Centerpoint Apartments in Baltimore: Affordable Mid-Rise Living Near Penn Station

Centerpoint Apartments is a 200-unit mid-rise building in the station North neighborhood, two blocks west of Penn Station, offering one- and two-bedroom units at below-market rates for the central Baltimore corridor. The building was redeveloped in 2015 and operates under a mixed-income model, meaning roughly half the units are reserved for households earning 60 percent of area median income (AMI), with market-rate leasing for the remainder. It serves renters priced out of Inner Harbor and Federal Hill but seeking walkable downtown access without the commute burden of outer neighborhoods.

What Centerpoint actually is

The building occupies a mid-block site on North Avenue and is a six-story concrete structure with exterior brick. Units are compact but functional: 650 square feet for one-bedrooms, 850 for two-bedrooms. Common amenities include a small fitness room, package lockers, and bike storage. There is no on-site parking; residents rely on street parking or nearby surface lots. The mixed-income structure means lease terms and eligibility vary: income-restricted units require documentation of household earnings, while market-rate units operate under standard Baltimore landlord-tenant law.

Pricing and income restrictions

One-bedroom market-rate leases typically fall between $1,050 and $1,200 per month; two-bedrooms range from $1,350 to $1,550. Income-restricted units are priced at 30 percent of gross household income for households earning between 30 and 60 percent AMI. For 2024, 60 percent AMI for a family of four in the Baltimore region is approximately $51,600, meaning eligible households earn under that threshold. Verify current rates and income limits with the leasing office, as both shift annually.

To qualify for an income-restricted unit, applicants must provide recent tax returns, pay stubs, and proof of income. The application process mirrors standard rentals but includes income verification. Wait lists for income-restricted units may extend weeks or months depending on vacancy.

How Centerpoint compares to other Baltimore apartments

Centerpoint's defining feature is the mixed-income model, a structure uncommon in Baltimore rental stock. Direct competitors depend on income level.

For renters at or below 60 percent AMI, the city's public housing authority (Housing Authority of Baltimore City) manages scattered-site units and traditional public housing projects; waiting lists typically exceed two years, making Centerpoint faster to access. The Affordable Housing Trust Fund, administered through the city's Department of Housing and Community Development, also subsidizes units at various properties citywide, but availability is fragmented. Centerpoint offers the advantage of a single application and known availability.

For market-rate renters near Penn Station, Centerpoint undercuts comparable one- and two-bedroom stock in the station North and Midtown corridors by $200 to $400 monthly. A comparable market-rate two-bedroom one block south or east can lease for $1,750 to $1,900. The tradeoff is space: Centerpoint units are smaller and lack parking, amenities, or in-unit laundry that mid-range competitors offer. If parking is non-negotiable, elsewhere in the corridor often includes it, though at a higher lease price.

For renters seeking community and support services, some Baltimore nonprofit housing providers (such as Catholic Charities Housing Services or Associated Jewish Charities programs) integrate case management and job training, features Centerpoint does not advertise as core offerings.

Who Centerpoint suits, and who it does not

Centerpoint works for renters who prioritize walkability and proximity to downtown job centers or Penn Station transit. Households earning between 30 and 60 percent AMI with clean rental history and documentable income will find faster access here than through public housing waitlists. Remote workers or those without commute pressure may find the North Avenue location less essential and resent the lack of parking or laundry.

Single professionals and small families benefit most. Larger households (five or more occupants) will find two-bedrooms tight. Renters dependent on private vehicles will face ongoing parking friction; those comfortable with MARC commuter rail or city buses will not.

The application and move-in process

Prospective renters call or visit the leasing office (in the building) to schedule a tour. Income-restricted applicants should bring documentation: two recent pay stubs, a tax return from the prior year, and a signed income verification form. Credit and background checks typically follow; the application fee is standard across Baltimore buildings (usually $25 to $50). Lease execution and move-in can happen within two to three weeks of approval for available units.

Market-rate applicants follow standard rental protocol without income verification. Turnaround is similar.

Hours and logistics

The leasing office is staffed Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday hours are not standard. Visit in advance to schedule a tour. Street parking on North Avenue is free but competitive; nearby surface lots charge $5 to $10 daily. The building sits two blocks from Penn Station (MARC and local bus hub) and one block from the North Avenue bus rapid transit corridor (Route 3), making car-free living viable for transit-dependent renters.

Centerpoint fills a genuine gap in Baltimore's rental market: it anchors middle-income renters in a walkable, job-rich corridor without displacing them to distant neighborhoods or locking them into years-long public housing waitlists.