BALTIMORE, MD (August 27, 2025) - Today, Mayor Brandon Scott, Baltimore City Council President Zeke Cohen, Baltimore City Council Vice President Sharon Green Middleton, State Delegate Malcolm Ruff (District 41), State Delegate Sandy Rosenberg (District 41), and leaders from the Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore City Recreation & Parks, Baltimore City Department of General Services (DGS), Baltimore City Department of Planning, and Park Heights Renaissance, ceremoniously broke ground on the first Enoch Pratt Free Library Branch in Park Heights and C.C. Jackson Park expansion. The celebration culminates a decades-long effort that will bring a new library to a community that has been without one since 2001, as well as an addition to C.C. Jackson Park, which has seen phased improvements since 2014.

"I remember the day the library closed, causing us to have to travel two miles to the closest library," said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. "I'm so proud that young people- and people of all ages- today will have access to this facility within walking distance. Everywhere you look, Park Heights is on the rise, with new housing, rec facilities, parks, and this library- the first new Enoch Pratt Free Library branch in Baltimore in over a decade. Every day, but especially today, I couldn't be prouder to be a son of Park Heights."

The combined $19.3 million project will be completed through a partnership between DGS and Recreation and Parks. The partnership was designed to deliver cost savings and an accelerated construction timeline for both projects, which are scheduled to be completed in two years.

"Park Heights has fought for the resources every neighborhood deserves for more than three decades. Today's groundbreaking shows what happens when a community refuses to be forgotten," said City Council President Zeke Cohen.

Both the new library and park expansion are part of the Park Heights Master Plan adopted in 2006 to invest in and improve the 1,500-acre neighborhood that is home to approximately 30,000 residents. The new park will ensure nearly 100 percent of Park Heights residents will be within a half mile distance of a large open space.

"Since being elected, it has been my mission to bring this kind of resource to our district. For decades, our historic Black neighborhoods like Park Heights have faced disinvestment," said City Council Vice President Sharon Middleton. "Today, at this groundbreaking, and in partnership with Mayor Scott, we are leaning in, revitalizing the heartbeat of Baltimore by investing in education, recreation, and opportunity right here in Park Heights. At a time when federal efforts threaten to strip resources from our children, this new library will stand as a powerful symbol of Baltimore's commitment to imagination, progress, and the strength of our families for generations to come."

When the Park Heights Master Plan was adopted in 2006, two of every three properties surrounding Park Heights and Woodland Avenues were vacant. The new Park Heights library location was among the most distressed areas in the City. The City of Baltimore acquired and assembled more than 400 vacant properties across 62 acres of land surrounding Park Heights and Woodland Avenue.

"Breaking ground on the Park Heights Library is a moment of pride not just for the Pratt Library, but for the entire city," said Chad Helton, CEO of the Enoch Pratt Free Library. "This project reflects what's possible when government, community and supporters come together with a shared vision. For the people of Park Heights, this library will be more than a building -- it will be a place of learning, connection and opportunity for generations to come."

The new 18,000-sq-ft building will include a dedicated children's reading room, multi-purpose assembly space, a variety of lounge and study areas, public access computer spaces, computer training and WiFi, and a collection of approximately 18,000 volumes. Financing for the library project comes from the State of Maryland, City of Baltimore, library and private donor support, and funding from the Pimlico Local Impact Aid. As part of this project, the Pratt Library has raised over $6 million in private funding - which includes the largest single gift in Pratt history from Baltimore philanthropists Rheda Becker and Robert Meyerhoff.

"The DGS Capital Projects team could not be more thrilled to move forward with this project," said Berke Attila, Director, Baltimore City Department of General Services. "It is an honor and a privilege to bring a new library into being for a neighborhood that so richly deserves it. We also are pleased to work in collaboration with Baltimore City Recreation & Parks, as the impact of this project will surely be greater than the sum of its parts."

Located adjacent to the C.C. Jackson Recreation Center, the land will be transferred from Baltimore City Recreation & Parks to the Enoch Pratt Free Library. Construction will begin in September 2025 and is planned to be completed by September 2027. The architect and interior design contractor is RRMM Architects. The construction contractor is Whiting Turner. The landscape design contractor is Mahan Rykiel Associates Inc.

"This project is about more than new amenities - it's about creating opportunities and strengthening the heart of Park Heights," said Dr. Reginald Moore, Executive Director, Baltimore City Department of Recreation & Parks. "The expansion of C.C. Jackson Park, alongside the new library, represents a major step forward in increasing access to safe, modern and welcoming spaces, one of Recreation & Parks' priorities."

The new park addition will feature an expanded walking loop with new fitness stations, a pavilion and open space for community use and programs, a larger playground, a flexible lawn and practice field, future community garden access, park lighting, parking and more. A community-based planning process in 2018 and 2019 helped shape the design plan for this project. Funding for the park expansion comes from the Pimlico Local Impact Aid and City of Baltimore.

"Today is a historic day for the Park Heights community," said State Senator Dalya Attar. "For more than 20 years, our neighborhood has been without a library- a place that inspires learning, growth, and opportunity. I was just 11 years old when the Park Heights library closed its doors, and today at 34, I am proud to have delivered on my promise to bring it back. From the moment I was elected, I made it a top priority to secure the resources and partnerships necessary to make this possible. This library is more than just a building- it represents hope, opportunity, and a brighter future for our families and children. The people of Park Heights have waited far too long, and they deserve nothing less. I am grateful to my partners in local and state government who helped turn this dream into a reality, and I could not be prouder to celebrate this victory with my constituents."

"As a native son of Park Heights, who was raised by a long time Pratt librarian, I am overjoyed that after decades of suffering through a resource desert, my community is finally receiving the investment we truly deserve," said Delegate Malcolm P. Ruff, 41st District. "We all know that knowledge is indeed power, and I am grateful today that the people, especially the children of Park Heights, will soon be afforded exponential empowerment by this world class library. This library represents opportunity and a reminder to all of our community members that they have our unwavering support. It is my honor to represent a community that is so fierce and so resilient and I know we will continue to be that and much more with the addition of this awesome library."

"After more than 30 years without a neighborhood library, today's groundbreaking marks a long-overdue and historic milestone for Park Heights," said Delegate Sean A. Stinnett, 41st District. "The new Park Heights Library will serve as a foundation for education, community building, and growth, providing residents with access to books, technology, educational programs, and a welcoming space to gather. This project represents not only an investment in equity and opportunity but also a testament to the resilience and advocacy of the Park Heights community, whose voices and vision made this day possible."

See links below for design images of the library and park:
(Image 1 is credited to RRMM Architects; images 2-4 are credited to Mahan Rykiel Associates):

• Park Heights Library 3D Rendering
• Jackson Park View from Woodland facing Park Heights Ave
• Jack Park Entrance at Park Heights Ave
• Jackson Park Corner of Park Heights Ave and Woodland Ave

For more information on the Enoch Pratt Free Library, please visit:
https://www.prattlibrary.org/

For more information on Baltimore City's Department of Recreation & Parks, please visit: https://bcrp.baltimorecity.gov/

For more information on Baltimore City's Department of General Services, please visit: https://generalservices.baltimorecity.gov/