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BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE: BUILDING THE DIGITAL HARBOR - Baltimore's Smart Growth Economic Development Strategy (Excerpted from the City Of Baltimore Web site: http://www.ci.baltimore.md.us)

Building on the critical mass of new technology firms locating or starting out in Baltimore, Baltimore's Mayor Martin O'Malley has launched a Task Force to develop a strategy for Bridging the Digital Divide and repositioning Baltimore City and the region to capture the immense potential of the "New Economy" for Baltimore's future.

DigitalHarbor.info provides basic information about the growth of Techology in Baltimore and offers a Technology-Specific Search Engine to help you find your digital neighbors.

Space and Place: The private sector has identified major projects in Canton, Fells Point, South Baltimore (from Federal Hill to Locust Point), West Baltimore and along the Jones Falls Valley that can meet the needs of tech firms.

Education & Workforce:

• Higher education - The Baltimore region has incredible intellectual assets with some of the strongest higher education institutions in the nation including the Johns Hopkins University, Hopkins Hospital, University of Maryland Hospital, University of Maryland at Baltimore County and others.
• Technology smart K-12 schools - Baltimore's greatest human asset is its youth. The revised Remedy Plan proposal from the Baltimore City Public School System (BCPSS) describes a comprehensive, high standards strategy for greatly expanding technology education, while completing the Governor's bold commitment to wire all 180 (+/-) schools for technology in the classroom. A Digital Harbor Technology Academy (currently Southern High School in South Baltimore), modeled after the Silicon Valley High Tech High School, will be the flagship of the City's commitment to technology based education. Francis Scott Key School is the city's Instructional Technology Magnet School and is also located in South Baltimore - only a few blocks from Tide Point.

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Public sector incentives: Marketing & Image - Baltimore is known internationally for its lively Inner Harbor. A private sector initiative is to market the Baltimore region to tech firms and tech workers around the globe. Additional activities to educate the larger business community and Baltimore communities about the technology revolution reshaping Baltimore will be developed.

A new leadership program will be targeted at technology entrepreneurs. Continued promotion and development of networking opportunities and volunteer opportunities will help strengthen the technology community as it grows.

A Showcase for Smart Growth - The Digital Harbor strategy is a fantastic vehicle to showcase Maryland's range of Smart Growth initiatives.

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The Digital Harbor is already helping revitalize residential neighborhoods from Canton to Locust Point. According to research conducted by the Live Baltimore Marketing Center, employees of Digital Harbor companies are more likely to live in Baltimore City, increasing the demand for housing in many city neighborhoods. Between 50 and 80 percent of some technology company's workforce (compared with a 30 percent average citywide) live in Baltimore City.

A Public Private Partnership in Planning, Funding and Implementation Funding is only one element of the Digital Harbor strategy. For the immediate purpose of establishing Mayor O'Malley's priorities for State funding support in the Governor's fiscal year 2002 budget, the focus of this initial Digital Harbor strategy and State funding request is on public infrastructure. This strategy is Smart Growth because it builds on existing assets - Infrastructure, Architecture and Neighborhoods, the Intellectual Power of Local Universities and the local workforce and Baltimore's image as a dynamic American city. State support will further the success of Smart Growth, allowing Baltimore's people to visit, live, learn and earn in a city that can serve as a national model for redevelopment. (To read the actual, full article, CLICK HERE.)