Voters approve Baltimore Harborplace redevelopment question

Baltimore moved a step closer to a redeveloped Harborplace with new high-rises containing offices, retail, parking and up to 900 apartments on Tuesday night as city voters approved a ballot question to rezone the Inner Harbor park.

Question F passed with 95,605 votes, a hair over 60% of the total, with all 295 precincts reporting, according to the Maryland State Board of Elections. Just under 40% of voters, or 63,043 people, voted against the proposed amendment to the Baltimore City Charter.

The passage of Question F marked a big win for Mayor Brandon Scott and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, both Democrats who supported the development. Both received campaign contributions from P. David Bramble, the West Baltimore native who founded MCB Real Estate, the company that owns Harborplace.

The redevelopment is expected to cost about $900 million, with $400 million coming from the state and federal governments. Opponents say the Inner Harbor park is a “crown jewel” that should be protected from private development.

MD election results: Candidates in 6th Congressional District remain in close contest

MCB Real Estate signed an agreement in 2022 to acquire Harborplace, which had been in receivership for about three years following its previous owner’s default on a mortgage loan.

Question F almost didn’t make it onto the ballot. After the Maryland State Board of Elections certified the question in early September, a group led by former Baltimore City Council member Anthony Ambridge sued to block it.

The group, represented by prominent attorney and frequent political candidate Thiru Vignarajah, initially won in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court. Because ballots were already printed, the judge ordered the Baltimore City Board of Elections not to certify the vote.

But SBE, joined by Baltimore City and MCB Real Estate, appealed to the Maryland Supreme Court, which reversed the lower court, saying the question was “not improper charter material.”

In a statement, Bramble and MCB Real Estate cofounder Peter Pinkard said they were “grateful to the people of our hometown.”

“Our vision for the future of Harborplace was developed through an inclusive and intensive public engagement process,” they stated. “That vision is one that looks forward — to an Inner Harbor for future generations of Baltimoreans, to an Inner Harbor with public parkland, mixed income housing and local business opportunities. The success of Question F demonstrates that vision is one that the people of Baltimore support.”

RELATED: Alsobrooks defeats Hogan to become first Black senator from MD

Colin Tarbert, president and CEO of the Baltimore Development Corporation, also celebrated the news.

“Baltimore has spoken, and the message is unmistakable: we’re ready to shape a vibrant future for our city,” Tarbert said in a statement. “The passage of Question F wasn’t just a vote; it’s an opportunity to build a new Harborplace and renew our entire downtown. This decision reflects our collective vision for a city that’s dynamic, connected, and forward-looking.”

Vignarajah and the anti-development group plan to propose a charter amendment in 2026 to prohibit development in city parks. A statement from the group Protect Our Parks, which Vignarajah provided, acknowledged that defeating Question F would be a “steep climb.”

“Building luxury high-rises to replace parkland is not a vision that unites or excites Baltimore,” the statement says.  “We are not discouraged and will stick to our plan to protect all city parks with a charter amendment in 2026.”

A spokesperson for Scott did not respond to a request for comment.

Meanwhile, city voters rejected a ballot question that would have reduced the size of the City Council from 14 districts to eight.

That question was pushed by David Smith, the owner of The Baltimore Sun and Sinclair Broadcast Group, who has spent heavily in an effort to push city politics to the right in recent years. It was opposed by 98,878 voters, more than 62%.

Voters also approved a ballot question that gives the city full control of the Baltimore Police Department, taking control away from the state. That question won 120,428 votes, more than 77%.

This story has been updated.