Celebree School plots major expansion; Baltimore County apartments head to auction

It's going to be another warm winter day here in Maryland with temperatures expected to near 60 degrees. Be prepared for rain in the afternoon and into the evening, as well. Those showers may also continue into Friday.

Here's what else you need to know this morning.

Baltimore Mayor forces vote on conduit deal despite strong opposition

Mayor Brandon Scott reconvened a city spending board yesterday to approve a highly controversial deal that would require Baltimore Gas and Electric to pay for $134 million in capital improvements to the city's conduit system over the next four years. Scott and two of his appointees on the board proceeded with the conduit vote even as two of the board's members — Comptroller Bill Henry and City Council President Nick Mosby — did not attend the meeting with the hope of forcing a delay on the vote. Instead, they were counted as abstentions and the deal was approved. [Baltimore Sun] Henry, Mosby and others in City Hall have expressed their frustration about how the vote took place. And State Senator Mary Washington took to Twitter to explain why she's "officially done with watching this Mayor destroy any credibility left in the Office of the Mayor of Baltimore City."

CFG Bank Arena won't look all that different when CIAA comes to town next week

The downtown arena is getting ready to host the college basketball tournament next week, just 11 months after embarking on a $250 million renovation. However, officials with the company overseeing the project, Oak View Group , this week said attendees will only be able to have a limited experience of what the brand-new CFG Bank Arena will look and feel like. Explore photos and renderings of the arena at the link above. Baltimore Business Journal

Maryland-based early childhood education provider plots major expansion

Celebree School is rolling out an aggressive growth strategy that will see the Lutherville Timonium brand open its first corporate hub in North Carolina, paving the way for more locations in the southern state. The hub will allow for new franchise agreements, as many as 18 locations in the Raleigh-Durham DMA, and as many as 16 schools in the greater Charlotte market. Celebree will also apply the corporate hub growth strategy in five other strategic growth markets; Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston and Orlando — all expected to open by the end of 2024. [Press Release]

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Baltimore County apartment complex heads to bankruptcy auction

A 64-unit garden apartment complex in Dundalk is being offered by A&G Real Estate Partners after the property's owner filed for bankruptcy. The Chapter 11 Trustee of the owner signed a $5.7 million contract for the Keyway Apartments at 123 Willow Spring Road from a stalking horse bidder, subject to higher and better offers. Competing bids are due by Feb. 24. The 41,412-square-foot rental complex includes three, two-story brick veneer buildings and is 96.9% occupied. [Press Release]

D.C.-area airport sets all-time traffic record

Reagan National Airport welcomed just shy of 24 million total passengers in 2022, a 71% increase over 2021 and a .4% increase over 2019, the last full pre-Covid year. The airport has experienced a gradual rebound after leisure and business travel were hit hard by the pandemic. [Washington Business Journal]

Maryland announces $13.7 million in capital grants, including funding for oyster recovery

Gov. Wes Moore announced over $13 million in capital grants yesterday that will fund projects at museums, community centers, medical and athletic facilities, historical buildings and more across the state. He also unveiled a $9.1 million contract for the Oyster Recovery Partnership , a nonprofit focused on large-scale oyster restoration projects in the state. [Press Release]

Baltimore museum to open new exhibition highlighting women artists

The Baltimore Museum of Art this fall will pull back the curtain on "Making Her Mark," a collection of more than 175 objects from women artists and artisans from across Europe between the 15th and 18th centuries. The exhibition — slated to open on Oct. 1 — includes work that spans fine art, craft and design and aims to show the critical role women played in the development of art, culture and commerce. [Press Release]

How the National Zoo plans to protect its flamingo population

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo in D.C. is proposing to build a permanent stainless-steel enclosure to protect its American flamingos from avian-influenza-infected ducks — a pitch that comes nine months after a wild fox breached the exhibit and killed 25 of the majestic birds. The Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute 's proposal calls for stainless-steel wire mesh supported by painted steel posts around a 3,950-square-foot area. [Washington Business Journal]

This newsletter was written by Carley Milligan, Digital Editor at the Baltimore Business Journal. I can be reached at cmilligan@bizjournals.com.?