A developer’s plan to construct a seven-story apartment building on downtown’s west side moved ahead on Wednesday when Baltimore’s Board of Estimates approved a request to sell three city-owned parcels at the northeast corner of Park Avenue and Lexington Street to the project’s developer.
The spending board unanimously approved a request from the Baltimore Development Corporation for the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore to sell the parcels at 114 and 116 W. Lexington St. and 207 Park Avenue to Garden Theatre LLC, a group headed by developer Chukuemeka “Chukes” Okoro. The sale price is $50,000 for the three vacant buildings, which occupy 6,732 square feet of land.
The BDC selected Okoro to redevelop the properties after he responded to a request for proposals in 2022. His plan calls for demolition of the former Ann Lewis Shops department store at 116 West Lexington Street and partial retention of the buildings at 114 West Lexington Street and 207 Park Ave., including their facades.
According to preliminary plans approved last month by the city’s preservation commission, Okoro’s project will contain approximately 3,000 square feet of street-level commercial space and about 48 apartments on six levels above.
The Board of Estimates approved a Land Disposition Agreement that will lead to the city’s sale of the three vacant properties, which are part of the city’s Five & Dime Historic District.
Tamir Ezzat of ddbWorkshop is the architect and Ann Powell of Plan B is the owner’s representative. This will be the fourth project near Lexington Market for Okoro Development. Founded in 2003, the company rehabilitated 101 W. Lexington St., 109 W. Lexington St. and 324-326 Park Ave. for residential use, and has its headquarters at 109 W. Lexington St.
