Mission Statement
HLMS works supports both the business and the residential communities of our beloved Northeast Baltimore in both tangible and intangible ways that include: facilitating improvements to commercial properties via grant opportunities, using a community-based approach to work towards an aesthetic that contributes to a sense of place; promoting residential renovation loans and matching grants; creating signature experiences that foster connection and community among neighbors; and, activating our public and shared spaces with modern infrastructure and amenities, while cultivating that irresistible, inclusive, green, creative, and connected Northeast Baltimore vibe! Join us as we continue to elevate and amplify our network of neighborhoods and businesses in and around our commercial corridor — we believe there’s no better place to plant seeds and put down roots!
Both the list of what HLMS values (as seen below), and our strategic plan were developed via a process that involved the entire HLMS board coming together during several stages to discern the guideposts that would direct our way forward. These values are:
- Supporting local businesses
- Embracing the diversity of the neighborhoods and reflecting the community
- Encouraging environmental sustainability
- Promoting walkability
- Ensuring continuing beautification of our Main Street
- Engaging and sharing opportunities with neighbors and the larger community
- Being welcoming to all
Vision Statement
- We envision increased responsiveness to the needs of ALL of our community members.
- We endeavor to humbly allow expertise and evidence-based best practices to guide our work.
- We commit to applying an equity lens to all our undertakings — intentionally bolstering inclusivity and representation in the planning, execution, and evaluation of our efforts.
Come along and explore our site to see what all of this looks like in ACTION!
The Main Street Concept
- Learn more about the Mayor’s Office of Small and Minority Business Advocacy & Development here:
https://smba-d.baltimorecity.gov/mwboo/about-us - Learn more about Baltimore Main Streets here:
https://smba-d.baltimorecity.gov/mwboo/baltimore-main-streets - Learn more about the Main Street America approach here:
https://www.mainstreet.org/hom
"The four-point approach works because it gives every person a chance to be listened to, giving each a platform to do what they think is vital and important for the downtown."
Julie Irish, Program Manager, Peabody Main Street, Kansas
Board of Directors & Staff
Our work at Hamilton-Lauraville Main Street is a collaborative effort. We rely on the volunteer efforts of many- from folks committed to the cleaning and greening of our community, to local business owners and residents creating events and opportunities for interaction, to the contributions of our many partner organizations and institutions.
The Hamilton Lauraville Main Street Board of Directors is collaboration in action — these individuals volunteer countless hours of their time and talents to serve our community.
As part of their board service, various members of the board lead the four standing HLMS committees — Design, Promotions, Economic Vitality, and Organization. Please feel free to contact us if you’re interested in volunteering to assist one of these committees or would like to learn a bit more about their work!
President
Tom Creegan
Bio
Tom Creegan lives in Lauraville and has spent most of his career in the restaurant business at Hamilton Tavern and Brewer’s Art. He is now working in commercial real estate development focused on Main Streets in Baltimore. You may see him on any given day at Zeke’s or wandering around picking up trash or cycling down your street. Feel free to join him in any of those activities.
Vice President
Jean Farnsworth
Bio
Secretary
Greg Adamo
Bio
Gregory Adamo, Ph.D. has lived in the Hamilton neighborhood since 2012. He recently retired as Professor in the School of Global Journalism and Communication at Morgan State University. He is the author of African Americans in Television: Behind the Scenes and co-editor of the book College Media: Learning in Action. Dr. Adamo has published book chapters on “The Wire” and Baltimore, film and racial identity, as well as teaching about race and media. He may be a native New Yorker, but Greg loves living in Baltimore.
Treasurer
Rich Marsiglia
Bio
Richard Marsiglia is a longtime resident and business owner in the Hamilton area. He is the founding president of HLMS, and he currently serves on the board as treasurer. Rich spends all of his free time with his wife of 38 years, three children and six grandchildren.
Board Member
Julie Bent
Bio
Julie Bent lives in Arcadia. She is the owner of Tortuga, an indie boutique on Harford Road. Julie opened her shop in October of 2019. It has been an interesting journey running her small business in the neighborhood. Julie is the acting Chair of the Promotion Committee and is driven to amplify our Main Street business owner’s voices and draw attention and foot traffic to our unique Main Street.
Board Member
John Harris
Bio
John Harris grew up in Louisiana and was reared with a social consciousness and community spirit that still drives him today. John has served on multiple boards in support to nonprofit operations. As president of Moravia-Walther, John helped to revive the 81-year-old organization for continued growth. As a community steward, John sits as second vice-chair on the Community Review Panel of the Lauraville Urban Renewal Plan. Additionally, John is privileged to be on the board of directors for HARBEL.
Board Member
TeKesha Jamison
Bio
TeKesha Jamison is the Chief Operating Officer of The Cube Cowork. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Coppin State University and a Master of Science degree in Human Service Administration from the University of Baltimore. In addition to her work for the Maryland Division of Parole and Probation (DPP) for 19 years and more than three years of experience working in the Baltimore City Public School System, Ms. Jamison is the Assistant Director of Rising Over Standards and Excelling (R.O.S.E), a non-profit organization that provides resources to underserved communities by offering educational and outreach services for youth, young adults, and their families. Through her education and career, Ms. Jamison has gained experience in case management, supervision, administration, community outreach, negotiation and conflict management, and program planning implementation and evaluation.
HLMS Executive Director
Daniel Doty
Bio
Daniel Doty is a licensed attorney and was an HLMS board member for close to a decade before stepping up as the Interim Executive Director in July 2021. In January 2022, he became the full-time Executive Director. Over the past 15 years, Lauraville is where he has raised his two children and currently lives with his partner and her kiddo. [email protected]
HNI Neighborhood Marketing Coordinator
Krista Cushman
Bio
Healthy Neighborhoods
Healthy Neighborhoods programs support strong but undervalued neighborhoods (i.e. ”middle neighborhoods”) by connecting residents with below market rate purchase and renovation loans and grants, by marketing the neighborhood to prospective residents, and by facilitating resident-led projects and events that highlight positive activity in the community.
Learn more about Healthy Neighborhoods here:
https://healthyneighborhoods.org/
Learn more about “middle neighborhoods” here:
https://ncst.org/middle-neighborhoods/
Contact
We’d love to hear from you! If you have a question, a suggestion, or you want to get involved, please drop us a line!