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Falls Gateway Project
In a collaborative effort, Midtown Community Benefits District and the Friends of The Jones Falls were awarded a Goldseker Foundation grant to create a conceptual design plan for the Falls Gateway. This area at Falls Road and Maryland Avenue is a key corridor for cyclists, pedestrians, transit riders and motorists. It connects multiple neighborhoods to the assets found in and around Midtown, such as Penn Station, Station North Arts & Entertainment District, MICA, University of Baltimore, and multiple cultural, restaurant, and nightlife assets.
Mahan Rykiel Associates and RK&K Engineering’s proposed plan considers projects already in motion, and, after reviewing with the stakeholders and Baltimore City representatives, recommends much needed improvements that focus on improving the overall experience and navigability of this pivotal area.
Multiple projects are already underway to expand tree pits and plant new trees and native plants, add historical signage, and install a mural along the Falls Road, just west of the Maryland Avenue intersection on a chain link fence overlooking the rail lines. Additional funding will be sought for the larger scale projects, and the group will work closely with the Baltimore City DOT to complete the efforts.
Jones Falls Drone Mapping Project
The FJFT is pleased to announce that this spring’s drone mapping pilot project was a great success. Led by Board member Katie O’Meara, a member of MICA’s Architectural Design faculty, and joined by FJFT-funded student intern Anna Brackett (MICA Architectural Design, 2022), our mapping team was able to capture a range of high-resolution video and photographic footage of a portion of the lower Jones Falls.
They employed drone flight and photogrammetry technology to produce detailed maps and 2.5D scale models of our upcoming project areas. Scrambling against the clock, the team was able to complete a baseline documentation of the Jones Falls from Penn Station to Cold Spring Lane before trees began leafing out this spring, providing them with detailed before-and-after imagery for our spring cleanup.
Green Infrastructure Master Plan at Union Collective
2020 – Present
Our first major project is partnering with the owners of Union Collective on a Green Infrastructure Master Plan for its property which includes the former 155,000 sq. ft. Sears Warehouse on 10.5 acres at the banks of the Jones Falls—now housing Union Craft Brewing Co. and a number of inviting shops in its Baltimore City neighborhood of Medfield, adjacent to Woodberry and Hampden. Earlier this year FTJF was awarded a $49,595 grant by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to seed project design.
Morgan State University civil engineering students have assisted the project team by originating a green infrastructure study of the proposed Union Collective building roof rainwater harvesting system. They developed the system design and specs, providing cost analysis and project benefits for installation and a system maintenance checklist as well. Students Lawrence Harmon, Ivanna-Grace Parry and Eugene Wurchi collaborated on the project, and were supported by faculty advisor and Associate Professor, Dr. James Hunter, Jr. Professor Hunter coordinated his students’ work with Board Member Nick Lindow, P. E., Ph.D. The students presented their findings to the FTJF Board of Directors at it May, 2021, meeting.
Friends of the Jones Falls 