BALTIMORE — On a stroll down the York Road Corridor, you'll notice some changes.
Sam Storey is the Executive Director of York Corridor Business Improvement District. He's been on the job for seven months.
"To revitalize and bring vibrancy, to improve safety, we have installed new lighting at a couple business facades,” said Storey.
It's one of many steps taken to spruce up the area. Another is the Clean, Green and Hospitality Program.
"So, we have three staff members who are working 40 hours a week. You might have seen them out picking up trash, greeting people and doing landscaping,” said Storey.
This small group improves the look and feel of the corridor and is also working to improve safety.
"They're going door to door to businesses to see if there are any safety concerns that need to be captured and reported to police," said Storey.
Storey said business owners can also talk with police directly as part of the York Road Safety Task Force.
"Every month we meet with Arnold Jenkins and Captain Henrietta Middleton from the Northern District to share safety concerns that they have noticed and giving them directly to police representatives,” said Storey.
Security cameras will be installed throughout the corridor. Storey said he's working with 25 businesses.
"It doesn't exist right now on the buildings and they're certainly not integrated into the city. Watch the ones that do exist. So, within the next few months we're going to have complete coverage of the front and the back of this building, but not only that, but facing up York Road and down York Road,” said Storey.
York Corridor is about two and half miles from Northern Parkway to 42nd Street.
"I know it's a collaborative effort, this corridor has come a long way. The bid came in and just put another nitch into the positive effects that's going on in the community,” said Phyllis Gilmore.
Gilmore is also the President of Woodbourne-McCabe Associations and on the board for the York Corridor Business Improvement District, also known as BID.
"With our partnership with Safe Streets, our data states that we are zero shootings in the last two years which is paramount for this area,” said Gilmore.
She wants to start by helping the young people.
"I'm actually working with the city and getting them into jobs, getting some of them back into high school. Getting GEDs,” said Gilmore. "But I also work with the community to open their businesses to hire youth in our communities."
Changing the way the area is seen by communities while changing the narrative.
"I will say, this corridor is going to be the best corridor in Baltimore. With the entities that we have working together and the neighborhood associations working together hand in hand. We're looking for a miracle to happen here,” said Gilmore.
