Tex-Mex Flair and Karaoke Headed to Baltimore Peninsula

Baltimore’s Rye Street Market will soon see a new restaurant option along with a dedicated karaoke bar. 

The MAG Partners and MacFarlane Partners-led Baltimore Peninsula development group has inked two leases with Tex-Mex restaurant concept Urbano and karaoke purveyors Live-K, for a combined 12,300 square feet at the open-air retail and food plaza just a block from the edge of the Patapsco River.

Located in Baltimore’s Port Covington neighborhood, Baltimore Peninsula, as the development was branded in 2022, is a 235-acre project that will feature some 14 million square feet of mixed-use space, 2.5 miles of restored waterfront and 40 acres of parks and green space once fully completed.

Urbano, led by managing partner and executive chef Chad Sparrow and founding partner Larry Walston, is taking 4,500 square feet of space, while LIVE-K, with its 15 rooms for private karaoke parties, will take 7,800 square feet. Live-K’s new Baltimore joint follows the opening of its sister location in Washington, D.C.’s Wharf District in late 2022.

“It’s special to place our footprint in Baltimore and offer our innovative concept in a place that is close to our roots,” Sparrow said in a statement. “The development and vision of Baltimore Peninsula perfectly align with our concept, passion and growth plan.”

Retail leasing for Rye Street Market is handled by MAG Partners’ Sam Spikell and Ed Guiltinan, along with Segall Group’s Andy Segall and Jonathan Garritt. Constantine Gogos of Papadopoulos Properties represented Urbano in lease negotiations, while Shang Wang of Wang Enterprises represented Live-K.

“Our retail strategy at Baltimore Peninsula is driven by the goal of creating a vibrant, dynamic neighborhood. Already, the community’s retail provides critical amenities, exciting activities and enticing food and beverage destinations,” said MAG Partners founder and CEO MaryAnne Gilmartin in a statement. 

The new leases continue a string of activity in Baltimore Peninsula over the past year. The development announced 15 leasing deals in December, together totaling 65,000 square feet, with the likes of the Baltimore Ravens, investment firm Sagamore Ventures, Volo Sports and Jersey Mike’s, to name a few. In March, CFG Bank moved into its new 97,000-square-foot headquarters at 2455 House Street at the peninsula. 

Nick Trombola can be reached at ntrombola@commercialobserver.com.