On Jan. 23 CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst), one of the country’s largest not-for-profit healthcare organizations, announced plans to lease approximately 20,000 square feet of space at The Village at Mondawmin at Mondawmin Mall. The move is designed to double down on their investment in West Baltimore and workforce development initiatives.
“We believe anchor institutions in our region have a meaningful responsibility to support Greater Baltimore’s economic growth,” said CareFirst President and CEO Brian D. Pieninck. “With this initiative, we are demonstrating that when we join together to invest with our communities and support the development of local talent, we can create a path to shared opportunity and success where health outcomes improve, economic prosperity improves, and we’re all better for it.”
CareFirst will utilize its space to host workforce development training and expand the wraparound support services available to reduce barriers to gainful employment, as well as for employee workspace and community engagement initiatives focused on expanding opportunities for city residents. The first cohort of their West Baltimore Workforce Development Program, a groundbreaking effort focused on creating career opportunities in West Baltimore in partnership with Coppin State University and Center for Urban Families, just graduated last month launching graduates into careers in community health, sales and more.
CareFirst joins Whiting-Turner, an expanded and relocated TouchPoint Baltimore, and Edenbridge PACE as future tenants in the building. These tenants represent nearly sixty percent of the leasable space in the project. Discussions are ongoing with other potential tenants, including a daycare provider, a medical service provider, and several restaurants. Interested businesses are invited to consider joining the community. The Village at Mondawmin leadership along with community leaders will continue to work to lease space to tenants that fill important community needs.
The Village at Mondawmin redevelopment is being undertaken by TouchPoint Empowerment Center, LLC, an entity personally owned by Tim Regan, CEO of The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company.
“We are excited that the vision for this project is becoming a reality and thrilled that CareFirst has signed on as a tenant. Their plans in workforce development will continue to position the community for the future,” said Regan. “The investment made in 2022 to develop The Village at Mondawmin is spurring even more investment as businesses see the incredible opportunity in this special community. Meaningful tenants are signing on that will continue to benefit West Baltimore’s neighborhoods. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with community leaders as we vet and welcome more tenants in the future.”
“This is a game-changing investment for us, and we’re excited to see it thrive,” Pieninck shared. “It’s about the community, spurring momentum, and creating a vessel for the area’s vibrancy to shine.”
About The Village at Mondawmin
In March of 2022 Tim Regan, Whiting-Turner president and CEO, purchased the former Mondawmin Mall Target store with the aim of creating an active community hub that would revitalize the historic West Baltimore neighborhood and Mondawmin Mall. Prior to this acquisition, Regan and President and CEO of Exelon Calvin Butler co-founded Mondawmin’s TouchPoint Baltimore – now a tenant at The Village at Mondawmin – a unique collaboration space developed and funded exclusively by Whiting-Turner and BGE that is now home to several nonprofit organizations. Like TouchPoint Baltimore, the nearly 125,000 square foot space, now named The Village at Mondawmin is being developed in consultation with local community leaders with the goal to unlock untapped talent in the neighborhoods of West Baltimore and advance growth within the city. For more information visit www.villagemondawmin.com
About CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield
In its 86th year of service, CareFirst, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, is a not-for-profit healthcare company which, through its affiliates and subsidiaries, offers a comprehensive portfolio of health insurance products and administrative services to 3.5 million individuals and employers in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Northern Virginia. In 2022, CareFirst invested $24.1 million to improve overall health, and increase the accessibility, affordability, safety and quality of healthcare throughout its market areas. To learn more about CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, visit www.carefirst.com.
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