MCB Real Estate Joins Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott to Break Ground on New Headquarters for Employment Development

MCB Real Estate, a commercial real estate investment management and development firm with nationwide holdings, is excited to announce the official groundbreaking for the new location of the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development (MOED) at Reservoir Square, a new $170 million mixed-use development located along the 600-850 block of W. North Avenue in Baltimore, MD developed in partnership with MCB Real Estate, Atapco Properties and MLR Partners.

“This is an investment that will change lives and help to change the footprint and legacy of this neighborhood,” said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. “We’re talking about a place once called ‘Murder Mall,’ that will soon be home to a state-of-the-art employment hub, where Baltimoreans can get connected to good jobs. My administration is committed, not only to making these resources available, but making them accessible, including by creating spaces like this one in neighborhoods where they can have the greatest impact.”

The City’s new state-of-the-art employment hub will encompass a four-story 63,000-square-foot facility. MOED’s strategic placement on the CityLink Gold route and proximity to Penn North Station ensures optimal accessibility for MOED’s clients who are connecting to employment opportunities. The facility will integrate a modern American Job Center, featuring advanced career skills-building classrooms, collaborative workspaces, and upgraded technology learning labs. This consolidated One-Stop Career Center will centralize various programs and services, making them more accessible and efficient, ultimately benefiting residents and the greater West Baltimore community and the City as a whole.

“The new MOED at Reservoir Square is much more than just a building, it represents a profound commitment to the very community it serves,” says MCB Real Estate Co-founder and Managing Partner P. David Bramble. “Much like the broader vision we have for Reservoir Square, this center is uniquely positioned to unlock immense potential right here in the neighborhood. As someone incredibly proud to call this area home, seeing this direct investment and the opportunities it creates for its residents is truly gratifying.”

In FY 2024 alone, MOED’s efforts translated into more than 3,000 city residents securing jobs through the office’s efforts. MOED also actively supported the business community, servicing more than 1,000 businesses with essential recruitment services, strategic advisement, and grants. Additionally, MOED’s 2024 YouthWorks initiative offered summer job opportunities to over 10,000 young individuals, collaborating with more than 750 employer partners across the city.

The creation of the new MOED facility is the result of a strategic partnership between the City and private sector partners like MCB. This collaborative model ensures the project proceeds without affecting other municipal capital initiatives, and for the first time in decades, Baltimore City will gain a new government office building, demonstrating an innovative method for delivering critical public services by harnessing private sector expertise.

“The groundbreaking of our new American Job Center marks a major milestone in our mission to connect Baltimoreans with opportunity,” said MacKenzie Garvin, Esq., Director of the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development. “This state-of-the-art, transit-accessible facility will serve as a centralized hub for workforce innovation, employer engagement, and community collaboration. By unifying our core programs in one modern space, we’re enhancing access, streamlining services, and equipping residents to build sustainable careers. This historic investment reflects the power of strategic partnership and underscores our long-term commitment to advancing economic justice across Baltimore.”

The Reservoir Square project is also a textbook example of a collaborative public-private partnership. The City of Baltimore collaborated with MCB Real Estate, Atapco Properties, and MLR Partners, along with the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), the Maryland Economic Development Corporation (MEDCO), national non-profit P3 –Foundation Inc. (P3) and the Neighborhood Impact Investment Fund (NIIF). The sale-leaseback structure between the City and P3, with bonds issued by MEDCO, provides a path to ownership for the City, with a built-in reserve fund to ensure the long-term viability of the facility. The development is considered a model for equitable urban redevelopment, transforming a once-blighted mall and public housing site in West Baltimore into a vibrant, mixed-use community.

“Reservoir Square and the new MOED location are a powerful testament to what is possible when committed partners come together with a shared vision,” adds Bramble. “This project brings long-overdue investment to a truly deserving community. And though these deals are complex, when you have the right partners, determination, and vision, even the toughest projects can rise. It is our hope that this project inspires other organizations, public and private alike, to come together and make a difference.”

About Atapco Properties

Atapco Properties is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Trading and Production Corporation, which was originally formed in 1931 to consolidate, expand and diversify the business activities of the Blaustein family, the founders of the American Oil Company (AMOCO). Atapco Properties is active in Maryland, Indiana, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, developing state-of-the-art industrial, retail, residential, office and mixed-use projects with an emphasis on sustainability and green building standards. For more information on Atapco Properties, visit www.atapcoproperties.com.

About MLR Partners

MLR Partners is a privately held, Baltimore-based commercial real estate investment and management firm founded in 2011 that acquires, develops, manages, and invests in assets in the retail, mixed-use, office and industrial sectors.

About MCB Real Estate

Founded in 2007, MCB Real Estate is a community-centric, privately held national commercial real estate investment management and development firm headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland. MCB boasts a nationwide portfolio of $3 billion in assets under management totaling approximately 17 million square feet with almost four million square feet in its development pipeline. Property types include industrial, office, retail, mixed-use, multi-family and healthcare. The firm offers a seamlessly integrated suite of commercial real estate investment services, including acquisitions, development, construction, asset management, property management, leasing, marketing, financing and legal expertise, thus ensuring comprehensive support throughout every stage of an asset’s lifecycle. Learn more at www.mcbrealestate.com.

About MOED

The Baltimore City Mayor’s Office of Employment Development (MOED) is committed to empowering Baltimore residents through job placement, training programs, and support services. In 2024, MOED offered YouthWorks summer jobs to over 10,000 young people across more than 750 employer partners. MOED placed more than 3,000 city residents in jobs in fiscal year 2024. MOED also supports businesses with recruitment services, strategic advisement, and business grants. In fiscal year 2024, over 1,000 businesses were serviced by MOED. Our mission is to promote economic justice in Baltimore City by connecting individuals with meaningful employment opportunities and businesses with the city’s brightest talent.