Elements of Urbanism: Baltimore

[sheclown]

I grew up in Northern Virginia and remember Baltimore as a very scary place that EVERYONE avoided. It was more fearful to travel through Baltimore than Southeast DC -- and that is saying a lot.  The first thing I remember changing was the Chesapeake getting cleaned up.  There was a lot of excitement about the $1.00 houses (DC was doing the same thing -- this must have been in the 70s).  All of a sudden, after the aquarium was built, people began to venture up there, excited by the pioneer spirit of it all and stayed.

In the past couple of years, Strider and I have spent some time in Fells Point.  I adore Baltimore and would live there if I could swing it.  It is a vibrant, working class city, full of fun. 

Fells Point really kicked it in gear when the city wanted to plow through the neighborhood for a highway.  The neighbors got together and filed a law suit against the city to prevent it.  They started an arts festival to raise money to pay for legal fees.  I think that was 20 years ago.  They still have the festival and they don't have a highway running through it.

Thanks for running the piece on Baltimore.  It is a great city and Jax could learn much from it.

[Keith-N-Jax]

Well on my way to Bridgeport, Ct for a 6 week assignment I stopped in Baltimore's water front. The pictuers on here really dont do it justice. You have to visit this place and see it for yourself. The place was packed on a Sunday morning. A very nice experience.

[sheclown]

Yeah!  Baltimore!  Love it, love it, love it.

[Jaxson]

I agree 100% with sheclown.  When I was younger, I spent my summers at my aunt's home in Baltimore County.  She would take me and my cousins on outings into Baltimore City.  This was during the late 1980s and early 1990s.  I was impressed by how the Inner Harbor was much more full of life and activity than our own downtown.  Compared to the acres of parking lots and boarded up buildings in downtown Jax, Baltimore had a density and a vibrancy that influenced my decision to choose Dover AFB when I joined the military - that, and being close to D.C., Philly and NYC.
I particularly like the mass transit in Baltimore.  I took the Amtrak to Baltimore to attend President Clinton's 1997 inauguration.  I used the MARC train to get from Baltimore to D.C.  I enjoyed Pennsylvania Station as well - worlds better than our Clifford Lane dump.
One more thing that Baltimore has that Jacksonville doesn't?  John Waters!

[Ethylene]

http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2010/05/05/streets-of-baltimore-may-be-next-indycar-venue/

http://www.fanhouse.com/news/main/city-approves-deal-to-start-baltimore/1046830

"The contract with a group of local investors calls for the race to be held every August for five years. City officials estimate it will draw 100,000 spectators and generate nearly $50 million in annual economic impact."

We're not talking NASCAR here either!

[Ethylene]

Crowd estimates for Grand Prix vary Organizers confident that more than 100,000 attended three-day event

"Roger Penske said it was one of the greatest street events he had ever been to...."


http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/auto-racing/baltimore-grand-prix/bs-md-grand-prix-crowds-20110905,0,3778897.story

and

Drivers, mayor see Baltimore's first IndyCar race as success

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/indycar/story/2011-09-05/Drivers-mayor-see-Baltimores-first-IndyCar-race-as-success/50268046/1


By nearly all accounts, this event was a resounding SUCCESS and huge economic impact for the City of Baltimore, in case you hadn't heard.

[tufsu1]

I watched part of the race...was pretty cool

Of course it helps that Baltimore has some pretty wide boulevard streets in its downtown (Pratt, Light, Russell, etc.)...now whether that is a good thing or not for urban life is a separate issue.

[acme54321]

Yeah the race was cool.  That would be awesome to have in Jax.  Run it around the Southbank.

[AaroniusLives]

The race was a massive success for Baltimore, helping cement the city as an 'event place.'

I hope it helps to 'flip' Baltimore over into an actual, desirable city to live in. Thus far, it seems that all Bmore can reach is "along the water" regarding living in the city.