Apr 29, 2016

A year after Baltimore saw large-scale protests and a period of rioting, looting and arson following the death of Freddie Gray, there are signs the city has returned to normal. The CVS Pharmacy at the corner of North and Pennsylvania avenues, considered the epicenter of the violence last April 27, has been rebuilt and reopened. The Mary Harvin Senior Center, which was under construction and set ablaze that same night, also was rebuilt and recently celebrated its grand opening.

Crowds at Oriole Park at Camden Yards have returned to greet a new baseball season, though it will be hard to forget the day last year when the home team – due to security concerns the week of the riots – played a game with no fans in attendance.

Still, there are still visual reminders of the violent events of last year, when thousands protested Gray’s death from injuries sustained while in police custody. Some stores, including a DTLR clothing store on Pennsylvania Avenue, which was damaged during the riots, have not reopened. And barricades still remain at the ready in front of the Western District Police station, the district in which Gray was arrested and the area where many of the protests and marches took place.

CVS Pharmacy at North and Pennsylvania Avenues

THEN: April 27, 2015 — Baltimore police in riot gear take positions in front of the burning CVS at Pennsylvania and North Avenues during the unrest after the death of Freddie Gray. (Algerina Perna/Baltimore Sun)

NOW: April 12, 2016 — The CVS Pharmacy on the corner of North and Pennsylvania Avenues that burned down during the riots on the day of Freddie Gray’s funeral has been rebuilt and reopened. (Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun)

Gilmor Homes

THEN: April 21, 2015 — Protesters return to the spot of Freddie Gray’s arrest in Gilmor Homes as Rev. Jamal Bryant reaches his hands skyward while the family. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

NOW: April 12, 2016 — The spot where Freddie Gray was arrested a year ago was the gathering spot of many protest marches. (Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun)

Mary Harvin Senior Center

THEN: April 27, 2015 — Baltimore firefighters battle a three-alarm fire Monday, at a senior living facility under construction at Federal and Chester Streets in East Baltimore. The blaze was one of many set during the unrest following the death of Freddie Gray. (Jerry Jackson/Baltimore Sun)

NOW: April 27, 2016 –The Woda Group and the Southern Baptist Church hosted a grand opening for the Mary Harvin Senior Center a year after the partially completed project was burned down in the riot. (Kim Hairston/Baltimore Sun)

St. Paul Street

THEN: April 29, 2015 — Thousands of marchers fill St Paul Street on a peaceful march from Penn Station to Baltimore City Hall in protest of the Freddie Gray incident. (Kenneth K. Lam/ Baltimore Sun)

NOW: April 12, 2016 — Traffic moving south on St. Paul Street near Centre Street is seen from Orleans Street. (Kenneth K. Lam/ Baltimore Sun)

Oriole Park at Camden Yards

THEN: April 29, 2015 — Orioles starter Ubaldo Jimenez throws the game’s first pitch to White Sox lead off hitter Adam Eaton in an empty Oriole Park. The games was played without fans in attendance due to the wide spread riots and looting following the death of Freddie Gray. (Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun)

NOW: April 20, 2016 — Orioles starter Ubaldo Jimenez pitches to Toronto Blue Jays’ Ryan Goins during a Wednesday night game a year after the unrest in Baltimore. (Jerry Jackson/Baltimore Sun)

DTLR clothing store on Pennsylvania Avenue

THEN: April 30, 2015 — The exterior of the DTLR clothing store on Pennsylvania Avenue is scorched after being burned during the uprising following the death of Freddie Gray. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

NOW: April 30, 2015 — The DTLR clothing store on Pennsylvania Avenue remains boarded up a year after the uprising following the death of Freddie Gray. (Kim Hairston/Baltimore Sun)

Western District police station

THEN: April 23, 2015 — An unidentified man at right challenges Baltimore Police Lieutenant C. A. Thompson in front of the Western District police station during protests after the death of Freddie Gray. (Amy Davis/ Baltimore Sun)

NOW: April 12, 2016 — Barricades still remain at the ready in front of the Western District police station which was the destination for many protest marches last year. (Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun)

Now and then: Scenes from the unrest