The University of Baltimore announced that its Midtown campus will continue to serve as the temporary home for Baltimore City College high school students and staff for at least another year. The extension pushes the lease end date to June 2029, giving the high school additional time to complete renovations at its historic building on 3220 The Alameda.
Background on the partnership
In 2023, University President Kurt Schmoke – a 1967 graduate of City College and former Baltimore mayor – offered the university’s Midtown facilities as a stop‑gap location while the high school’s historic campus undergoes a major renovation. The original agreement called for a three‑year lease beginning in mid‑2025 and ending in August 2028, after which students would return to The Alameda for the 2028‑2029 school year.
Since the transition began last year, roughly 1,400 students in grades 9 through 12, along with teachers and support staff, have been using two university buildings: the Academic Center at the northwest corner of Charles Street and Mount Royal Avenue, and the William H. Thumel Sr. Business Center at the southwest corner of the same intersection.
Reason for the extension
Construction on the Alameda renovation has been delayed by nationwide shortages of building materials and skilled labor. University of Baltimore Director of Communications Chris Hart explained that these factors will push the completion date to late 2028, necessitating a one‑year lease extension.
“City College has proposed a one‑year extension of our lease agreement, and we are collaborating with Baltimore City Public Schools on a revised lease,” Hart said in an email. “The yearly financial commitment is very small, so we don’t believe any further approvals are needed. The request for an extension is a result of nationwide shortages in construction materials, in‑demand labor, and other factors that are impacting the major renovation project happening at the high school’s home campus. A one‑year extension of our lease with City College, ending in June 2029, would continue the approach and campus experience of the past year.”
Impact on university plans
The university also disclosed that it plans to replace the current Academic Center with a smaller, modern structure better suited to today’s students. That project is slated to begin after 2030, and Hart emphasized that the lease extension will not interfere with those long‑term plans.
“We are continuing to make plans for a new Academic Center, with construction‑related work beginning sometime after 2030, so this extension would not affect that schedule,” Hart added.
What this means for families
For parents and students, the extension provides continuity of location and resources while the historic Alameda campus is finished. The university’s Midtown facilities are centrally located and already equipped to support a full high‑school curriculum, easing concerns about further disruptions.
Local community leaders have praised the cooperation between the university and the school district, noting that the partnership reflects a commitment to preserving educational stability amid broader construction challenges.
Next steps
The revised lease will be reviewed by Baltimore City Public Schools officials in the coming weeks. Assuming approval, City College students will remain on the University of Baltimore campus through the 2028‑2029 academic year, after which they are expected to move back to the renovated Alameda building.
Original reporting: Baltimore Fishbowl — read the source article.
