Loyola University Maryland celebrated the opening of its newly renovated Loyola Community Center at 5104 York Road in Baltimore Oct. 14. The center, located in a section of a university building on York Road, will host community clinics, youth workforce and leadership development programs, the PATH Community Fair and neighborhood events.
The center opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and includes an additional 2,500 square feet of office space. The space houses the university’s Center for Neighborhood Resilience and will also provide offices for the York Road Partnership and an entrepreneur participating in Loyola’s Baltipreneurs Accelerator.
“Loyola has a long, proud history of partnering with our neighbors to strengthen our city, and we look forward to deepening that connection and continuing that work,” said Terrence M. Sawyer, president of Loyola, in a news release. “We look forward to seeing how the Loyola Community Center brings our students, faculty, staff, administrators and community partners together; expands access to vital programs and resources; and creates new opportunities for our community to thrive.”
The project was funded through a combination of federal and state support and Loyola’s capital budget, according to the release. In 2024, Loyola received more than $1.2 million in federal and state funding. Earlier this year, the university received a $167,000 grant from the France-Merrick Foundation and a $100,000 grant from the Middendorf Foundation. In May, Loyola also received a $500,000 Trust in Practice Award to support the creation of the university’s new Rooted in Trust program, which will launch with three Greater Govans nonprofit partners.
The ceremony included remarks from elected officials and community partners. Jesuit Father Stephen Spahn, Loyola’s assistant vice president of mission, blessed the center. Among those in attendance were U.S. Rep. Johnny Olszewski, State Sen. Mary Washington, State Del. Regina Boyce, Baltimore City Councilman Mark Conway, Ira Kowler and Kate Howard from the Department of Housing and Community Development, and Dan Pontious of the York Road Partnership.
“When universities work alongside their neighbors, they can do more than educate students. They can strengthen communities and create lasting opportunities,” Olszewski said. “Loyola’s new community hub is a beautiful new space for young people to discover new possibilities, for small-business owners to find support, and for residents throughout the York Road corridor to gather.”
The smaller building of Loyola’s 5104 York Road property, which is separate from the Loyola Community Center, is also scheduled to be renovated and will support Loyola’s sustainability and food equity efforts, including the Govans Farmers Market, Govans Community Fridge and other environmental sustainability programs.
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