A recent column addressed to mayor-to-be Stephanie Rawlings-Blake called attention to the extremely challenging conditions of doing business in Baltimore, particularly at Crossroads Industrial Park in Southwest Baltimore.

Trash, illegal dumping of construction waste, burglaries, expensive air-conditioning units repeatedly destroyed for their copper, no snowplow service and abandoned boats showing up on the street are all business as usual at Crossroads.

Baltimore Development Corp. chief M.J. "Jay" Brodie says he's on the case. The BDC met with Crossroads folks this week. (The meeting was previously scheduled.)

"We've been on this and will continue to follow up on the action plan that has been discussed with the businesses," Brodie says.

OK, but previously the action plan was kind of hard for the businesses to detect.

The plan includes tree pruning, new signs, extra attention from police, e-mail alerts about crime and discussion of private security paid for by the businesses. I suspect they have heard this before.

What about the boat that has been sitting there for months? "We'll get rid of the boat," Brodie promises.

Does the incoming mayor know about all of this? "I sent her a copy of what I sent you," he said.