January 28, 2010 – Segment 2

Turner Development Group recently paid $14 billion for Baltimore’s Westport  neighborhood, a part of the city that has fallen into disrepair since the Carr Lowrey Glass Company went out of business in 2003. Turner’s idea is to transform Westport into an LEED Platinum designated, sustainable urban community, with green roofs and wetland buffers. It’s a well-intentioned–and possibly very profitable–venture. But what about Westport’s existing residents, families and individuals who can’t afford to live in Turner Development Group’s vision for Westport’s future?

Is it urban renewal or urban removal? Be  sure to check out EDGE CITY in this month’s edition of Urbanite.

Our panel tonight included:

• Deborah Guest, a Westport Homeowner who has lived in the neighborhood since 1958
• Linda Towe, Executive Director of Project TOOUR (Teaching Our Own Understanding And Responsibility)
• Ruth Sherrill, Member of the Westport Improvement Association
• James Alston, Member of the Westport Improvement Association

Written by Marc Steiner

The Marc Steiner Show currently airs on The Real News Network. The show covers the topics that matter, engaging real voices, from Charm City to Cairo and beyond. Email us to share your comments with us.