The Greenmount Project: The Anchors of Hope
The Anchors of Hope Community Plan is a community-driven, physical revitalization plan developed by the Greater Greenmount Community Association.

The name, "Anchors of Hope" reflects the history of the neighborhood as well as the Association's approach to urban design.

• In 1877, Captain Kennedy docked his ship during a terrible storm when the first of two anchors gave way. The Captain prayed that if the second anchor held, he would return to Baltimore to build a church. The second anchor held fast and St. Ann's Church was indeed built. Named after the patron saint of sailors, this Catholic Church has served as a steadfast anchor for the community for over 125 years.
  
  
• The anchors concept also refers to the idea of "critical mass" in community economic development and to a theory of urban design called "catalytic architecture." Both recognize that communities must maintain a certain level of activity to create vital and productive spaces. Practitioners generally agree that this critical mass is most easily achieved by building on the existing anchors and assets of a community.

The GGCA's approach calls for creating block-scale development projects that reinforce the periphery of existing "anchors," which include the following:

	St. Ann's church, men's transitional facility, youth center, and senior center
	Baltimore School Administration building on the 400 block of North Avenue
	Dallas Nicholas Elementary School
	Cecil Elementary School
	And to a lesser degree, the Rite Aid at Greenmount and North Avenues.

The Association has developed a series of strategies that together form the basis of the Anchors of Hope community revitalization plan.