A Baltimore economic development agency official will lead a nonprofit that promotes the city’s waterfront after longtime leader Laurie Schwartz steps down.
Dan Taylor, an urban planning specialist, will become president of the Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore after Schwartz retires at the end of June, the group said Tuesday. Taylor has spent 12 years at the Baltimore Development Corporation, where he serves as vice president of business and neighborhood development.
Schwartz, 72, a longtime leader behind revitalization of the Inner Harbor who headed the partnership since 2005, announced plans to retire last month. Taylor will become incoming president in May.
Schwartz will leave a legacy of projects such as the creation of Pierce’s Park next to the Columbus Center, the redesign and restoration of Rash Field Park, the launch of the Healthy Harbor initiative and the introduction of “Mr. Trash Wheel,” a vessel designed to pick up debris carried into the Inner Harbor by storm runoff.
The 20-year-old group works to enhance the waterfront district’s parks and public spaces.
With the BDC, Taylor has worked on the redevelopment of Harborplace, improvements to the Maryland Science Center, development of nine acres of public parks at Harbor Point and the creation of outdoor spaces along the Harbor East promenade, among other waterfront projects.
He said his next role will be a familiar one because his first role at the BDC was coordinating waterfront assets controlled by the city, and he later worked closely with Schwartz on Rash Field redevelopment and other partnership projects.
“I view stepping into this role as continuing to build upon the phenomenal work they’ve done,” Taylor said in an interview. “It’s meaningful to have a single organization that’s focused on the quality and coordination of Baltimore’s waterfront, one of the most important assets for the city and residents.”
It will be important to continue creating and managing spaces and offering programs that make the waterfront accessible, while pushing for water quality improvements to enable swimming and other activities.
“It opens up the water to everyone, so you don’t have to live on the water to enjoy it,” he said.
Some upcoming projects will include work on the second phase of Rash Field park at the Inner Harbor. The first phase, with gardens, a playground and skateboard park, opened in 2021. A second phase, adding a lawn, a beach and walking and fitness paths, is slated to start this spring.
The partnership also will coordinate with the city and state on the redevelopment of public promenades and other public infrastructure as part of the planned demolition and rebuilding of Harborplace. Baltimore-based MCB Real Estate has proposed a $900 million plan to add offices and hundreds of apartments in four new buildings of varying heights.
Taylor, who lives with his family in the city, has served on the Waterfront Partnership’s board since 2021.
“Having worked alongside Dan for years, I know firsthand the passion, creativity and dedication he brings to his work,” Schwartz said in a statement. “Dan understands the importance of our mission.”
Colin Tarbert, BDC president and CEO, praised Taylor’s work there leading “transformative” projects such as the redevelopment of key sites in downtown’s west side.
While major investments such as the $250 million renovation of CFG Bank Arena and a $45 million rebuild of historic Lexington Market in recent years have paved the way for revitalization, strategic, small-scale projects are having an impact with below-the-radar projects, often by minority developers, reshaping the area block by block.
Taylor is also leading BCD efforts to redevelop the long-stalled Superblock project, also on the west side. a former shopping district in a two-block stretch of vacant, rundown buildings that the city views as critical to downtown redevelopment.
City officials terminated the most recent agreement with a developer after delays in a $155 million plan calling for apartments, parking and a hotel in the 200 block of West Lexington Street.
The BDC is working on re-issuing calls for development of the city-owned properties sometime this year and is exploring ways to offer more flexibility in development parcels.
Tarbert said in Tuesday’s announcement that Taylor’s next role will enable him to “continue serving the city … where his expertise will further drive positive change for Baltimore’s iconic waterfront.”
Taylor graduated from the University of Michigan with a bachelor’s degree in economics and political science and has a master’s degree in community planning from the University of Maryland.
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