BDC's Brodie: We'll address business-park crime
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 the southwest part of the city. Trash, illegal dumping of construction waste, burglaries, expensive air-conditioning units repeatedly destroyed for their copper, no snowplow service and random abandoned boats showing up on the street and staying for months are all business as usual at Crossroads. The column said:
Send us ideas," Baltimore mayor-apparent Stephanie Rawlings-Blake told businesses.Here's a radical one: Deliver minimum amounts of cleanliness, safety and service to city companies or keep watching them bug out to the suburbs...Your Honor-To-Be, [the Crossroads businesses] await your visit. If the boats and trash don't get in the way.
In an email and a couple conversations, Baltimore Development Corp. chief Jay Brodie says he's on the case. BDC was to meet with Crossroads folks yesterday. "We’ve been on this and will continue to follow up on the Action Plan that has been discussed with the businesses," he says. OK, but he Action Plan was was sort of hard for the businesses to detect.
The plan includes tree pruning, new signs, extra attention from police, intra-business email alerts about crime and discussion of private security paid for by the businesses. I suspect the businesses have heard this before. What about the boat? "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.
Comments
Here's a radical "idea" -- enforce the law. Fine illegal dumpers to the point where it's no longer financially attractive to leave their boats and other garbage in someone else's parking lot.
Posted by: Carol Ott | January 25, 2010 12:16 PM
Update to all 6-14-2010:
BDC came in and trimmed some trees. BDC or City never cleared the snow. This was performed by Bond Distributing so they would not be shut down. We never saw a City snow plow.
Trash and vandalism continues. Multiple incidences this weekend alone. Police protection is non existent. Police response is sporatic at best. We have been told it's non emergency when police are called. IF THEY SHOW the vandal or dumper is long gone. Has anything changed?? NO. BDC has never lead anything and is following businesses lead. Businesses in park were hammered in last slow down so resources and time from individuals doing City and law enforcement's work is small. So has anything changed? No, and in fact it seems to have gotten worse.
Posted by: Scott Macdonald | June 14, 2010 11:33 AM