Press

2011

	State Center: The Other Side Bisnow Article by Amanda Metcalf 1/17/12
	Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake seeks to find a compromise in the State Center lawsuit On the eve of her inauguration this week, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake called representatives of both sides of the contentious State Center lawsuit to her City Hall office for a private meeting. The mayor’s spokesman, Ryan O’Doherty, said Rawlings-Blake sought to gather the key players in the bitter dispute and attempt to strike a compromise. “The impasse on this project does not support her goal to grow the city,” O’Doherty said. “And so the meeting was an opportunity to show that she’s willing to sit down and meet with people — she’s not going to allow the differences to prevent progress from happening.” The lawsuit, filed nearly a year ago, seeks to halt the $1.5 billion development north of center city that would offer 1.5 million square feet of office and retail space. Plaintiffs charge that the state failed to follow its own procurement rules in hiring a developer for the project by not opening the process to competitive bidding in 2005, when master developers for the 15-year project were named. O’Doherty said no compromises came out of the meeting, held at 5 p.m. Monday. Caroline Moore, CEO of Ekistics LLC, the master developer of State Center, declined to comment on the meeting, as did plaintiffs’ attorney Alan M. Rifkin of Rifkin, Livingston, Levitan & Silver LLC, aside from saying the meeting was cordial in tone. Property owners represented by Rifkin say the proposed State Center project would prompt an exodus of state government jobs from center city to the new complex on West Preston Street, rendering the central business district with more vacancies. At present, there is a nearly 25 percent vacancy rate in commercial and office space — about 2 million square feet — blamed on the recession. State government leases about 700,000 square feet in center city for agencies such as the Maryland Attorney General’s Office and the Maryland Transit Administration. Peter G. Angelos, owner of the Baltimore Orioles and a property owner in the central business district, is paying for much of the lawsuit, although he is not a plaintiff. The plaintiffs are some restaurant owners in Little Italy and Stratford Realty Management Co. LLC; St. Paul Plaza Office Tower LLC; Lexington Charles LP; 301 Charles Street LLC; Park Charles Apartments Associates LLC; Park Charles Office Associates LLC; 501 St. Paul Street LLC; St. Paul & Franklin LLC; RoboPark LLC; Charles Plaza LLC; 39 W. Lexington LLC; Baltimore Condo 2-8 LLC; Fayette Garage LLC; Charles Towers LLC; The Marlboro Classic LP; and Redwood Square Apartments LP. O’Doherty said Rawlings-Blake did not specify how a compromise could be made between the two sides in the State Center lawsuit. “We’d like to resolve it, and the mayor didn’t specify how that could be done,” he said. “But she wants to see the project move forward, and at a time when we’re trying to end the population decline and get the city going again, you can’t have major projects tied up in litigation. “The atmosphere is very troubling … we need to move forward.” Moore has said that the State Center development will be a public and private partnership. Plans to start development with construction of a $36.5 million parking garage were halted last year after the lawsuit was filed, and the project has been on hold ever since. Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Althea M. Handy ruled in mid-July against two motions to dismiss the lawsuit, one filed by Moore and the other by state agencies. In turn, the developer has filed a countersuit against the plaintiffs seeking $100 million in damages for stalling the project. A hearing on that countersuit is scheduled for Dec. 14 before Judge Handy. The original developers of State Center were Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse and Doracon Contracting Inc. Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse withdrew as the master developer in 2008. Both companies have since halted work in Maryland. Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse has all but shuttered its office because of financial problems. Doracon, owned by Ronald Lipscomb, the former boyfriend of former Mayor Sheila Dixon, is no longer registered as a Maryland business entity. Lipscomb was involved in the corruption scandal that led to Dixon’s resignation from office on Feb. 4, 2010. He has since shut down his Baltimore headquarters of Doracon. Link to Article (subscription required)
	State Center - no guarantee but worth the risk The Daily record by Laslo Boyd 8/7/11
	Avenue Bakery: It's not just about the rolls Baltimore Sun \| Article on Jim Hamlin, SCNA Vice President 8/7/11
	Letter to Comptroller Franchot from Secretaries Collins & Swaim-Staley
	Community groups criticize Franchot's opposition to State Center as a political move Maryland Reporter 8/3/11
	Franchot's State Center stance political, says group Baltimore Sun \| Jay Hancock's blog 8/2/11
	State Center neighborhood groups express 'dismay' with Franchot Baltimore Business Journal 8/1/11
	Letter to Comptroller Franchot from John Kyle Letter from John Kyle to Peter Franchot, State Center Neighborhood Alliance President 8/1/11
	Demolition project marks start of transportation improvements at State Center BMore News 7/26/11
	Demo project aimed at spurring west side, State Center development Baltimore Business Journal 7/26/11
	State Center project tests Maryland's will to support Baltimore Baltimore Sun \| Jay Hancock's blog 7/24/11
	State Center backers dismiss recent setbacks Baltimore Sun 7/23/11
	Midday with Dan Rodricks \| Baltimore State Center Controversy Midday with Dan Rodricks 7/19/11
	Peter Franchot Letter to State 7/15/11
	MDOT Letter to the Editor Sent to the Daily Record
	Judge denies state's motion to dismiss State Center suit Baltimore Sun 7/13/11
	Lawsuit over State Center redevelopment to go forward The Daily Record \| 7/13/11
	MPPI: Angelos didn't secretly fund State Center study Baltimore Sun \| Jay Hancock's blog 7/13/11
	Officials seek withdrawal of critical State Center study Baltimore Sun \| Jay Hancock's Blog 7/11/11
	Community Jobs Become Part of Redevelopment Plan WBAL TV 7/10/11
	State Center pledge continues back & forth on city project Baltimore Sun 7/10/11
	Press Release: Landmark Agreement Assures Jobs & Economic Benefits
	MDOT Letter Requesting the Withdrawal of recent report from the Maryland Public Policy Institute
	State Center: A Road to Nowhere? The Afro-American Newspaper - by Sean Yoes 7/7/11
	Sustainability at the Heart of the State Center Project The Afro-American Newspaper - 3rd Series by Sean Yoe 6/25/11
	State Center opponents and their ulterior motives The Baltimore Sun - Bryan Dunn 6/11/11
	State Center promises jobs and tax revenue if it could get started The Afro-American Newspaper - 2nd Series by Sean Yoes 06/02/11
	Angelos and other critics late to weigh in on State Center The Baltimore Sun - John Kyle, State Center Neighborhood Alliance President 06/01/11
	The State Center Controversy The Afro-American Newspaper - Series 1 by Sean Yoes 05/21/2011
	Setting the record straight on State Center The Baltimore Sun - Michael Gaines and Christopher Patusky, Baltimore - 5/17/2011
	C. Fraser Smith: Time to see who runs Baltimore The Daily record - By C. Fraser Smith - 5/2/2011
	What would Schaefer do? The Baltimore Sun - By Stephanie Rawlings-Blake - 5/1/2011
	The legacy of William Donald Schaefer The Daily Record - By Daily Record Staff - 4/21/2011
	Waiting for ruling, State Center developer is optimistic The Daily Record - By Melody Simmons - 4/17/2011
	Mayor Supports State Center Mayor Supports State Center. In her weekly newsletter, Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake says, "The simple truth is that a revitalized State Center with millions in new private investment will help generate property tax revenue, create jobs, and provide new amenities for surrounding neighborhoods."
	Second Opinion-Build State Center Michael Cross-Barnet
	Why is Angelos standing in the way of Midtown redevelopment? The Baltimore Sun - By - Bryan Dunn Peter Angelos has a long history of philanthropy and has amply demonstrated his love for Baltimore over the years. Why, then, is he standing in the way of the desperately needed redevelopment of the State Center project?
	Controversial State Center Plans Proceeding WBAL TV by - Jane Miller - 3/9/2011
	Angelos lawsuits stop growth "Angelos lawsuits stop growth" is a compelling look at how lawsuits are impeding development and growth in Baltimore City.
	Rawlings-Blake calls for 'tough choices,' new projects The Baltimore Sun - By - Julie Scharper - 2/7/2011
	Another State Center press release and the debut of Baltileaks Baltimore Politics Examiner - By - Adam Meister - 2/6/2011
	State Center lawsuit amended to expand claims of no competitive bidding Maryland Reporter - By - Megan Poinski - 2/2/2011
	Eatery owner joins State Center lawsuit WBAL Radio - By Robert Lang - 2/1/2011
	State Center and East Baltimore biotech development news Baltimore Politics Examiner - Adam Meister - 2/1/2011
	City property owners amend State Center Lawsuit The Baltimore Sun - By Lorraine Mirabella - 2/1/2011
	State Center rebuttal Baltimore Politics Examiner - Adam Meister - 2/1/2011
	State Center developers seek lawsuit's dismissal The Daily Record - By Melody Simmons - 1/14/2011
	State Center faces delay because of pending lawsuit The Baltimore Sun - By - Lorraine Mirabella & Jamie Smith Hopkins - 1/12/2011
	State Center project on hold The Daily Record - By - Melody Simmons - 1/12/2011
	State Center redevelopment on hold due to lawsuit Baltimore Business Journal - By Daniel J. Sernovitz - 1/12/2011

2010

	Downtown property owners sue to stop State Center Maryland Reporter - By - Megan Poinski - 12/20/2010
	Lawsuit seeks to halt State Center Development The Daily Record - By - Melody Simmons - 12/19/2010
	Lawsuit claims city's State Center to hurt downtown WBAL TV - David Collins - 12/17/2010
	Downtown Baltimore property owners sue to halt State Center The Daily Record - By Melody Simmons - 12/17/2010
	State Center developer downplays lawsuit allegations Baltimore Business Journal - By Gary Haber - 12/17/2010
	Downtown property owners sue to block State Center development Baltimore Business Journal - By Gary Haber - 12/17/2010
	Franchot protests state taking on $33 million in debt for State Center garage Maryland Reporter - By Megan Poinski - 12/16/2010
	Group wants half of State Center workers to be city residents Baltimore Business Journal - By Jimmy DeButts - 12/16/2010
	State Center development project questioned in an open letter Baltimore Politics Examiner - Adam Meister - 10/29/2010
	Ground contamination could delay State Center project Baltimore Business Journal - By Daniel J. Sernovitz -10/29/2010
	Taxpayers don't get what they pay for Baltimore Business Journal - Editorial - 10/22/2010
	O'Malley's State Center fall guy and a Baltimore politician who works in Philly Baltimore Politics Examiner - By Adam Meister - 9/29/2010
	Groundbreaking of $1.5B State Center project could be delayed Baltimore Business Journal - By Daniel J. Sernovitz - 9/27/2010
	State Center groundbreaking could be delayed Baltimore Business Journal - By Daniel J. Sernovitz - 9/20/2010
	BDC considers financial incentives for State Center redevelopment Baltimore Business Journal - By Daniel J. Sernovitz - 9/15/2010
	State Center lease deal high for Md. Baltimore Business Journal - Daniel J. Sernovitz - 8/9/2010
	More minority participation sought in State Center bid Baltimore Business Journal - By Scott Dance - 8/9/2010
	Minority leaders among State Center development team Baltimore Business Journal -By Daniel J. Sernovitz - 8/9/2010
	Update on the State Center project Baltimore Politics Examiner - By Adam Meister - 8/1/2010
	Public-private $215 million State Center revitalization gets go ahead MarylandReporter.com - By Megan Poinski - 7/29/2010
	Board of Public Works approves first phase of State Center Baltimore Business Journal - By Ryan Sharrow Staff -7/28/2010
	State Center redevelopment wins approval The Daily Record - By Anna Isaacs - 7/27/2010
	State Center redevelopment to start in fall, include grocery store Baltimore Business Journal - By Ryan Sharrow -7/26/2010
	Baltimore State Center Wins New Urbanism Excellence Award 4/3/10
	Baltimore State Center development threatened Baltimore Politics Examiner - By Adam Meister -3/23/2010