Harborplace was a sensation, drawing millions of visitors, but over time it lost its luster, traded hands and fell into disrepair. Last June, an LLC created by Bramble bought Harborplace for nearly $83 million after its previous owner defaulted on a loan and the property came under the control of a court-appointed receiver, records show. He beat other developers vying for the project.
According to Bramble and MCB, the designs were based on a massive amount of public input solicited both online and during in-person community meetings throughout the city. But he also knew the plans would face pushback.
Behind the scenes, Bramble hired Alexandra Hughes, a longtime political operative in Annapolis, to handle public relations. According to briefing documents obtained by The Baltimore Banner in a public records request, Hughes identified several controversial points ahead of the plan’s public release:
Why spend so much public money on a single project in Baltimore instead of other areas in Maryland? Does the project need apartments? And will they be priced for the average Baltimorean? Can this project attract enough retailers? Or would it just cannibalize retail from other areas of the city?
Illustration Featured: Alex Fine for the Baltimore Banner