Port Covington: From Railroad Terminal to Cyber Hub

Port Covington, a major redevelopment project in Baltimore city, is one of the more ambitious projects underway, and at a waterfront ceremony in October that brought together Mayor Pugh, Congressman Ruppersberger, and Governor Hogan, it was announced that “Cyber Town, USA” was going to launch at Port Covington, helping to create the world’s largest cybersecurity hub.

Building upon Baltimore’s reputation for being a cyber and startup hub, the project aims to have a far-reaching impact on the region’s future, generating new and innovative opportunities for entrepreneurs. Upon completion, the project will include up to 18 million square feet of new, mixed-use development, 2.5 miles of restored waterfront, and 40 acres of parks and green space. More notably, the development of Port Covington will spur the development of cyber companies, bringing much-needed jobs and capital investment to Baltimore and Maryland.

“Maryland has the largest cybersecurity employee population in the U.S., said Mike Janke, co-founder of DataTribe. DataTribe is a globally known cybersecurity startup studio that has helped fund eight successful cyber startups in the region.

The name—“Cyber Town, USA”—is fitting. Both Maryland and the Greater Baltimore region boast some of the highest rates of computer and math degree holders in the nation, ranking 1st and 3rd, respectively. Maryland alone ranks 3rd of all states in concentration of computer occupations, and 2nd in information security analysts. Fort Meade, just down the road from Baltimore, is the largest employer in the state of Maryland and is home to six of DOD’s top eight cyber defense headquarters. Now, the region is looking to commercialize cyber opportunities, and Port Covington’s development is only the start.

The “city within a city,” as The Architect’s Newspaper has dubbed the development project, will be a personification of the economic growth happening in Baltimore. Glitzy, new, and promising opportunity to the local workforce, Port Covington will be a visual manifestation of what Baltimoreans already know: there is much promise here.