About Us

The Pennsylvania Avenue corridor has a tradition as a vibrant place of commerce, community, and culture. It has served the needs of many nationally known Baltimoreans, including Thurgood Marshall, Cab Callaway, Billie Holiday, Parren Mitchell and the politically influential Mitchell family. The Historic Pennsylvania Avenue Main Street Program’s Four-Point approach will continue to leverage that tradition through small business growth to build an economic engine serving the surrounding communities and the city of Baltimore. 

Volunteers are coordinated and supported by a Main Street Manager to drive Pennsylvania Avenue’s revitalization programs. The Pennsylvania Avenue Main Street Program recharges the commercial corridor through the Transformational Strategies of Design, Economic Vitality, Promotion, and Organization. 

Design

The Design strategy supports our Main Street’s transformation into a safe, inviting environment for shoppers, workers, and visitors while preserving the commercial corridor’s unique physical and cultural assets.  

Design activities bring positive attention to Main Street’s public and private buildings, storefronts, signs, public spaces, parking areas, street furniture, public art, landscaping, merchandising, window displays, and promotional materials.   

Economic Vitality  

This key strategy focuses on capital, incentives, and other economic and financial tools to assist new and existing businesses, catalyze property development, and create a supportive environment for entrepreneurs and innovators that drive local economies. Volunteers and staff develop proactive, collaborative approaches to build and grow a diverse economic base through smart new investment while cultivating a robust ecosystem for our small businesses, focusing on the unique assets of our community, and fostering an environment to help build local wealth. 

Promotion

This strategy positions the Pennsylvania Avenue commercial corridor as the center of multiple communities and hub of economic activity. The team collaborates with professionals to create effective Promotions that emphasize true and positive narratives benefiting the business community. Promotional activity will invite new residents, property and business owners, creatives, and visitors to live, learn, work, worship, shop, and play on and around Pennsylvania Avenue Main Street.  

Organization

The Organization team cultivates partnerships, community involvement, and resources to build a strong and sustainable revitalization effort for Pennsylvania Avenue Main Street that will support small businesses, 

This strategy also fosters a shared vision that: 

• converts our Main Street’s mission into clear goals,  
• defines roles, and 
• builds an operating structure for staff and Board support.