The Baltimore Sun | Metro Digest

A major city-led redevelopment effort in the Poppleton neighborhood of West Baltimore received an additional $2 million from the city's affordable-housing program fund yesterday for acquisition and demolition - part of an effort to clear the site for 1,600 new homes.

Baltimore expects to spend $18.5 million for acquisition, relocation and demolition. Construction is to begin late next year or early in 2009, officials said. The project will proceed in four phases and will be completed in eight to 10 years.

The city selected a development team for the project, New York-based La Cite Development, in 2005.

Housing officials noted the 13.5-acre site's proximity to the University of Maryland biotechnology campus and other development. They said that 20 percent of the new units will be targeted to low-income residents and that the project will include 300 rental units.

"This is a very key location," said City Housing Commissioner Paul T. Graziano. "Given its proximity to [the University of Maryland] project and the Westside urban renewal area, there are exciting redevelopment opportunities here."