West Baltimore Innovation District

The West Baltimore Innovation District is an area spanning several neighborhoods including Mondawmin, Coppin Heights, Penn-North, Reservoir Hill, and Bolton Hill that contains research facilities, startup centers, and schools. These places are connected in a network that has transformed former industrial sites into spaces for new technology.

The area was established in 2016 as a response to economic challenges and intended to bring growth and renewal to the neighborhood. Its creation was part of a larger plan to revive former industrial areas and create new opportunities for residents.

The area brings together universities, local businesses, and residents working on technology and entrepreneurship projects. You can see people collaborating in shared workspaces and labs, showing how actively schools and companies partner here.

The district is easy to reach by public transit since Mondawmin and Penn-North stations and the Cultural Center Light Rail provide access. The best time to explore is during daytime hours when offices and centers are active and running normally.

The district intentionally repurposes former factory buildings and turns them into modern workspaces for technology and research. This reuse gives the neighborhoods a distinctive character as old industrial architecture sits alongside contemporary innovation centers.