Baltimore Politics Examiner - The Urban Renewal - Key Highway - Amendment Update

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The Urban Renewal - Key Highway - Amendment Update

POSTED June 10, 5:49 PM

I have been told that bill 08-0117 (The Urban Renewal - Key Highway - Amendment) passed and has moved on to third reader. Opposed to the bill were: Bill Cole, Mary Pat Clarke, Ed Reisinger, and Jim Kraft. Nick D'Adamo passed on the vote.

People in Federal Hill are not happy. Read the comments under my previous post and check out this email from FHNA President Paul Robinson:

"And in about 48 hours time (since the Urban Affairs vote last Thursday), Swirnow has all but completed construction of a massive guard house at the Warren Avenue “access” to the so-called “Public” promenade along the “waterfront”.

So, now that Council is on the verge of creating brand new development rights (above and beyond those stipulated in the original Key Highway URO) relaxing the lot coverage and height ratios on both Lot #3 and Lot #6, the Mayor and the Council President are going to send Doug McCoach into battle against Swirnow and force him to relinquish these rights on Lot #6 so that the Public Waterfront Park with “active open space” they promised us before last year’s Election actually becomes a reality?

Here’s what will happen. Swirnow will demand that the City sell the Fire Department Repair Facility land to him AT HIS PRICE! Or he will refuse to cooperate at all by accepting tighter development area controls on Lot #6. The City will threaten him by introducing another Amendment to the KHURO changing the boundaries to exclude Lot #6. Swirnow (THE most litigious developer inBaltimore history – ask Michaela Gallagher) and Frank Wise will threaten to sue for irreparable financial damages. Andy Frank will capitulate. The Mayor will come back and apologize.

Game Over…..

What puzzles me is that we suggested a compromise (that was a bitter bill for Federal Hill residents, anyway). Essentially the Amendment (which was rejected by the Mayor and the Council President as “offensive” in that it demonstrated “a lack of trust” in them to keep their commitment to us) required Swirnow to cooperate fully on Lot #6 (Hell - without the Amendment passed yesterday he could build NOTHING there anyway). If he failed to comply, the original KHURO development area controls on both Lot #3 and Lot #6 would be re-instated in full force and effect.

Had the Amendment been introduced and supported it would have boxed Swirnow, the Planning Department and the Administration into a corner. Swirnow would have had no choice but to cooperate. So, when presented the opportunity to either assure Swirnow’s cooperation or provide him with the leverage he needs to negotiate any future Key Highway development deals from a position of greatly increased strength, the powers that be choose the former.

Here’s the real deal. Swirnow staged a couple of fundraisers. The Mayor and Council President did not carry our precincts last fall. Mitchell and Sarbanes did. We couldn’t even deliver the local precinct for Ed.

Welcome to Baltimore politics. Pay-back is Hell!"

Below are some campaign contributions by developer Richard Swirnow and his company HarborView properties:

Candidates Account	Contributor Name(Address)	Amount	Date Received	Contribution Type
Democrats 2000 Slate	Harborview Limited Partnership No. 3 (112 East 25th Street , Baltimore, MD, 21218)	$1,000.00	05/24/2001	Ticket purchases by Business Entity
Dixon, Sheila Friends For	Harborview Limited Partnership No. 7 (500 Harborview Drive 3rd Floor, Baltimore, MD, 21230)	$250.00	04/23/2007	Business Entity
Dixon, Sheila Friends For	HARBORVIEW LIMITED PARTNERSHIP NO.3 (500 HARBORVIEW DRIVE, 3RD FL. , BALTIMORE, MD, 21230)	$500.00	08/04/2003	Business Entity
Dixon, Sheila Friends For	HARBORVIEW LIMITED PARTNERSHIP NO.3 (112 E. 25TH STREET , BALTIMORE, MD, 21218)	$250.00	05/22/2001	Ticket purchases by Business Entity Remarks: 2001 PRAYER BREAKFAST
Ehrlich, Bob For Maryland Committee	Harborview #3 Limited Partnership (c/o Richard Swirnow 500 Harbor View Dr, Baltimore, MD, 21230-5400)	$1,000.00	08/03/2005	Business Entity
Ehrlich, Bob For Maryland Committee	Harborview #7 Limited Partnership (c/o Richard Swirnow 500 Harbor View Dr, Baltimore, MD, 21230-5400)	$1,000.00	08/03/2005	Business Entity
Ehrlich, Bob For Maryland Committee	Harborview Limited Partnership No. 3 (c/o Richard Swirnow 500 Havorview Drive, 3rd Floor, Baltimore, MD, 21230-)	$1,000.00	05/28/2003	Business Entity
Hammen, Peter A. Friends Of	Harborview Properties No. 3 (500 Harborview Dr, 3rd Fl , Baltimore, MD, 21230)	$125.00	10/31/2005	Business Entity
Holton, Helen Citizens For	Harborview Limited Partnership #2 (500 Harborview Drive 3rd Floor, Baltimore, MD, 21230)	$250.00	05/12/2006	Ticket purchases by Business Entity
House Democratic Unity Committee, The Maryland	Harborview Limited Partnership No. 3 (112 East 25th St. , Baltimore, MD, 21218)	$1,000.00	10/02/2002	Business Entity
Jones, Verna L. Friends of	Harborview Limited Partnership #2 (500 Harborview Drive, 3rd Floor , Baltimore, MD, 21230)	$500.00	01/11/2005	Business Entity
Klein, Nicole Pastore Friends Of	Harborview Properties, l.p. (112 east 25st , baltimore, MD, 21218)	$250.00	07/01/2003	Ticket purchases by Business Entity
Kraft, Jim Friends Of	HARBORVIEW LIMITED PARTNERSHIP NO.3 (500 HARBORVIEW DRIVE, 3RD FLOOR , BALTIMORE, MD, 21230)	$250.00	11/08/2005	Business Entity
O'Malley, Martin Friends Of	Harborview Limited Partnership No. 3 (500 Harborview Dr. 3rd Fl., Baltimore, MD, 21230)	$1,000.00	06/20/2005	Business Entity
O'Malley, Martin Friends Of	Harborview Marina, LLC (112 E. 25th Street , Baltimore, MD, 21218)	$100.00	02/05/2003	Ticket purchases by Business Entity
Rawlings-Blake, Stephanie Friends Of	Harborview Limited Partnership No. 7 (500 Harborview Drive 3rd Floor, Baltimore, MD, 21230)	$250.00	05/11/2007	Business Entity
Rawlings-Blake, Stephanie Friends Of	Harborview Limited Partnership No. 3 (112 East 25th Street , Baltimore, MD, 21218)	$250.00	05/11/2007	Business Entity
Rawlings-Blake, Stephanie Friends Of	Harborview Limited Partnership No. 7 (500 Harborview Drive 3rd Floor, Baltimore, MD, 21230)	$250.00	08/09/2005	Business Entity
Rawlings-Blake, Stephanie Friends Of	Harborview Limited Partnership No. 3 (112 East 25th Street , Baltimore, MD, 21218)	$250.00	08/09/2005	Business Entity
Reisinger, Edward L. Friends Of	Harborview Limited Partnership No. 7 (500 Harborview Dr 3RD Floor, Baltimore, MD, 21230)	$250.00	04/11/2007	Business Entity Remarks: Host sponsor
Schaefer, William Donald Friends Of	Harborview Limited Partnership No. 3 (500 Harborview Drive 3rd. Floor, Baltimore, MD, 21230)	$250.00	09/15/2005	Ticket purchases by Business Entity
Schaefer, William Donald Friends Of	Harborview Limited Partnership No. 3 (500 Harborview Drive 3rd. Floor, Baltimore, MD, 21230)	$250.00	06/15/2004	Ticket purchases by Business Entity
Spector, Rikki Friends Of	Harborview (112 E. 25th St. , Baltimore, MD, 21218)	$500.00	12/05/2000	Business Entity
Young, Bernard C. Friends Of	HARBORVIEW LTM PARTNERSHIP #7 (112 EAST 25TH STREET , BALTIMORE, MD, 21218)	$250.00	03/21/2007	Business Entity
Young, Bernard C. Friends Of	HARBORVIEW LTM PARTNERSHIP #7 (112 EAST 25TH STREET , BALTIMORE, MD, 21218)	$500.00	01/19/2001	Business Entity
Dixon, Sheila Friends For	Richard Swirnow (500 Harbor View Dr 3rd Floor, Baltimore, MD, 21230-5415)	$250.00	04/05/2006	Individual
Spector, Rikki Friends Of	RICHARD SWIRNOW (114 E. 25TH STREET , BALTIMORE, MD, 21212)	$500.00	05/15/2003	Individual

Categories: City Council , Rikki Spector , developers , Federal Hill , Sheila Dixon , Richard Swirnow , HarborView

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Adam Meister
Adam Meister's scribe spreads his innate enthusiasm for all things Baltimore--and, in particular, the political inner workings of his beloved hometown.