In March 2021, NIIF closed a $465,000 mortgage loan to support ownership and occupancy of the former Littlepages Furniture Store on West Baltimore Street in Pigtown by Southwest Partnership. The building will now serve as Southwest Partnership’s headquarters.
Originally founded in 1883, Littlepages moved into the building in the 1970s, becoming one of several retailers that made up what was then known as “Furniture Row.” The business closed in 2019 after 126 years, and the family then sold the property to Southwest Partnership.
Southwest Partnership was formed in 2014 as a coalition of seven neighborhood associations and six anchor institutions, including University of Maryland and Bon Secours Health System, who work together to strengthen Southwest Baltimore and implement the community’s Vision Plan. The organization’s focus area includes the NIIF-eligible neighborhoods of Barre Circle, Franklin Square, Hollins Roundhouse, Mount Clare, Pigtown, Poppleton, and Union Square.