BALTIMORE — The historic Patterson Bowling Center in Canton could soon reopen under a new name and ownership.
On Monday Baltimore City Councilman Zeke Cohen took to social media declaring "duckpin bowling is coming back to Southeast Baltimore."
The nearly 100-year-old bowling alley on Eastern Avenue shut its doors in December.
Cohen vowed at the time to explore ways to avoid permanent closure.
Community members also expressed sadness about losing one of their local landmarks.
RELATED: Nearly 100-year-old bowling alley set to close
The building was put up for sale late last year for $750,000.
Maryland property records show ownership of the building was transferred on February 27.
Cohen on Monday thanked the "developers for listening and working with us to reach a compromise."
A sticking point for the new owners to reopen the bowling alley was the ability to obtain a beer and wine license.
State lawmakers made that process easier during the 2023 legislative session.
Part of the bill appears to specifically cater to the bowling alley by eliminating certain hurdles that normally could prevent a liquor license from being issued.
To get a license current law requires a facility offering food and/or alcohol to meet minimum sales and seating criteria.
Under this bill, if the new owners were to maintain a bowling alley at the current building, they wouldn't be required to have minimum amounts of food sales or customer seating to keep a license.
The only mandate is for the developer to make a "minimum capital investment of $500,000, excluding residential improvements."
According to Cohen, ownership does plan on turning a portion of the property into apartments.
So far there is no clear timetable on when the bowling alley will open, or what it would be called.
Governor Wes Moore still has to sign off on the bill for it to become law.
