Downtown Baltimore businesses continue to close, leaving workers without jobs

BALTIMORE (WBFF) — Downtown Baltimore is witnessing a troubling trend as businesses continue to close, leaving employees without jobs and residents without essential services.

The latest casualty is the Sheraton Hotel, a key fixture of the Inner Harbor, which has left 69 employees jobless. Morton’s Steakhouse, located in the same building, has also shut its doors.

Economist Anirban Basu attributes the closures to a lingering perception of downtown as unsafe, deterring visitors.

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“There’s still an impression that downtown is dangerous and people aren’t coming,” Basu said.

He noted that once-thriving businesses like H&M, PF Chang’s, and The Fudgery have also closed.

Basu explained that the city’s focus on developing areas outside the downtown district has contributed to the decline.

“We’ve moved the deck chairs around and that would’ve been okay if we were growing the city’s economy,” he said.

But, what we’ve done is caused historic downtown Baltimore to be vacated.”

Baltimore resident Yvette Mitchell expressed concern over rising costs.

“Everything’s so expensive. They’ve got to bring the prices down, so everybody can come out and spend the money,” she said.

The name plate has been stripped from the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Baltimore. (WBFF)

Next week, The Cheesecake Factory, a staple of the Inner Harbor for 30 years, will also be shutting its doors.

Basu emphasized the importance of revitalizing the area.

“We just cannot give up on the central district. We need to find a way to grow the city’s economy and bring the historic central business district into it,” he said.