Baltimore city and community leaders are hopeful that the newly renovated building — a former storefront donated by Downtown Locker Room (DTLR) — will become a central hub for nurturing small businesses on Pennsylvania Avenue. They gathered for a ribbon cutting Tuesday to celebrate the opening of a welcome center at 1829 Pennsylvania Avenue, a venue that was once burned and left as a shell in the aftermath of the Freddie Gray protests, said community organizer, Wanda Best.

Declared a Main Street 20-years-ago, the Pennsylvania Avenue commercial corridor will support the six neighborhoods that make up “old” west Baltimore i.e. Penn-North, Druid Heights, Sandtown-Winchester, Harlem Park, Lafayette Square and Upton.

“We are here to highlight the renaissance that is coming to Pennsylvania Avenue,” said Mayor Brandon Scott. “We know that this was one of the central districts for so many iconic Baltimoreans to shop, gather and socialize. We want everybody to bet big on Pennsylvania Avenue because together, we can restore, and create a new day of glory for the new generation.”

The new initiative is supported through a mix of funds including state bonds, and a $5,000 donation from DTLR. Over the past ten years, the Upton Planning Committee (UPC), a neighborhood organization, has been working to preserve and improve the neighborhood plus the 18 blocks that make up the Pennsylvania Avenue commercial corridor.

Darroll Cribb, president of UPC, said “all are welcome” to the Pennsylvania Avenue Main Streets Building. However, some area residents are wary. “We sincerely hope it will have open doors and not just be an administrative headquarters,” said Ray Kelly, a longtime resident.