John G. Rangos building to host Institute of Basic Biomedical Science
"Even though we didn't boycott, we think it's a death to this community," Gresham said. SMEAC formally protested at a ceremony marking the halfway point of building construction.
"The relationship between Johns Hopkins Medicine and the East Baltimore Community is a fine one," Johns Hopkins Medicine CEO Edward Miller said.
But some community members are upset that the Rangos building opened before area homes were ready for people to move back in.
Rental units have opened in the area for seniors and members of the workforce, but many of those forced out by demolition and construction are homeowners who would lose equity.
"We will make sure to build the housing so people will come back to the area," Maryland Senator Barbara Mikulski said.
The East Baltimore native recalled living and working in the area as a social worker, where she saw the drastic difference in quality of life between hospital and surrounding area.
Now, Mikulski said she hopes, "where drugs once killed people, they will be creating drugs to save lives."
An independent study found a majority of residents displaced by construction were happy after the move, and many residents are hopeful about the future of their community.
"It's very nice. They're doing a lot of nice things for East Baltimore," said an East Baltimore resident who lives a block from the Rangos building.
But vocal opponents to the disruption caused by development still remain.
"It's always beautiful for them to fix up the area, but the construction was a total mess," resident Caroline Hutton said.
Hutton decided to close Happy Days Family Day Care, which she ran out of her house located a block east of the new biotech building. She was concerned that construction on the Rangos building was causing damage to her house.
Concerns with construction are ongoing and are also related to city construction efforts, according to EBDI Director of Communications Helen Szablya.
"The relationship between Johns Hopkins Medicine and the East Baltimore Community is a fine one," Johns Hopkins Medicine CEO Edward Miller said.
But some community members are upset that the Rangos building opened before area homes were ready for people to move back in.
Rental units have opened in the area for seniors and members of the workforce, but many of those forced out by demolition and construction are homeowners who would lose equity.
"We will make sure to build the housing so people will come back to the area," Maryland Senator Barbara Mikulski said.
The East Baltimore native recalled living and working in the area as a social worker, where she saw the drastic difference in quality of life between hospital and surrounding area.
Now, Mikulski said she hopes, "where drugs once killed people, they will be creating drugs to save lives."
An independent study found a majority of residents displaced by construction were happy after the move, and many residents are hopeful about the future of their community.
"It's very nice. They're doing a lot of nice things for East Baltimore," said an East Baltimore resident who lives a block from the Rangos building.
But vocal opponents to the disruption caused by development still remain.
"It's always beautiful for them to fix up the area, but the construction was a total mess," resident Caroline Hutton said.
Hutton decided to close Happy Days Family Day Care, which she ran out of her house located a block east of the new biotech building. She was concerned that construction on the Rangos building was causing damage to her house.
Concerns with construction are ongoing and are also related to city construction efforts, according to EBDI Director of Communications Helen Szablya.
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