Do Business Here - Dundalk Renaissance

"The HDTC is an absolutely cute, picturesque 'old town' literally surrounded by parks. The rent is incredibly affordable. I don’t know of any other place where price per square foot is less than $2.00."

Laura Quintana Owner of Little Crystal Bijoux

7 Center Pl, Dundalk, MD 21222

Be a Part of the Community!

The Historic Dundalk Town Center is a great place to open up a business. With x amount of retail space available and rent prices ranging from a to b, your business dreams can become a reality. Data points for how many people come to the town center on average, average amount of business done, etc.

Click Through Our Interactive Map

Resources

Dundalk Market Study

Baltimore County Small Business Resource Center

10 Steps to Starting Your Business

Maryland’s Small Business Development Center

The Maryland Office of Small Business Resources

DHCD Neighborhood Business Works

Greater Dundalk Chamber of Commerce

Unique HDTC Incentives

HDTC Commercial Improvement Grant

The Commercial Improvement Grant helps businesses and offices preserve and rehabilitate their space–inside and out!

Property owners and commercial space renters can receive up to $10,000 from our Commercial Improvement Grant to improve their building facade or interior, upon approval from the Dundalk Renaissance’s Design Committee. Lighting, signage, awnings, siding, doors, flooring, bathroom repairs and new paint are typically approved.

To date 14 business in the Historic Dundalk Town Center received this grant. Our most recent recipients include: Then & Again, Plush Hair Studio, and Dude’s Snack Attack.

We will not issue grants for active renovation projects. If approved, renovation must start within 60 days after receiving Dundalk Renaissance’s letter of award. Construction must be completed within 90 days or an exception must be granted by the Dundalk Renaissance Design Committee. Each project must be approved by the Department of Housing & Community Development. All projects require a minimum of two contractor bids.

The amount of funding awarded to each project is determined by the significance and improvement to the overall revitalization of Dundalk. These funds are provide by the Baltimore Regional Neighborhood Initiative.

Baltimore County Commercial Revitalization Programs

Architect-On-Call program offers ten free hours of professional architectural design services to businesses for improvements to the exterior of buildings located in the Historic Dundalk Town Center. The architect will prepare a digital rendering of the building with design recommendation and a rough cost estimate after an initial site visit and meeting with the owner. The service is free when improvements are certified as complete within six months. Dundalk Renaissance used this program to help with the front of our building rennovation.

Contact Amy Mantay, 410-887-3480, atmantay@baltimorecountymd.com.

Building Improvement Loan Program (BILP)

Building Improvement Loan Program (BILP) provides up to a $30,000 interest-free loan which can be used for exterior improvements such as awnings, landscaping and signage for businesses in one of 18 Commercial Revitalization Districts. This loan can be combined with other economic development incentives for larger projects. Some minor interior and equipment improvements may also be financed.

Email businesshelp@baltimorecountymd.gov. or call 410-887-8000

Commercial Revitalization Tax Credit is for larger projects and provides a 5-year real property tax credit for physical improvements that increase the assessed property value by $100,000 or more. If improvements exceed $10 million, a 10-year credit is available. To receive the credit for the next tax year, applicants must apply within 120 days of the completed project and must be in a commercial revitalization district–like this Historic Dundalk Town Center.

County Business Loan Programs

Boost Loan Fund

The Boost Loan Fund Program provides access to capital for targeted businesses including small, minority-, women-, and veteran-owned businesses in the Baltimore Metro area. The new fund is capitalized by Maryland casino tax revenue and can provide loans from $50,000 to $250,000.

Little Crystal Bijoux took advantage of this program when they first opened.

Small Business Loan Fund

The Small Business Loan Fund provides real estate and fixed-asset loans through a partnership between Baltimore County and the area’s leading financial institutions. The maximum loan amount is $1 million, or 40 percent of the project cost, whichever is less.

Applicants must obtain a loan commitment in an amount equal to at least 50 percent of the project cost from a bank participating in the Small Business Loan Fund.

Business Growth Loans

Business Growth Loans are direct loans or loan guarantees for new or expanding industrial or commercial businesses. Maximum loan amount is $250,000. Funds may be used to finance the acquisition and improvement of land, buildings, plant and equipment, including new construction or facility expansion.

Other programs you might qualify for are listed on Baltimore County’s website.

State Neighborhood Business Works Loan

Neighborhood Business Works Loan provides gap financing to new or expanding small businesses and non-profit organizations in Sustainable communities that have potential impact on the neighborhood. Eligible projects include mixed-use, new construction or rehabilitation, real estate acquisition, and machinery and equipment. The loan is for amounts of up to $500,000 or 50% of the total project costs, whichever is less and has a target loan term from 5-15 years.

More info:
dhcd.businesslending@maryland.gov
301-429-7408