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Gensler | 38 Gensler | 39 <br />Baltimore Penn Station / Amtrak <br />Community Engagement <br />Baltimore, MD <br />The public engagement strategy around Baltimore Penn Station’s <br />redevelopment forms an inspiring foundation for how to best <br />serve citizens in the midst of urban transformation. <br />Baltimore Penn Station is more than just a gateway <br />to the city. It is a connector for all sorts—from <br />transitory visitors to longtime residents. A regional <br />hub and a destination in itself, it is a mainstay <br />for the local community. Redevelopment of such <br />an iconic and locally impactful site requires a <br />deep dive into public discourse to accurately pin <br />down civic priorities and needs. With this in mind, <br />Amtrak, Penn Station Partners, and Gensler are <br />working in conjunction to lead a campaign of public <br />engagement to explore a strategy around the <br />station’s expanding operations. <br />The team held three public meetings with <br />attendees from all walks of life, representing <br />a remarkably diverse range of intimately local <br />and broadly regional interests that span the <br />socioeconomic spectrum. Since communication <br />styles are as diverse as perspectives, the meeting <br />types are varied to incorporate as many voices as <br />possible via town hall, open house, and roundtable <br />discussions. With one meeting down and two to <br />go, the roundtable discussion was a successful and <br />profoundly educational event. With 230 attendees <br />congregated at the University of Baltimore and <br />broken up into ten-person tables, Cross Street <br />Partners, Beatty Development, PSP, and Gensler <br />were able to thoroughly engage with residents and <br />interested parties. More than just a rail station; it <br />is a transit hub for buses, taxi service, ridesharing, <br />and a number of other growing and intersecting <br />modalities that will continue to redefine how <br />people get around Baltimore and the greater <br />region. <br />An exploration with this level of rigor and detail <br />was necessary because of the wide range of <br />options for the previously vacant parcels under <br />development. Possibilities abound, from Class <br />A office space to hotel options to retail, green <br />public space, and student housing. In spite of the <br />anticipated variety, the public meetings revealed <br />that regardless of which options are chosen, the <br />additional parcels would have to be developed with <br />a particular character and identity that integrates <br />the identity and character of the arts and cultural <br />district it sits adjacent to. Above all else, it would <br />have to be a people-focused locale: walkable, green, <br />and culturally expressive. <br />The Baltimore Penn Station public engagement <br />story reminds us of what can happen when design <br />is not disassociated from the communities it <br />affects. It advocates for a more comprehensive <br />process that goes beyond checking a box; we must <br />resolve to make it more and providing pathways for <br />the city to have its voice heard and build our future <br />together. <br />5 acres <br />Completed 2020 <br />Services Provided <br />Community Engagement <br />Master Planning <br />Urban Design <br />Architectural Design <br />Interior Architectural Design <br />Signage & Wayfinding <br />please use  <br />local artists  <br />from  <br />Baltimore City <br />heavily  <br />represent  <br />Black  <br />artists <br />leverage  <br />made in  <br />baltimore  <br />movement <br />supply chain  <br />consideration <br />PENN STATION SOUTH PLAZA | COMMUNITY MEETING #1 | 9 <br />Community Engagement <br />Engagement Approach <br />Consider art exhibits and <br />installations in both the <br />public realm and in <br />the interior of the station. <br />Create multiple <br />entrances and exits to <br />the station that connect <br />passengers <br />to the community. <br />Emphasize the station as <br />a point of discovery for <br />the city, taking advantage <br />of the opportunity to be <br />a point of civic pride and <br />engage visitors and <br />residents beyond the <br />commuter population. <br />Create intuitive and <br />clear wayfinding that <br />communicates walkable <br />amenities and <br />destinations in adjacent <br />neighborhoods.Make pedestrian-friendly <br />streetscape and plaza <br />improvements that <br />support walkability, <br />activation and public <br />transit access (i.e., <br />playgrounds, <br />fountains, gardens, ice <br />skating rink, reflection <br />areas, amphitheater). <br />Create a public realm <br />that supports active <br />lifestyle uses such as <br />fitness, yoga, playground, <br />basketball court. <br />230+Meeting Attendees <br />f.OCNC Experience & Qualificationsf.OCNC Experience & Qualifications <br />Docusign Envelope ID: EA417244-1B08-4F71-884E-045B78625FB7