore City Housing Authority has partnered with the Michaels Development Company and with the nontfor-profit AHC of Greater Baltimore, Inc. on the 62-acre redevelopment of the World War II-era O’Donnell Heights public housing project in the southeast corner of Baltimore City, just outside of Dundalk. They broke ground on the $20 million first phase of the project in April, 2013.

Key’s Pointe Residences features 76 new townhouse-style residential units. Sixteen units are reserved for persons with disabilities. “Key’s Pointe Residences is the embodiment of the renaissance that’s going on all over Baltimore City,” said Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake in a press statement. “These beautiful new homes provide another opportunity for Baltimore to welcome new residents to an amazing community that both current and new residents will enjoy.” Key’s Pointe Residences also offers a new playground with splashpad, and a computer room. A new community center will be constructed in future phases.

“The development of Key’s Pointe Residences has rejuvenated the O’Donnell Heights community and it could not have happened without the help of the community and the support of our state and federal partners,” Paul T. Graziano added. “We are also proud of the work our development partners have done and it will go a long way toward strengthening and bringing new energy to the greater community.”

When fully complete, the O’Donnell Heights redevelopment will offer over 900 new affordable and market rate townhomes and apartments, as well as more than six acres of new parks and green space. The developers expect to break ground on the next phase of the project during the first half of 2015.

Photo credits: The Michaels Development Company