Draft:26th Street Green

The 26th Street Green is a pedestrian plaza in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. It is located on the 200 East block of 26th Street between Hunter Street and Guilford Avenue. The 26th Street Green opened in September of 2020.

History
The 200 East block of 26th Street is positioned parallel to a portion of the Baltimore Belt Line which runs through the neighborhood of Charles Village. After multiple days of rain from a storm in April of 2014, the railroad retaining wall on this block collapsed. Although no one was injured, cars and street lamps fell into the embankment, burying the railroad tracks in debris. Emergency repairs were made, and residents who were displaced due to the collapse returned to their homes in June of 2014.

Four years later, on Monday, November 26, 2018, the sidewalk most adjacent to the rebuilt wall began buckling toward the railroad tracks. The road was immediately closed so that engineers could evaluate the sinking street. Following this near second collapse of the retaining wall, the Baltimore City Department of Transportation (DoT) consulted with community members regarding what improvements could be made to this block during the repair work to be done. A survey conducted with neighbors in March of 2019 resulted in a majority vote to convert half of the street into a small park which continued to enable pedestrians and bicycles to pass through, but eliminated the ability for cars to drive through from North Calvert Street or the Hunter Street alley to Guilford Avenue. Through a partnership between neighbors in the area and the Charles Village Civic Association, a collaboration was formed in order to create this space, which then became known as the "26th Street Green".

In April of 2020, the DoT surveyed the neighborhood via mail, phone, and online to collect responses for preferences between two different concepts. The selected design proposal included space for landscaped planters, a sidewalk-level wooden deck, benches, tables, and seating areas, and a street-surface mural by Baltimore-based design agency, Graham Projects.

After the repair of the retaining wall, sidewalk, and street, construction of the 26th Street Green began in June of 2020. In September of 2020, the 26th Street Green held a ribbon cutting ceremony and an inaugural block party as it was opened to the public.

Although all of 26th Street remains property of the Department of Transportation, the East section designated for the pedestrian plaza required a formal organization to develop a maintenance plan. In response to this requirement, community members formed the Friends of 26th Street Corridor to maintain the upkeep of the park.

Events
Since it's opening, the 26th Street Green has hosted block parties, plant and art markets, concerts, and meetings for the Friends of 26th Street Corridor to continue coordinating and planning the future of the space.