Essex-Middle River

Our Moment

Essex and Middle River are Baltimore County’s front porch to the Chesapeake Bay with deep cultural roots, proud traditions and strategic assets.

Once defined by industry and working families, they now stand at a turning point. Eastern Technical High School and MedStar Franklin Square Hospital remain pillars of education and healthcare. The waterfront offers unmatched cultural, recreational and environmental value, with potential to drive both quality of life and climate resilience.

The Essex Reimagined initiative has begun to sketch a future for the community—revitalizing Main Street, opening waterfront access and reducing the car-centric patterns that have aged much of the area.

But in these challenging times, progress has been slow. Essex Reimagined has created an incredible plan and now it is time to take action. Together, we must no longer allow aging infrastructure and disconnected investment from holding back young families from building their futures in Essex and Middle River.

Our Mission

The challenge for Essex and Middle River is urgency. Federal and state resources are on the table. All of the ingredients are in place to rejuvenate this region for young professionals. We must have leadership that is prepared to deliver on the promise the work Essex Reimagined has already done by granting them authority and funding to move initiatives forward with urgency. 

The consolidated planning department will support by creating a small area plan that reimagines Essex’s Main Street into the walkable civic heart of the community, supporting small businesses, attracting families and drawing visitors to the waterfront. In partnership with Essex Reimagined, we would create walkable town centers, bike paths and transit connections that link neighborhoods to affordable homes, quality schools and job centers like Medstar, White Marsh and Tradepoint Atlantic.

Most importantly, we must prioritize public access to the waterfront while investing in green infrastructure and cultural spaces that strengthen identity, boost recreation and enhance climate resilience.

Essex and Middle River do not need to become something they are not. They need to be restored as thriving waterfront communities where families gather on Main Street, children play in safe parks and the Bay once again shapes a proud, sustainable identity.