Miller's Court is a new complex that opened in July. It's located in Charles Village in North Baltimore. It offers Baltimore City teachers a discount on rent.
"I think Miller's Court for me was a great option because it was cheaper. I was trying to budget a new salary because coming out of college you never had a salary before," said Jamie Gwinn, a fourth grade English teacher at William Paca Elementary School.
80 teachers like Jamie Gwinn, Jace Goodier and Nathan Carlsberg call Miller's Court home. The old warehouse was originally a can factory. The 40 unit facility features high ceilings, original wooden beams and large living room windows. It also offers teachers a chance to exchange ideas with other educators.
"We thought it would be a great environment to live with nothing, but teachers and to be in an area where everyone does the same thing you do. They have the same kind of problems and different areas of expertise," said Jace Goodier, a second grade math teacher at Cherry Hill Elementary/Middle School.
Miller's Court is profitable because state and local tax credits offset the costs of development and operation. Rent for one, two and three bedroom apartments range from $700 to $1,500 a month for teachers.
Normally, a one bedroom in the same neighborhood would cost $1,100 a month.
"The idea of the community that has been established here could work for any field. There is a great energy. There are a lot of young people who are passionate about what they are doing and that's important," said Nathan Carlberg, a teacher at Cherry Hill Elementary/Middle School.
There is a waiting list, but a similar 54-unit complex is in the works for Baltimore's Hampden neighborhood by 2011. Baltimore's Seawall Development Corp. built Miller's Court. Seawall would accept renters outside of the teaching profession, but they would have to pay market rates. They could only move in if units were available.
