Embedded Files
An Exercise in Design for the Garrett – Potee Brownfield
In Partnership with Action Baybrook’s Creating Pathways to Remediation Program
LARC 450/450S
Location
Location
The site is located in Baltimore, Maryland, situated in the Brooklyn neighborhood just south of the city’s core. It sits along the Patapsco River, with West Patapsco Avenue and Potee Street converging near the site’s edge.
History
History
Map of Curtis Bay (1949)
Map of Curtis Bay (1969)
Before 1953, the site existed as marshland along the banks of the Patapsco River (seen in the 1949 map of Curtis Bay). Around that time, the area was filled in and redeveloped, transitioning into an auto junkyard and used car dealership known as the Potee Street Auto Junkyard, which operated under private ownership for several decades. In 1996, the Maryland Department of General Services acquired the property and formally identified it as a brownfield due to contamination associated with its past industrial and automotive uses. Following this evaluation, the site was enrolled in the Maryland Brownfield Voluntary Cleanup Program to initiate environmental assessment and remediation efforts.
Current use
Currently the site is occupied by a significant unhoused population, scattered throughout the site are numerous makeshift shelters constructed by individuals seeking refuge there. The portion that once operated as a used auto dealership now consists of deteriorating, buckled, and cracked concrete. The former junkyard area has become heavily overgrown with unmanaged vegetation, including invasive undergrowth and unmaintained trees.
Site inventory and analysis
During the inventory and analysis phase we examined a wide range of site conditions to better understand the site. Important data sets we gathered, included but not limited to topography, slope and slope aspect, flood zones, existing vegetation types, surrounding road networks, existing building footprints, soil types, and geology. Altogether, this information helped create a design that responds to the site’s natural and built conditions.
About the Project
(Early draft of final plan)
This project was developed in collaboration with Action Baybrook to reimagine a former brownfield site in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland. Building on the site’s unique history and its current need for revitalization, the goal of the design was to create a mixed-use environment that would be meaningful and bring many benefits to the community. The proposal introduces new apartment buildings, expanded space for local businesses, office areas to support employment opportunities, and a variety of outdoor gathering spaces that encourage social interaction and community life. Together, these elements aim to transform the site into a vibrant, welcoming, and functional destination for the residents of Baltimore.
Evolution of the design
Initial design
Initial design
In my initial design, I aimed to create a vibrant space where people could gather, shop, work in nearby offices, and live in apartments while incorporating a wave like form inspired by the site’s connection to the Patapsco River.
2nd iteration
2nd iteration
In the second iteration I focused on strengthening the shopping/office area on the north side of the site. The buildings were brought closer together and arranged to create a more cohesive experience akin to an outdoor mall encouraging walkability and consumer interest.
Final plan
Final plan
In this final design I further strengthened the shopping and office areas on the north side of the site. Corridors were widened, additional gathering spaces were introduced, and the main entrance was redesigned to be more accessible and welcoming. On the south side, the apartment buildings were divided into four smaller structures instead of two large ones, improving circulation both around and through the residential area.
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