Maryland
Commentary: Baltimore could learn a few lessons on redevelopment from Cleveland – Maryland Matters
By David Plymyer
The writer is a former county attorney in Anne Arundel County. He can be reached at [email protected] or on X: @dplymyer.
Baltimore and Cleveland face similar challenges caused by the loss of jobs and decreases in population. Those challenges include a surplus of office space in the downtown business districts and a large inventory of vacant and abandoned properties. Cleveland, however, has done a far better job than Baltimore in meeting those challenges.
Cleveland leads the nation in office-to-residential conversions. It has a successful land bank that has been demolishing abandoned and neglected houses and returning the properties to constructive use for 14 years. Cleveland also is implementing an ambitious master plan to reconfigure the Lake Erie waterfront, returning substantial sections to park-like open spaces.
The reason for Cleveland’s edge? A thoughtful, methodical approach to problem solving that relies on facts, demonstrable expertise and experience. That approach has proven more successful than Baltimore’s tendency to jump from one ill-conceived “game changing” idea to the next.
Revitalizing downtown
A recent Washington Post editorial touted Cleveland as “America’s best example of turning around a dying downtown.” The editorial attributed the city’s success in transforming the downtown into an inviting residential neighborhood to the city’s concentration on a relatively compact area. That strategy includes focusing the use of tax incentives on its downtown district.
Baltimore, in contrast, has used various forms of tax incentives to promote development of new neighborhoods outside of the downtown area that compete with it for businesses and residents, including Harbor East and Harbor Point. The city gave developers of Port Covington, now known as Baltimore Peninsula, a whopping $660 million tax break to build office buildings that remain mostly empty.
Residents are moving into the apartment buildings at Baltimore Peninsula. While that offers some comfort to Baltimore Peninsula investors, it could be further bad news for downtown. Add the 900 apartments that the mayor wants to allow developer P. David Bramble to build on city park property along Light Street as part of his redevelopment of Harborplace, and competition with new apartments could slow the pace of office-to-residential conversions downtown.
Stated another way, Cleveland has a strategy for the judicious use of tax incentives. Baltimore hands out tax breaks to developers like candy, a practice that results in a grossly inequitable property tax system and an oppressively high tax rate that discourages reinvestment elsewhere in the city, especially in poorer neighborhoods.
Eliminating blight
Cleveland, with a population of about 368,000, is part of Cuyahoga County. Together the city and county have employed a proven, systematic approach to eliminating blight. The Cuyahoga County Land Bank was established in 2009 and is considered one of the most successful in the country. By 2019, it had completed nearly 2,000 home renovations and 8,000 demolitions in Cleveland and its inner suburbs.
Working with the Cleveland Land Bank, a smaller land bank that operates within city limits, the Cuyahoga Land Bank has made steady progress eliminating blight. A 2015 survey showed that there were about 12,000 vacant properties in Cleveland. The number is now estimated to be between 1,000 and 3,000.
Baltimore, with a population of about 570,000, has the third highest rate of vacant and abandoned properties in the country. Exact numbers are hard to come by, but current estimates are that there are around 15,000 vacant properties, or between 7% and 8% of all city properties, resulting in an annual revenue loss to the city estimated to be at least $100 million.
Eliminating vacant and abandoned properties is a difficult, long-term process, which is one reason why many Rust Belt cities turned to the concept of quasi-public land banks for continuity. Baltimore has had state enabling authority for a land bank since 2008 but has not implemented it.
Mayor Brandon Scott, who does not support a city land bank, announced last month that the city will combat blight through the combined efforts of the Department of Housing and Community Development and BUILD, a faith-based organization with considerable political influence. The mayor never fully explained why he chose BUILD for a partner. He did, however, emphasize the ambitiousness of the undertaking: “We can’t gloss over how big this is. With our plan, Baltimore will be on the cutting edge of housing policy for the entire country.”
The editorial board of the Baltimore Sun had a different take, describing the plan released by the mayor as “overly complicated” and having “the feel of a hastily written undergraduate term paper.” I agree with that observation, adding that it is so devoid of detail that it is more like a press release than an actual plan.
Enhancing the waterfront
Cleveland is nearing completion of its North Coast Master Plan, intended to turn Cleveland into a true lakefront city by “reconnecting” the city to Lake Erie. It will create a green and sunlit buffer between the built environment and the water’s edge that is accessible from city neighborhoods, an idea embraced by the visionary 1967 master plan for Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.
James Corner Field Operations, the lead design consultant for Baltimore’s Reimagine Middle Branch Plan, was selected from a field of 18 applicants to design the North Coast Master Plan. Baltimore, on the other hand, turned planning for the redevelopment of Harborplace over to a single developer, Bramble.
Despite a virtual Who’s Who of prominent architects, planners and responsible developers writing letters to the editor, taking to social media and attending hearings to warn city leaders that they are headed in a direction that could destroy what makes Baltimore’s Inner Harbor such a cherished amenity, the city is charging ahead with Bramble’s plan. The casual manner in which expertise and the history of the Inner Harbor are being ignored is stunning.
Why the difference?
Cleveland has demonstrated the importance of careful planning and thoughtful, workable processes for getting things done. Its leaders listened to urban economists and planners and understood that real estate development alone cannot revitalize a city that struggles to retain its existing population, let alone attract more residents.
Consequently, it did not award hundreds of millions of dollars in tax breaks to encourage the construction of new office and apartment buildings. Baltimore did exactly that, and it accomplished little more than shifting jobs and people from one part of the city to another.
Above all, Cleveland’s leaders do not allow the interests of a relatively small handful of rich, powerful and politically influential persons to supersede the best interests of the city as a whole. Baltimore’s leaders make a practice of it.
Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win
Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.
Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
The Maryland Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at April 27, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from April 27 drawing
18-31-33-36-62, Powerball: 03, Power Play: 3
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from April 27 drawing
Midday: 8-0-7
Evening: 2-4-3
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from April 27 drawing
Midday: 6-6-2-1
Evening: 2-5-6-3
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 5 numbers from April 27 drawing
Midday: 7-0-5-0-2
Evening: 9-9-9-1-8
Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from April 27 drawing
9 a.m.: 06
1 p.m.: 10
6 p.m.: 08
11 p.m.: 12
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Bonus Match 5 numbers from April 27 drawing
08-16-34-38-39, Bonus: 04
Check Bonus Match 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning MultiMatch numbers from April 27 drawing
01-15-17-41-42-43
Check MultiMatch payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from April 27 drawing
20-31-33-44-65, Powerball: 19
Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.
Keno
Drawings are held every four minutes. Check winning numbers here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
Maryland Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes above $600, winners can claim by mail or in person from the Maryland Lottery office, an Expanded Cashing Authority Program location or cashiers’ windows at Maryland casinos. Prizes over $5,000 must be claimed in person.
Claiming by Mail
Sign your winning ticket and complete a claim form. Include a photocopy of a valid government-issued ID and a copy of a document that shows proof of your Social Security number or Federal Tax ID number. Mail these to:
Maryland Lottery Customer Resource Center
1800 Washington Boulevard
Suite 330
Baltimore, MD 21230
For prizes over $600, bring your signed ticket, a government-issued photo ID, and proof of your Social Security or Federal Tax ID number to Maryland Lottery headquarters, 1800 Washington Boulevard, Baltimore, MD. Claims are by appointment only, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This location handles all prize amounts, including prizes over $5,000.
Winning Tickets Worth $25,000 or Less
Maryland Lottery headquarters and select Maryland casinos can redeem winning tickets valued up to $25,000. Note that casinos cannot cash prizes over $600 for non-resident and resident aliens (tax ID beginning with “9”). You must be at least 21 years of age to enter a Maryland casino. Locations include:
- Horseshoe Casino: 1525 Russell Street, Baltimore, MD
- MGM National Harbor: 101 MGM National Avenue, Oxon Hill, MD
- Live! Casino: 7002 Arundel Mills Circle, Hanover, MD
- Ocean Downs Casino: 10218 Racetrack Road, Berlin, MD
- Hollywood Casino: 1201 Chesapeake Overlook Parkway, Perryville, MD
- Rocky Gap Casino: 16701 Lakeview Road NE, Flintstone, MD
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at Maryland Lottery.
When are the Maryland Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 11 p.m. ET Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11 p.m. ET Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 5 Midday: 12:27 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, 12:28 p.m. ET Saturday and Sunday.
- Pick 3, 4 and 5 Evening: 7:56 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday, 8:10 p.m. ET on Sunday.
- Cash4Life: 9 p.m. ET daily.
- Cash Pop: 9 a.m., 1 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. daily.
- Bonus Match 5: 7:56 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday, 8:10 p.m. ET on Sunday.
- MultiMatch: 7:56 p.m. Monday and Thursday.
- Powerball Double Play: 11 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Maryland editor. You can send feedback using this form.
NASA calls Artemis II mission ‘just the beginning’
The Artemis II crew landed safely back on Earth after a 10-day mission around the moon. NASA said it was the first moon mission “of many more.”
Jessica Watkins, who has already made NASA history, is now set for a second trip to space.
The astronaut from Gaithersburg, Maryland, was announced last week as the spacecraft commander for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-13 mission expected to launch later this year.
Here’s what to know about Watkins.
Who is Jessica Watkins?
Watkins was born in 1988 in Gaithersburg, Maryland, located about 25 miles northwest from downtown Washington DC.
It was in Maryland where she first had dreams of going to space. While attending an after-school program at Judith Resnik Elementary School in Gaithersburg as a 9-year-old, she learned the school was named after the second American woman who went to space.
“I learned that you could go into space as a career, and I was definitely hooked,” she told Stanford Magazine in 2022.
She later moved to Lafayette, Colorado, which she considers her hometown, according to NASA.
After graduating with her bachelor’s degree from Stanford University, Watkins received her doctorate from UCLA in 2015.
“Jessica Watkins has been shaping the future of space exploration since her days at UCLA,” the university said.
What experience does Jessica Watkins have with NASA?
A geologist by training, Watkins was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2017 after working on Mars rover science teams.
She first left earth in 2022 as the mission specialist on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 mission, logging 170 days in space.
It was a historic mission for Watkins, who became the first Black woman to live and work at the International Space Station.
“I think it really is just a tribute to the legacy of the Black women astronauts that have come before me, as well as to the exciting future ahead,” Watkins said during an NPR interview.
NASA said her mission duties included “maintaining the space station and contributing to science experiments that not only might improve life on Earth, but also allow researchers to learn more about the effects of long duration spaceflight on the human body.”
In addition to her spaceflight experience, Watkins was named to NASA’s Artemis team, a group of astronauts eligible for future missions to the Moon.
Her experience will now bring her back to the ISS. Watkins will join Luke Delaney, Joshua Kutryk and Sergey Teteryatinikov to replace the Crew-12 mission at the space station.
NASA said the mission is targeted for September.
Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win
Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.
Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
The Maryland Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at April 26, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Pick 3 numbers from April 26 drawing
Midday: 8-5-2
Evening: 4-8-0
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from April 26 drawing
Midday: 5-5-4-6
Evening: 5-1-3-1
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 5 numbers from April 26 drawing
Midday: 9-1-7-9-1
Evening: 6-9-5-7-7
Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from April 26 drawing
9 a.m.: 03
1 p.m.: 07
6 p.m.: 09
11 p.m.: 11
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Bonus Match 5 numbers from April 26 drawing
02-11-13-25-39, Bonus: 34
Check Bonus Match 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Keno
Drawings are held every four minutes. Check winning numbers here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
Maryland Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes above $600, winners can claim by mail or in person from the Maryland Lottery office, an Expanded Cashing Authority Program location or cashiers’ windows at Maryland casinos. Prizes over $5,000 must be claimed in person.
Claiming by Mail
Sign your winning ticket and complete a claim form. Include a photocopy of a valid government-issued ID and a copy of a document that shows proof of your Social Security number or Federal Tax ID number. Mail these to:
Maryland Lottery Customer Resource Center
1800 Washington Boulevard
Suite 330
Baltimore, MD 21230
For prizes over $600, bring your signed ticket, a government-issued photo ID, and proof of your Social Security or Federal Tax ID number to Maryland Lottery headquarters, 1800 Washington Boulevard, Baltimore, MD. Claims are by appointment only, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This location handles all prize amounts, including prizes over $5,000.
Winning Tickets Worth $25,000 or Less
Maryland Lottery headquarters and select Maryland casinos can redeem winning tickets valued up to $25,000. Note that casinos cannot cash prizes over $600 for non-resident and resident aliens (tax ID beginning with “9”). You must be at least 21 years of age to enter a Maryland casino. Locations include:
- Horseshoe Casino: 1525 Russell Street, Baltimore, MD
- MGM National Harbor: 101 MGM National Avenue, Oxon Hill, MD
- Live! Casino: 7002 Arundel Mills Circle, Hanover, MD
- Ocean Downs Casino: 10218 Racetrack Road, Berlin, MD
- Hollywood Casino: 1201 Chesapeake Overlook Parkway, Perryville, MD
- Rocky Gap Casino: 16701 Lakeview Road NE, Flintstone, MD
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at Maryland Lottery.
When are the Maryland Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 11 p.m. ET Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11 p.m. ET Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 5 Midday: 12:27 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, 12:28 p.m. ET Saturday and Sunday.
- Pick 3, 4 and 5 Evening: 7:56 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday, 8:10 p.m. ET on Sunday.
- Cash4Life: 9 p.m. ET daily.
- Cash Pop: 9 a.m., 1 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. daily.
- Bonus Match 5: 7:56 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday, 8:10 p.m. ET on Sunday.
- MultiMatch: 7:56 p.m. Monday and Thursday.
- Powerball Double Play: 11 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Maryland editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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