Eddie’s Owner Makes Emotional Appeal To Hopkins

Despite continued community opposition, and the emotional plea of a local business owner, Johns Hopkins University has not ruled out including a grocery store as part of its Olmsted lot development.

Representatives from Johns Hopkins, and its developer Armada Hoffler, made a presentation about its proposed mixed-use development at the corner of 33rd and St. Paul streets to members of the Charles Village Civic Association on Wednesday night, and reiterated no solid plans for the development have been made. 

"Where we are right now is we’re in our homework phase," said Alan Fish, Johns Hopkins vice president for real estate and campus services.

Representatives said that the community has made it's opposition to including a grocer well known, but that they are in the process of reviewing what will work at the space and will have a more solid idea of that in the next few weeks.

"We're evaluating [the grocery store option], and a number of other options," Fish said.

Last month, it was reported that Armada Hoffler was considering including a grocer in its plan for the long delayed development at 33rd and St. Paul streets. But many Charles Village residents oppose that idea because they don’t want to lose the locally owned Eddie’s Market of Charles Village to competition.

Jerry Gordon, owner of Eddie’s Market of Charles Village, made an emotional plea to representatives, recalling the dedication his family have shown to the community and the university.

"I’m not pretending to be Giant or Safeway. I’m a neighborhood store. I service a village. I service people who walk to me," Gordon said. "I have a parking lot of zero, and for 50 years we’ve operated with parking of zero, but we’ve somehow managed to stay alive."

He also said he wants to see a successful, vibrant and attractive development that compliments—not competes with—existing businesses.    

"We love Hopkins. Hopkins loves us. So we’re hoping Hopkins will do the right thing by us," he said.

Residents also continued to voice their opposition to any plan that includes a grocery store.

"You need to get rid of the idea of a grocery store, or you will be met with opposition all the way," John Spurrier said.  

Johns Hopkins University is also considering including a hotel as part of its Olmsted lot development, or possibly turning the Blackstone Apartments into a hotel as part of that development.

Tony Nero, president of development for Armada Hoffler, said the current proposed timeline for the project would open the development in 2016.

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