Sagamore Development outlined plans to the city on Thursday for a part of Port Covington the company doesn't expect to be developed for more than 20 years, with designs for a 2.5-acre park ringed by residential towers.
The presentation by Sagamore, the real estate firm owned by Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank, was the latest in a series of discussions before the city's Urban Design & Architecture Review Panel as the company seeks master-plan approval for the development of more than 260 acres in South Baltimore.
The final phase of development discussed Thursday — dubbed Founders Park and the East End district — would occur on land abutting Interstate 95 and property that is currently leased by The Baltimore Sun for the newspaper's printing presses. The Sun has a long-term lease on the property.
The discussion took a tenser-than-usual tone, as some panel members said they were concerned about the large scale proposed throughout Port Covington, as well as a lack of detail about civic buildings such as schools.
Planning Director Thomas J. Stosur said the designs suggest an "almost relentless superblock" environment. He called for the inclusion of a less dense neighborhood with for-sale homes, akin to Beacon Hill in Boston or Ridgely's Delight in Baltimore.
"That piece just seems to be completely missing to me," he said. "I still haven't really heard why you're rejecting that."
Caroline Paff of Sagamore Development said the firm has asked for building sites big enough to be able to contain hidden, interior parking and promised panel members she would present more information about civic buildings at the next meeting.
Sagamore has had discussions with schools, including private or parochial ones, but does not intend to specify their inclusion as part of the master plan, Paff said, noting that the firm also heard from people who say they want to see improvements at existing public schools.
Sagamore said it hopes to build towers 300 feet tall or more on the northern side of the park, with buildings climbing to about 125 feet elsewhere. The park at the center would connect to the waterfront via a diagonal pedestrian "greenway."
David Manfredi of Elkus Manfredi Architects suggested the towers would hold several floors of parking, as well as apartments or condos — but that could change as needs develop.
Large, lighted screens would rim I-95, shielding views of parking; while the highway's underbelly would be home to a kind of park, with basketball courts and other activities. The Baltimore Sun building, where the newspaper is printed, would be demolished.
While UDARP panelists on Thursday largely praised plans for the district, they raised questions about the site's many bicycle paths and how the buildings would cast shadows over Founders Park.
Sagamore hopes to win approval of the master plan at UDARP's May 26 meeting. The firm has not yet submitted zoning to accompany that plan, which would create the guidelines for future development, Stosur said.