One year ago, construction began on a community center in West Baltimore that will revitalize the historic district and transform the fire-damaged Public School (PS) 103 into the Thurgood Marshall Amenity Center.

The center will offer educational, health, and career resources in one place, bridging the economic divide that affects underserved communities.

During a recent site event, Ty Oliver Taborn, the executive vice president and general counsel at Career Communications Group, represented STEM City USA, and notable Maryland figures like Senator Ben Cardin, entrepreneur LaRian Finney, and the Beloved Community Services Corporation’s CEO, Rev. Al Hathaway, also attended.

The STEM City USA digital community at the Thurgood Marshall Amenity Center aims to bring together educational, health, and career success resources in one place, bridging the economic divide that affects underserved communities in the Old West Baltimore Historic District, on Division Street in West Baltimore.

Baltimore has more than 20,000 vacant lots and roughly 13,000 vacant and abandoned houses and structures, which impact families’ safety, health, and wealth.

Baltimore City Mayor Scott’s administration has taken steps to address the problem. Due to these efforts, the number of vacant properties in Baltimore is now the lowest in decades.

Now a new plan aims to facilitate a $300 million commitment for the redevelopment of vacant properties in historically disadvantaged neighborhoods, much like what has been done for waterfront neighborhoods and large-scale downtown commercial projects.

The new plan aims to leverage the Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development’s slate of tools.

Under the program, the City of Baltimore will implement novel strategies to facilitate a $300 million commitment that will generate the redevelopment of vacant properties like the old Public School (PS) 103.