Exelon Making Waves In Harbor Point

BALTIMORE (WJZ) --  A major milestone for one the city's top development projects. Today, the Exelon headquarters at Harbor Point opened.

It's just part of a transformation that includes offices, apartments, high end stores and restaurants.

This entire area used to sit empty just a few years ago. But now it's undergoing a one-point-eight billion dollar makeover. It's the latest addition to the Baltimore skyline.

It's been under construction for years and now Exelon has opened the doors of its new $160 million dollar Harbor Point headquarters.

"In Exelon, we see the kind of commitment and dedication that will ensure the success of Baltimore's comeback," said Governor Larry Hogan.

It's been home to a chrome processing plant for 140 years. The waterfront land sat empty for decades.

Now renderings are becoming reality as the 27-acre site is transformed to 1.6 million feet of office space, a thousand residential units, and 9.5 acres of green space.

"This area was just an abandoned site," says Laurie Schwartz with Waterfront Partnership.

She says Harbor Point builds a bridge between Fells Point and Harbor East.

"Now it's reconnected. People can walk out on the promenade. It's I think one of the most beautiful views of the waterfront," she said

Construction on the Harbor Point project has hit multiple roadblocks. There were fights over a funding and a massive environmental cleanup stalled the project.

But now, Harbor Point is set to become a destination neighborhood.

"When you see all the construction going on, the housing, the commercial the restaurants. This is baltimore's future," said Senator Ben Cardin.

As more companies invest in charm city.

"It's a good place for employment. It's a good place for investment and we're just proud to be here.
The next phase of Harbor Point is already underway," said Chris Crane, Exelon CEO.

The construction of the Exelon building alone brought 5,300 construction jobs to Baltimore.

When it's fully built, Harbor Point is expected to generate $20 million dollars a year in property taxes.