Fells Point Station Opens As New Housing and Retail Space

VIPs join in Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for Preserved Historic Police Station

Baltimore, MD—Joined by Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Mission First Housing Group’s CEO Walt Kubiak and The Henson Development Company, Inc.’s President Daniel Henson officially opened Fells Point Station, located at 1621 Bank Street, Baltimore, MD 21231, on Monday, April 14, 2014 at 10 am. This is the first project for Mission First in the City of Baltimore.

“A key focus of my Administration is growing Baltimore by 10,000 families,” said Mayor Rawlings-Blake. “To get there we have to both attract new residents and give those already here more reasons to stay. This project is a continuation of our efforts to continue investing in communities using public-private partnerships that are making a real difference all across Baltimore.”

The Honorable Raymond Skinner, Secretary, State of Maryland for the Department of Housing and Community Development; Paul T. Graziano, Commissioner for Baltimore Housing; Dana Henson, Vice President for The Henson Group; Sarah Constant, Managing Director for Mission First Housing Group; Edmund Delany, Senior Vice President, Senior Capital Officer for Capital One Bank and Ms. Constance Franks, Fells Point Resident, will also provided remarks on this project leading up to a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“Mission First is excited to open its first project, of what we hope to be many, in Baltimore. Fells Point Station is a great project that has allowed us to both reuse a historic building and build a new beautiful structure to house nearly 100 people in Baltimore,” said Kubiak.

Fells Point Station is a mixed use project of 47 units of mixed-income work-force housing and retail space, including the adaptive reuse of a historic former police station built in the 1860’s, located in Baltimore’s oldest waterfront neighborhood. The building also includes the new construction of a four-story addition with a brick façade complements the existing structure. Mission First partnered with The Henson Development Company, an established Baltimore-based real estate developer, to complete this historic adaptive reuse project.

“We are very pleased to have completed this unique development that is a part of the Mayor’s overall Vacants To Value strategy,” said Henson.

Fell Point Station apartment units are built above a concrete podium with retail space and covered parking at grade. Amenities include a lobby that references the area’s historical past, free wi-fi, and an exercise room. An elevated courtyard provides outdoor common space and is also a green roof structure over the enclosed parking.

The project was awarded a 9% Low Income Housing Tax Credit allocation and Rental Housing Production Program loan funds from Maryland’s Department of Housing and Community Development. Additional financing sources include historic tax credit equity and HOME funds and acquisition financing through the City of Baltimore.  Hudson Housing Capital was the tax credit syndicator and Capital One provided construction and permanent financing.

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Mission First Housing Group develops and manages affordable, safe and sustainable homes for people in need, with a non-profit, mission-driven focus on the most vulnerable. We ensure our residents have access to resources to help them live independently. We deliver housing that provides long-term benefits to residents and neighborhoods, alike. Mission First is a full-service real estate organization developing high-quality, green community assets across the Mid-Atlantic region. Mission First currently provides affordable housing and services to nearly 3,000 people in over 2,500 units, serving low income populations that include veterans, elderly and the disabled. More information at www.missionfirsthousing.org.