About New Ground Development
Community Architect: Designing Spaces of Belonging
New Ground Development builds for-sale homes in West Baltimore for the people who plan to live in them. Not rentals to hold. Not units to flip. Homes built so that homeownership and the stability that comes with it remain in the neighborhood.
Why “New Ground”
Disinvestment changes a block and the people who call it home when buildings are left to deteriorate and ownership leaves the community. I’ve witnessed the impact firsthand in West Baltimore, and I knew I couldn’t simply look away.
New Ground exists to help change that, one infill lot at a time. We develop quality for-sale duplexes in West Baltimore’s priority neighborhoods and place them in the hands of owner-occupants because a homeowner doesn’t just live on a block; they invest in its future.
Where you begin is not where you are meant to stay. That is true for neighborhoods. It is true for the families who purchase homes here. And it has been true for me.
Founder Story
From acute care nurse to West Baltimore developer.
I wasn’t born in Baltimore. I grew up on the Jersey Shore and relocated to the DMV in 2018. As a nurse, my commute into DC became challenging, so I began working in Baltimore instead. Since 2019, I have been part of a Baltimore City hospital community. That’s when something unexpected happened: I fell in love with the city and its people. Baltimore became the place where I wanted to build a future and help others build one too. I build in a city I wasn’t born in because I chose it, and because I believe in what’s possible here. Nursing isn’t separate from this work; it is the foundation of it. As an acute rehabilitation nurse, I developed the discipline, accountability, and care-centered mindset that I bring to every project: do the work correctly, document every detail, and never lose sight of the people at the center of it all. A development is much like a patient. You assess it honestly, create a thoughtful plan, and see it through with care. I document the journey publicly through Beauty and the Build TV, sharing the wins, challenges, and lessons learned because the next person figuring out how to build shouldn’t have to navigate the process alone.
Why You Can Trust New Ground
Licensed and accountable
New Ground operates under Maryland general contractor licensing:
MHBR #9784
Maryland Home Builder Registration, the state-required credential for builders of new residential construction.
MHIC #166896
Maryland Home Improvement Contractor License, a required credential for rehabilitation, renovation, and improvement work.
Licensed, bonded, and committed to quality, every project is built to meet code requirements and the expectations of our funders and partners.
A real development team
The people behind the build.
We don’t develop alone. Every project is delivered with a vetted team:
Opeyemi (Yemi) Ikotun, Yemi Atelier
Architectural design partner. Brings warmth, light, and intentional flow into every floor plan.
Raul Berganza, The Kings of Renovations LLC
General contracting and rehabilitation specialists. Trusted on every restoration project.
Bengal Engineers, Engineer of Record
Structural and civil engineering. Builds the foundation that every home stands on.
This is how we ensure design quality, construction integrity, and engineering soundness on every build.
A track record you can see
Real projects. Real outcomes.
Active Projects
Owner-Occupant Focus
Maryland Licenses
West Baltimore Focus Area
Recognized Work
Featured at TEDxLogan Circle.
On August 11, 2026, Stacey will take the TEDxLogan Circle stage with “Born into Blight,” sharing how ownership-first development can serve as a powerful pathway toward addressing disinvestment.
Her ongoing series, Beauty and the Build TV, brings viewers behind the scenes by documenting every stage of the process, from financing to framing, one episode at a time.
Mission with structure
Development is only half the story.
The other half is the people we're empowering through Building Up Baltimore.
New Ground is paired with Building Up Baltimore, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that introduces young people to the skilled trades by exposing them to the work, teaching them valuable skills, and guiding, supporting, and connecting them with the major players and institutions that can help turn their career goals into reality. We create apprenticeship experiences and opportunities that extend beyond traditional construction, including commercial real estate and development.
With development capital on one side and the next generation of builders on the other, we are creating a pathway where the homes we build and the people who build them both come from and remain connected to the community.
What People Say
In their words.
"Stacey sets the standard. She brings discipline, accountability, and genuine care for the people who will live in the homes we build, not just the homes themselves."
Richard Livingston · The Kings of Renovations
“Working with New Ground means designing for a real family, not a flip. Every plan is thought through, every detail intentional.”
Opeyemi Ikotun · Yemi Atelier
Let’s Build New Ground Together
Whether you're a funding partner, agency, future homeowner, or collaborator, I'd welcome the opportunity to connect.