Re-Establishing Community: A Renewed Village Center for Edmondson Village, Baltimore, MD

Abstract

This thesis proposes to reintroduce a "sense of place" into a community that has undergone rapid and severe physical, social, and economic changes. It examines how the built and natural environment can stabilize and recenter a community through the development of a renewed village center. Southwest Baltimore's Edmondson Village serves as a transition between the urban and suburban patterns of the city. The community's decrepit shopping center is located along Edmondson Avenue (Route 40) and is central to wealthy, middle, and lower class neighborhoods. It is surrounded by important civic and educational buildings, making it an ideal location for neighborhood revitalization and ultimately a new village center. The addition of a metro station on the city's proposed Red Line, along with a pedestrian focused, mixed use, mixed income development are essential elements in re-establishing an identity for Edmondson Village. Creating coherent public spaces are vital to fostering an environment where people can interact outside of the private realm. The village center serves as a home, shopping area, and gathering place for the residents of the community.