Points North joins $9+ million Avenue market revitalization

Baltimore’s Avenue Market has been a staple of the City’s Upton community since 1871. To invest in the market’s future, the community hub is undergoing a nearly $10 million redevelopment. Hutch graduate company Points North Studio is leading the branding for the revitalized space.

“The public markets in Baltimore, they have such an incredible history and they’re a staple. They’ve been a place where a lot of folks went for their produce and shopping. Over the years, the markets have grown or scaled back. So Baltimore is in the middle of a revitalization of the markets across the board,” Points North founder and CEO Jessica Watson.

For the Avenue Market project, officials aim to rebuild all of the market’s stalls as well as develop space for a demo kitchen and community events.

Community is at the heart of Points North’s work. In developing the market’s brand and telling its story, Watson and her team are telling the story of the neighborhood and the people who shop at the market. Developers have been holding meetings and listening sessions with community groups and Points North will be building on the feedback from the people who use the market.

“It’s about making sure we are bringing a community up with the revitalization as opposed to taking away. It’s important to honor the legacy and history of the generations and generations of people who have had different experiences with the market in their neighborhood.”

Community improvements

At the project’s announcement, Congressman Kweisi Mfume emphasized that the market is part of the fabric of Upton and will once again be a jewel in the area.

“We want to turn this back into a first-class market so that it rivals any other market,” Mfume said. “We’re going to have fresh produce and fresh food, people will come and have an opportunity to gather again and all things that were lacking are going to be put back in place.”

“This revitalization project is an incredible opportunity for Points North Studio to be partners in,” said Hutch program manager Stephanie Chin. “Points North has always had a passion for working with impact-oriented organizations, and this newest project brings an opportunity for Jess and her team to bring their design superpowers to a place that will improve lives for so many Baltimoreans.”

For Points North, their work with the Avenue Market team is part of their growth strategy into more ambitious projects. For 10+ years, the design studio has worked with diverse companies and global foundations to develop brands and marketing that avoids trends and instead focuses on passion.

Points North Looking Ahead:

Moving forward, Watson is looking to take on more large-scale initiatives, like the Avenue Market project, to expand the impact Points North can have on an organization.

“I want to take the same design thinking and creative problem solving we’re known for and see what else we can apply it to. That means sometimes going into a place and being like, this is a dark room, and I don’t know what’s in it yet, but we’re going to get some lights working. And we’re gonna shine the flashlight in different areas. We can take challenges and look at them as opportunities and see how we can get in and where we fit.”