City voters will have the power to make or break ambitious plans by MCB Real Estate to redevelop Harborplace with hundreds of apartments and new retail and green space at the Inner Harbor landmark.
That’s the bottom line from MCB’s co-founder P. David Bramble who said Monday night during a public forum that the Clipper Mill firm will proceed only if a referendum on the November 2024 ballot passes to clear the way for his vision to pump $500 million into a redo of the Inner Harbor. The City Council is considering legislation to place the referendum on the ballot to change zoning and lift height restrictions, and public hearings are expected next year.
Asked about the project’s “return on investment” if the referendum fails and height restrictions are not lifted, Bramble did not hold back.
“There is no deal. That means zero,” he said. “If we don’t get the height restrictions lifted, we are not going to move forward with a deal. There’s no return. It’s a deal breaker.”
