Fresh carpet glue on the floor and wet paint everywhere greeted Baltimore’s Enoch Pratt Free Library president when he arrived at his system’s latest branch.
Chad Helton, the Pratt CEO, stopped by 1100 Greenmount Ave. to take a look at the soon-to-open Johnston Square Library. He was joined by Regina Hammond, the energetic and indefatigable leader of community organization ReBUILD Johnston Square Neighborhood
“This is the first new, from-the-ground-up branch we’ve opened in more than 15 years,” Helton said of what will be a layout of computers, periodicals and books, plus the professionals to help people take advantage of the digital world.
“I predict it’s going to do a lot of good,” Hammond added.
She recalled that there has never been a public library presence in Johnston Square and many of its adjacent communities.
The glassy library, which occupies much of the ground floor of the new and also not-quite-completed Hammond at Greenmount Park building, wraps around the intersection of Greenmount Avenue and Biddle Street. The park in the name refers to a large greensward being readied along Biddle Street immediately east of the Jones Falls Expressway.
Only a few years ago, the possibility that such a transformation could occur would have rattled the odds of success, but something wonderful happened.
Plenty went into this mix: the resolve of the people of Johnston Square, ReBUILD Metro, the housing group that has renovated 1,150 vacant homes within walking distance, Somerset Development Co., and its ability to bring 109 units of affordable housing here, and the trustees of the Pratt Library, who said: Let’s do the right thing.
Somerset, whose stated mission is “socially responsible,” joined with ReBUILD Metro’s request to help create affordable housing at Greenmount and Biddle. The two joined forces to create the new building, which also includes the library. Harkins Builders is completing the $54 million project.
“This is what we came here to do. To do what Miss Regina [Hammond] wanted,” said Jake Stern, Somerset’s development director. “There aren’t many construction opportunities for a branch library.
“An accessible ground floor, whether it be retail or a library, is key to neighborhood health. We’re happy it worked out here,” Stern said.
“We will be bringing more access to computers here. We will be focusing on digital literacy and AI literacy. And of course, at the forefront will be early childhood literacy and education,” Helton said of his new branch.
Helton, who began his job heading the Pratt system in September 2024, noted he was born and raised in Mount Airy, North Carolina, the town where actor Andy Griffith was and became the fictional Mayberry.
“It was a great place to grow up,” he said.
But he had an extended Baltimore family. His grandmother was one of six sisters, most of whom were part of the Great Migration and made the 375-mile move to Baltimore.
He says he’s still catching up with cousins.
Helton has settled into old Baltimore. He has rented an apartment along Baltimore’s Howard Street, a short walk to his desk at the Central Library.
He said the Pratt system will be reopening five branch libraries this year — Brooklyn, Govans, Hamilton, Herring Run and Reisterstown Road. Others in the pipeline are Park Heights, Forest Park and Washington Village.
When asked about crime at Greenmount and Biddle, he said, “People have a love and respect for the library. After the killing of Freddie Gray, our Pennsylvania Avenue branch was untouched and served as a community hub.”
Regina Hammond said, “A library is not just books today. It’s going to be an asset to the whole neighborhood.”
The new library and affordable housing building are part of a well-planned effort to revitalize and clean up Johnston Square, a 19th-century Baltimore neighborhood once known as the Tenth Ward. Dozens of homes are now renovated, both here and in neighboring Oliver and Greenmount West.
“A library is definitely going to change the dynamics of this community,” said Vere Edwards, a Johnston Square resident. “It will stimulate the thought processes of our children. There’ll be programs too. And with St. Frances Academy across the street, on Chase Street, it will get a lot of use.”
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