Best Places to Live – Baltimore Magazine

Best Places to Live

Aaron Hope — Mon, 08 Apr 2019 08:00:00 +0000

We went in search of a dozen communities with unique personalities in and around the city.

Edited by Ken Iglehart
Written with Rebecca Kirkman, Christianna McCausland
Illustrations by Danielle Dernoga

Home & Living

Just Call Them Mini Charm Cities

We went in search of a dozen communities with unique personalities in and around the city.

Edited by Ken Iglehart.
Written with Rebecca Kirkman, Christianna McCausland.
Illustrations by Danielle Dernoga.

We’ve reported on the real-estate landscape in every way imaginable over the years, applying all manner of criteria. Neighborhoods offering the best bang for your buck? Check, done that. Most exclusive (aka pricey)? Check. Fastest-selling based on days on market? We’ve done that, too.

This time, though, we got personal: Our editors went looking for the enclaves that we find most charming. Charm, of course, is subjective, but there are certain things we can all agree on: quaint or captivating architecture, friendly neighbors, and that certain “It” factor that makes you want to call it home.

And while we were snooping through the dozens of ’hoods in the area to pick our finalists, we stumbled upon a handful of homes that were, just by themselves, intriguing, because of the stories behind them. You can check out those that made our short list in “The 411 on Baltimore’s Most Intriguing Houses.”

So happy hunting, house buyers. We hope you find these neighborhoods as bewitching as we do.

Mayfield

Live Baltimore

“It’s a friendly, diverse, and cohesive place. . . people are very proud of the neighborhood.”

Mayfield has a tagline, “A hamlet in the heart of town,” though it might as well be, “The neighborhood you’ve never heard of—but should have.” Bordered by Clifton Park, Herring Run Park, and Lake Montebello, Mayfield features an assortment of architecture, from authentic Victorians to bungalows and Tudor-style cottages, that is so varied that the neighborhood was put on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. A portion of its landscape was designed by the Olmsted Brothers, better known for designing north Baltimore’s toniest ‘hoods out of the woods in the early 1900s.

Yet plenty of people have never even heard of it. Nina Tou, a retired graphic designer, and her husband, Jacob Slagle, a semi-retired businessman, moved into their English-style country cottage 25 years ago. The house was built in 1926 and features a working fireplace, hardwood floors with parquet detailing, spacious rooms, and a backyard with space for Slagle’s prolific vegetable garden. But it was the sense of community that won the couple over.

“It’s a friendly, diverse, and cohesive place,” says Slagle. “People are very proud of the neighborhood.”

“It really does feel like a town,” Tou adds. “People wave, they say, ‘Good morning’ and ‘Hi’ when they pass on the street. And people come from all over to walk, jog, and ride bikes around the lake. You might not know your neighbors’ names, but you know their dogs’ names!”

The sense of belonging is cultivated by an active community association, the Mayfield Improvement Association, of which Tou is a board member. The group oversees a spring fling to benefit the community playground, annual bulb and tree planting, and welcome baskets for new neighbors. The summer block party is a huge fête that has been taking place for more than 50 years. And while Mayfield may feel like a hamlet, it’s convenient to major roads and less than 15 minutes to the heart of downtown.

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Fells Point

JON BILOUS

“There’s always something happening here, and that’s never changed. On summer evenings, we can sit on the front porch and watch the world go by.”

Photographer Anne Gummerson and her husband, builder William Earley, have lived in Fells Point for 33 years. “Originally, what attracted me was a sense of adventure,” she states. “And I always liked the old houses, the sense of history, and the liveliness.”

JON BILOUS

Back then, the neighborhood was inhabited by the families of old steel-mill and shipyard workers. When the couple’s daughter was young, other parents were wary of sending their children to Fells Point for play dates—after all, sheltered suburbanites saw it as the big, bad, scary city. But Gummerson has seen the area change as the old families have been replaced by young professionals. When she moved in, she was one of the few people with a child in the neighborhood; now a new playground overflows with families.

Gummerson says the neighborhood, one of the oldest in Baltimore City, has gotten “fancier,” especially with the opening of The Sagamore Pendry and the shops at Harbor East just a walk away. While the 18th-century port and shipbuilding district exudes new energy, it is still protective of its history and keeps its unique character with local shops, a farmers market, and flea markets. Gummerson’s home was built in 1864, part of a group of homes erected for ship captains, and she’s across the street from the Robert Long House, which was built in 1765 and is the city’s oldest surviving residence.

Gummerson says Fells Point is unique because it is so centralized, with all the businesses and restaurants and bars within a block or so of the central square and the waterfront. The liveliness that originally attracted Gummerson and Earley is still evident.

“There’s always something happening here, and that’s never changed,” she says. “On summer evenings, we can sit on the front porch and watch the world go by.”

Baltimore’s most intriguing houses

10512 Falls Road, Brooklandville

YEAR BUILT: 1885

Isaiah Winters

FUN FACTS: All aboard for Baltimore: This was the Victorian-style station house that was the Brooklandville stop on the Valley Branch of the Northern Central Railroad. Its use as a passenger stop ended in 1933, and, with the construction of the beltway and I-83, the line was closed in 1959, after which it was converted to a residence.

APPROX. MARKET VALUE: $401,943

Rodgers Forge

“People see Rodgers Forge as a place for families, but it’s welcoming of all.”

Most people think of Rodgers Forge as a haven for families with small kids. But when Michael Quasebarth, 55, moved to Baltimore for a job in sales nearly 18 years ago, he fell in love with the neighborhood—with nary a child in tow.

He found the community beautiful, especially the mature trees, and he liked the character of the homes and the central location. Conceived as a “streetcar suburb” of Baltimore City, the Forge consists of about 1,800 rowhomes built between the 1930s and ’50s. Like Quasebarth’s house, which is a middle-of-group, most houses are constructed of brick with slate roofs and immaculate yards.

Quasebarth says he stayed because of the community: There are popular events such as the Easter egg hunt on the Tot Lot and the Annual Summer Picnic, as well as numerous informal block gatherings. It’s the sort of neighborhood where everyone goes out after a snowstorm to help each other shovel—and it turns into a party.

“In Rodgers Forge, you have to be willing to be social, because you live so close together,” Quasebarth says with a laugh. He adds, “For me, as a gay man, I’ve always felt very comfortable here. People see Rodgers Forge as a place for families, but it’s welcoming of all.”

Quasebarth says the community has gotten more dynamic in recent years as Towson boomed. The popular ice cream shop The Charmery is an easy stroll, as are a number of restaurants and a grocery store. Though Quasebarth has no plans to move, he says it’s also nice that home values have stayed strong. Because there’s always a young family ready to move to Rodgers Forge.

Hamilton-Lauraville

Live Baltimore

In the minds of Jeff Price and his wife, Amy, the year 2015 stands out in their memories for two very different reasons: They welcomed the birth of their son, and Freddie Gray died in police custody, sparking city riots. But these two things informed the Price family’s choice to move from Parkville to Lauraville, known in the real-estate scene as part of Hamilton-Lauraville.

“Our son is adopted and he is African-American, and my wife and I are white, so it was important to be in a place that is racially diverse,” says Price, 41, the operations manager at Terra Counseling and Consulting, which he runs with Amy. “We’ve always been the kind of people who want to impact change as opposed to running away from what appeared to be turmoil. It was important to us to move into the city at a time when it appeared people would move out.”

In Hamilton-Lauraville, the Prices were able to get a larger home than they had in Parkville for a lower price. The house, built in 1917, borders a forested area of Herring Run Park, so it’s quiet, yet the family can easily walk to their favorite shops and restaurants. They joined the “HL Sprouts” group (neighbors who help each other with babysitting, toy and clothing swaps, and all things family-related) and joined the Swan Lake Swim Club.

Most importantly, they found a community with a huge range of residents, socio-economically and racially. “People are very switched-on here, they are very authentic,” says Price. “People genuinely care for each other and the city.”

Canton

JON BILOUS

“We didn’t want to live in a cookie-cutter community where everyone looked exactly like us.”

While many growing families consider leaving the city, Caroline Pratz and her husband, Keith—who moved to Canton in 2001—actually upgraded to a bigger house in the neighborhood five years ago after the birth of their second child.

JON BILOUS

“We outgrew our current space, and we knew we wanted more children,” says Pratz. “We looked at homes on the outer edges of the city and outside the city, but we didn’t find anything we loved enough to give up our walkable lifestyle, and we didn’t want to gain a commute.”

The couple, now with three children ages 3, 5, and 7, purchased a larger, rehabbed rowhouse. Pratz, a nurse practitioner, and Keith, a physician, both work at Johns Hopkins, just moments away. The family can walk to dinner or to get ice cream, as well as to the playground. They’ve created a network of nearby families through the local Catholic school, which the kids walk to each day.

In the time she has lived in Canton, the area has grown and developed: There are tons of free concerts now on the Square and at Canton Waterfront Park. She doesn’t have to drive to Towson to go to Target anymore, which has made life with small kids in the city much easier. What hasn’t changed is the demographic makeup of the neighborhood, which she always enjoyed.

“There’s a good mix of ages here, from the very young to the old, and you find families of all different types,” says Pratz. “We didn’t want to live in a cookie-cutter community where everyone looked exactly like us.”

Dickeyville

Caryle Brooks

“The neighborhood is a microcosm of the nation, with people of every race and orientation you can think of and a huge amount of talent—artists, lawyers, and teachers."

It was 19 years ago that Michael Blair was relocated to Baltimore and went housing-hunting with his wife. “We were looking for an old neighborhood with character, and someone at the real estate office overheard us—she had grown up in Dickeyville, as had her mother, who had also been in real estate. And that’s how we discovered it—we loved it right away.”

But it’s not your run-of-the-mill (get it?) old neighborhood: “Other mill towns with similar histories, like Ellicott City, have become more commercialized,” says Blair, “but Dickeyville is probably the best-preserved 19th-century mill village in the area.”

And while you’re listening to the Gwynns Falls streaming over a waterfall and watching the local wildlife wander by, you might never guess it’s actually inside the city line, tucked into a corner of West Baltimore near I-70 and 695. You can practically ride a bike to the Inner Harbor without breaking a sweat.

Dickeyville’s charm has been by design in recent years: It was a mill town with most houses built in the 1840s for workers. By the early 1900s, it had fallen into decline, but then a developer bought the village center and gave it a Williamsburg, Virginia-inspired facelift. Proximity to Leakin and Gwynns Falls Parks preserve the country village vibe—the community is comprised of fewer than 150 homes of clapboard and stone—and the local garden club maintains order in the yards. “We’re also famous for our events, from a Groundhog Day celebration and Guy Fawkes Day to a Fourth of July celebration that lasts several days.”

Blair, an IT project manager who also serves as the neighborhood archivist and historian (as well as being a wood turner in his off-hours), says the sense of community is another big draw, as is its melting-pot makeup. “The neighborhood is a microcosm of the nation, with people of every race and orientation you can think of and a huge amount of talent—artists, lawyers, and teachers—and because it’s close to D.C. as well as Baltimore, people of all walks just find us.” Which is probably another reason why the neighborhood is in such demand—it’s notoriously hard to find a home for sale here.

Baltimore’s most intriguing houses

703 Abell Ridge Circle, TOWSON

YEAR BUILT: 1894

Isaiah Winters

FUN FACTS: This Beaux-Arts mansion was the country home of Baltimore Sun founder Arunah Abell. After it was donated to the county in 1955, it served for a time as The Ridge School for disabled children. After the school moved, the home underwent a $1-million historic restoration starting in 2002 by developer Marc Munafo of CAM Construction, who now lives there with his family.

APPROX. MARKET VALUE: $2.49 MILLION

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Stevenson

Gramercy Mansion

“You’re sort of in a rural atmosphere, but it’s not so rural that everybody is acres away, and you’re not way off the beltway. It’s the best of all worlds.”

An unincorporated community in the Greenspring Valley, Stevenson is made up of about 600 homes—mostly mid-century ranch-styles with garages and sizable lots—and is the site of several preeminent educational institutions, from Stevenson University to the highly ranked Fort Garrison Elementary School.

“We’re seeing more and more homes selling very quickly,” says Caren Hoffberger, 61, a tax assessor and president of the Stevenson Ridge-Halcyon Community Association. “People are snatching up the homes for several reasons. One, the elementary school, and two, our community has municipal water and sewer. That’s a big benefit. And, three, most of our properties are a minimum of three-quarters of an acre, so again, you’re not getting something so big you’ve got to maintain, but you can have a swing set in the back and can walk to the elementary school.”

For those reasons, the idyllic suburban community has attracted many young families. But the neighborhood remains multigenerational. Hoffberger herself is proof. “My husband and I have lived here for 18 years,” she says. “And I grew up in this neighborhood. My parents still live here—my dad is 91. There are a lot of families where the parents are still here and the adult children have purchased homes here, too.”

For its residents, Stevenson’s location offers the ideal combination of suburban convenience and rural peacefulness.

“We’re talking about a community that really cares about schools, a community that is within easy distance to downtown, to Towson—it’s not a bad commute,” Hoffberger says. “You’re sort of in a rural atmosphere, but it’s not so rural that everybody is acres away, and you’re not way off the beltway. It’s the best of all worlds.”

Oella

Joe Haupt

“When I look out the front or back of my house, all I see are trees. Yet neighbors are close at hand on either side.”

A small mill town located between Ellicott City and Catonsville, Oella is bordered on the north and west by Patapsco Valley State Park. Living in nature while still being part of a tight-knit community was what attracted editor and writer Dori Kelly, 67, to the historic neighborhood six years ago.

“My property backs up to the park, and I love the wooded setting,” says Kelly, who lives in a two-story house built in 1938. “I’m treated to sightings of wildlife on a daily basis: white-tailed deer, rabbits, raccoons, foxes, box turtles, bats, and a vast variety of birds and insects. When I look out the front or back of my house, all I see are trees. Yet neighbors are close at hand on either side.”

Rich in history, Oella was founded on the east bank of the Patapsco River in 1808 as a community for mill workers. A grain mill dating to the 1790s remains in operation today, producing corn meal and flour products.

Just 30 minutes from Baltimore and 20 minutes from Columbia, Oella retains a peaceful, small-town feel. And it has gained vibrancy: In the past six years, Kelly says she has seen an influx of young families and people with higher levels of education.

Kelly describes the architecture as “delightfully varied,” with former mill workers’ brick row homes sharing the streets with Victorian and Colonial homes, log houses, and modern lofts in a restored mill overlooking the river.

The Country Corner Store, owned by Oella’s “unofficial mayor,” Jay Patel, anchors the close-knit community. “Jay organizes many activities for the neighborhood, including an annual dinner dance, a spring egg hunt and kite-flying event for the kids, creation of our Oella float for the Fourth of July parade, and other fun events,” says Kelly. “He’s keenly talented at making all newcomers and visitors feel welcome.”

Baltimore’s most intriguing houses

1526 Greenspring Valley Road, Lutherville-Timonium

YEAR BUILT: 1940

Isaiah Winters

FUN FACTS: Built by opera star Rosa Ponselle at the height of her career, this Italian-style villa in the Greenspring Valley, named Villa Pace (peace house), remained her home until her death in 1981. It served briefly as a Ponselle Museum, then was owned for a time by developer Tommy Obrecht and his publisher wife, Susan, and is now the humble abode of another well-known developer: David Cordish and wife Suzi.

APPROX. MARKET VALUE: $2.5 MILLION

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Inner Harbor

JON BILOUS

“There are so many activities that are going on, and we can be a part of all of it. That’s what really appeals to me.”

Yes, charm can be found in a bustling stretch of downtown, too.

The desire to downsize, simplify life, and walk nearly everywhere they wanted to go brought Ilene Cohen and her husband, Neri, to The Towers at Harbor Court. The sparkling waterfront view didn’t hurt, either.

But the urban environment hasn’t prevented the Cohens from finding a sense of community. “Living in a building like this, it’s like being back in college,” jokes Cohen, 60, about the 174-unit complex adjacent to the Royal Sonesta, where she and her husband bought a three-bedroom condo six years ago.

JON BILOUS

The Cohens hope new construction in the neighborhood, like the tower at 414 Light Street, continues to add to the residential density and diversity in the Inner Harbor. “There are people of all different ages in the area,” says Cohen. “If I go up into Federal Hill, there are kids who just graduated from college, but then there are also lots of families and there are more and more retirees moving here, too.”

Cohen says the Inner Harbor location is convenient—whether she’s walking to volunteer at the Walters Art Museum or taking the MARC train to D.C. for a night out. “On a nice spring evening, we’ll walk all the way to Canton,” she says. A scooter ride along the protected bike path to Harbor East takes just six minutes. “I really enjoy being in the middle of everything.”

Best of all, Cohen says, there’s always something to do downtown. “We can walk to restaurants or theaters or sporting events. At the last minute, you can decide, ‘Oh, I want to go to the Orioles game tonight.’ There are so many activities that are going on, and we can be a part of all of it,” she says. “That’s what really appeals to me.”

Baltimore’s most intriguing houses

5601 Wexford Road, Mt. Washington

YEAR BUILT: 1880

Isaiah Winters

FUN FACTS: One of the first Mt. Washington summer retreats was “Rose Hill Cottage,” a 3,578-square-foot Victorian-style residence on 1.02 leafy acres built by shipbuilder Harry Skinner. Neighborhood legend has it that New York robber-baron-era financier and voracious gourmand Diamond Jim Brady stayed at Skinner’s house in the early 1900s to recuperate after being treated at The Johns Hopkins Hospital for a litany of ailments. According to The New York Daily News, they included “diabetes, urinary infections, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Not to mention a stomach that had stretched to six times its normal size.”

APPROX. MARKET VALUE: $513,000

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Historic Lutherville

Wairehouse Photography

“Lutherville is welcoming, walkable, diverse, conveniently located, and passionate about preserving what we value as a community.”

The first planned railroad community in Baltimore, Lutherville originated as a summer resort surrounding a Lutheran church and women’s seminary. Much of this historic past remains visible today in the former train station, hotel, and general store. The seminary-turned-senior home, College Manor, remains central to the community by hosting events throughout the year, including a fall bonfire.

The neighborhood is also known for being home to filmmaker John Waters as a young man—there he befriended fellow Luthervillian Harris Glenn Milstead, later known as Divine, and lived in a Gothic Revival mansion on Morris Avenue until he left for college.

Today, as older residents downsize and move out, young families are quickly discovering the Victorian-era community’s charm.

After living in Baltimore City for six years, Rita Nabhan, 38, special events director for the Lutherville Neighborhood Association and assistant director of a local preschool, was looking for a neighborhood with more spacious homes but that was still walkable, had nearby parks, and was close to downtown. Her young family found that in Lutherville.

Built in 1911, her cottage is one of the “new kids on the block,” Nabhan jokes. “Most homes here were built in the late 1800s,” she says.

Nabhan quickly felt at home among the close-knit residents, who come together for an annual spring yard sale and share their skills with their neighbors through informal workshops (think knitting or gardening).

“Lutherville is welcoming, walkable, diverse, conveniently located, and passionate about preserving what we value as a community,” she says. “We have groups that work on preserving the health of the streams that run through our neighborhood and ensure sure that commercialism doesn’t encroach on our community.”

Ruxton-Riderwood

“There’s still a sense of being rural, and a lot of that is promoted by the topography of the place—the woods, open space, and streams that remain.”

Considered one of the premier neighborhoods in Baltimore County, Ruxton-Riderwood transitioned from a land of plantations and country estates in the 18th century to an in-demand commuter suburb with the opening of Lake Roland and the Baltimore and Susquehanna Railroad in the mid-19th century.

Today, it retains a country-like vibe with rolling hills and winding roads connecting a variety of homes and small businesses that service the area, from Graul’s Market to the shops at Ruxton Station. Unlike the more orderly, planned neighborhoods of Roland Park or Rodgers Forge, Ruxton was developed incrementally across three centuries, resulting in a natural, eclectic feel. Many of the historic structures remain, lending the neighborhood character and a sense of history.

“There are a lot of architectural styles and periods represented here, going back to colonial times,” says Joe Coale, 75, who lives in a 1905 California Bungalow on two acres with his wife, Kim. “There’s still a sense of being rural, and a lot of that is promoted by the topography of the place—the woods, open space, and streams that remain.”

Bordered by I-83 to the west, the Baltimore Beltway to the north, and Charles Street to the east, Ruxton-Riderwood offers access to major highways, making commuting to work or hopping into downtown Baltimore for dinner a breeze.

In addition to old trees and expansive, well-manicured plots, nearby Lake Roland to the south offers nature-seekers more than five miles of walking trails and a dog park with water access.

Involved residents ranging in age from young professionals to retirees are active in neighborhood groups that push for preservation and improvements, from the restoration of Lake Roland to the addition of sidewalks. It’s part of what has kept the community desirable for many years. “There’s something for everyone,” says Coale.

Baltimore’s most intriguing houses

1705 South Road, Mt. Washington

YEAR BUILT: 1854

Isaiah Winters

FUN FACTS: This grand manse was one of the first country homes erected in Mount Washington by wealthy Baltimoreans wanting to escape downtown’s summer heat. It was used as a location for the 1994 comedy-drama Guarding Tess, starring Shirley MacLaine as a fictional former first lady and Nicolas Cage as her secret service agent. The film was nominated for a Golden Globe.

APPROX. MARKET VALUE: $996,000

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Historic Mount Washington

JON BILOUS

“People are super engaged here. We want these types of community spaces and are willing to work for it and step up.”

Once a leafy retreat from the downtown heat for the city’s wealthy, Mount Washington grew over the past 150 years into seven distinct residential areas stretching from Kelly Avenue to the south to Dixon Hill to the north.

“It’s very eclectic,” says Deb Kleiner, 56, a realtor who moved into a 1913 American Foursquare Craftsman-style bungalow more than 20 years ago. “Because the architecture is so varied, you end up with a big variety of people. You have economic diversity, too, because you can buy a house for under $300,000 or $1 million.”

Known for its engaged, family-friendly community and green surroundings—“the trees in my yard are more than 100 years old,” says Kleiner—the neighborhood is home to a community garden, hiking and biking trails, and multiple public green spaces including Luckman Park, Northwest Park, and the Mount Washington Arboretum.

Kleiner, an active member of the longstanding Mount Washington Improvement Association, credits the increased public green spaces to a high level of involvement on the part of residents. “People are super engaged here. We want these types of community spaces and are willing to work for it and step up.”

Quick access to downtown via I-83, bus lines, and the light rail makes enjoying the rest of Baltimore a breeze. Mount Washington Village, home to many restaurants, hair salons, and shops, is an easy walk from most homes.

But Kleiner says what she and her husband, Dan, love most about Mount Washington is their neighbors. “When we first moved here, we had somebody come over and say, ‘We saw you have a dog, can we borrow a cup of dog food?’ That still happens,” she explains. “People laugh and maybe roll their eyes, but it’s a village, and it really feels like a village to me.”

Source

Hidden Gem ‘Hoods

Jess Mayhugh — Mon, 25 Apr 2016 09:00:00 +0000

Hidden Gem 'Hoods

We go in search of the unsung neighborhoods of the Baltimore area.

By Ken Iglehart and Amy Mulvihill
Research assistance by Jacqui Neber | Illustrations by Alli Arnold

—Courtesy of Live Baltimore

House hunting? Then, of course, you’re looking longingly at uber-expensive “A-list” neighborhoods, right? Depending on where you work and what else you want to be near, those likely include communities like Columbia, Roland Park, Hunt Valley, or Severna Park. Then there’s second-tier ’hoods in terms of price, from Catonsville and Pikesville to Towson, Bel Air, and Westminster.

But what about the little enclaves you might not have heard of, or that you assumed were subpar? In fact, there are lots of humble neighborhoods in need of a little P.R., but where you can find great values, family-friendly environments, manageable commutes, and good public schools, or some combination of those attributes.

So why do these neighborhoods remain under the radar? Largely because they’re cursed (or blessed) with the same cartographical issue that sometimes faces Baltimore itself. Look carefully at many national TV weather maps or maps of the U.S. on the Internet, and, sure enough, there’s Richmond, Washington, Philly, The Big Apple, and Beantown. But, wait a minute. Where’s Baltimore? What are we, chopped liver? (We can only hope Vladimir Putin’s nuclear missile targeting programs suffer from the same oversight.)

Likewise, even though our “hidden gem” neighborhoods have distinct personalities, these communities don’t appear on many maps, meaning their real-estate sales data is often lumped together with that of the nearest larger community, such as Towson or Catonsville.

An exception is in the city, which prides itself on promoting its tiniest neighborhoods.

But which rocks do you look under for these unsung places? We already looked for you.

HUNTING RIDGE

Bud and Nancy Smith enjoying a drink with their neighbors Shanna and Danny Blackwell. —Jennifer Hughes

At a Glance

Housing types Mostly single-family homes with yards and garages in styles ranging from bungalows to center-hall Colonials to the odd ranch house

Claim to fame Adjacent to Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park, one of the largest urban parks in the nation

Character Cultured, diverse, suburban, green

POPULATION 1,296

Median home price $222,500

DISTANCE TO DOWNTOWN 5.1 miles

Tucked just inside the city’s western border, Hunting Ridge was platted in the 1920s with the majority of its development occurring during the ’20s and ’30s. As such, it boasts homes in a variety of historic styles, ranging from bungalows and center-hall Colonials to foursquares and Tudor-revival cottages. Most homes sit on generous, well-landscaped lots, and towering shade trees stand sentry over wide, winding streets that slope down to the 1,200-acre expanse of Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park, where residents hike, bike, and walk their dogs year-round.

In the center—both literally and figuratively—of the family-friendly community is Thomas Jefferson Elementary/Middle School, a public school with a good reputation thanks to its International Baccalaureate elementary curriculum, Spanish language instruction beginning in pre-kindergarten, and Arts Every Day program, which provides students with cultural education through museum visits and in-class activities. This quaint cosmopolitanism is mirrored in the community at large, which is racially and ethnically diverse and full of professionals who take advantage of Hunting Ridge’s proximity to UMBC (12 minutes), BWI (17 minutes), downtown Baltimore (19 minutes), Columbia (21 minutes), and D.C. (a little over an hour).

“It’s our little piece of Mayberry,” says Nancy Smith, a longtime resident who heads the neighborhood’s community association. “My husband and I moved from Kansas City, MO, and we came across this neighborhood that was easy access to the beltway, close to the airport, had beautiful trees, and all the houses were architecturally different—plus it was adjacent to a park.” So Smith and her husband, Bud, a retired VP of an architectural woodworking company, bought their 1927 fieldstone Jefferson Colonial and never looked back. “We have the best neighbors in the world,” says Smith, 62, the senior director of government relations and principal gifts for the Maryland Food Bank. “We can go away and they’ll feed our cat. We can have an early-morning flight and they’ll drop us off at the airport. The city has been good to us.”

Original Northwood

Courtesy of Live Baltimore

At a Glance

Housing types Detached, semi-detached, and rowhomes in styles from half-timber Tudor revival to center-hall Colonials, many with yards and garages

Claim to fame A city and national historic district with homes designed by Roland Park Company architect John A. Ahlers

Character Friendly, diverse, suburban, green

POPULATION 1,241

Median home price $169,250

DISTANCE TO DOWNTOWN 4.4 miles

To know Original Northwood is to love it—but first you have to find it. An enclave of nearly 400 homes nestled on a maze of looping streets between The Alameda and Loch Raven Boulevard, Original Northwood is not a neighborhood you pass through by accident. Though surrounded by major thoroughfares, only one main road—Argonne Drive—traverses it. Once inside its boundaries, however, Original Northwood beguiles with both natural and man-made beauty. Developed in the 1930s by the same company that worked on portions of Roland Park, Original Northwood shares many characteristics with that tony nabe, not least of which are its park-like setting and its status as a covenant community, meaning changes to a structure’s exterior need approval from the neighborhood’s board of governors.

But unlike Roland Park, Original Northwood’s housing stock—which ranges from rowhomes to duplexes to center-hall Colonials—remains modest and affordable. “You get a lot of bang for the buck here,” says Richard Skolasky, 44, who moved to the neighborhood with his husband, Scott Eckhardt, and their two teenage daughters in 2012 and is now president of the neighborhood association. “Given the price point of these houses, it really is amazing to come in and see the mantels around the fireplaces and the molding around the windows and the doors.”

Other selling points, says Skolasky, include the neighborhood’s central location, “oasis-like” serenity, and inclusiveness, which neighbors maintain through six annual events ranging from a garden tour and plant sale in the spring to a newcomers picnic in September.

The one downside has been a lack of walkable amenities. (Lake Montebello is within walking distance, as is a branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library, but for most errands, a car is required.) But that could change. Plans are afoot to renovate the nearby Northwood Plaza shopping center, adding a bookseller, student housing for adjacent Morgan State University, and a grocery store. “That’s the one thing that’s missing here,” says Skolasky. “Soon, I think we’ll be the envy of a lot of city neighborhoods.”

Hollins Market/Union Square

Hollins Market in a landmark in the historic neighborhood.—Trevor Holman

—Trevor Holman

—Courtesy of Friend of West Baltimore

At a Glance

Housing types Two- and three-story rowhomes (Hollins Market); grand Victorian townhouses, some with yards and garages (Union Square)

Claim to fame Both on National Register of Historic Places

Character Eclectic, hip (Hollins Market); mature, elegant (Union Square)

POPULATION 1,838 (Hollins Market)
1,187 (Union Square)

Median home price $42,500 (Hollins Market)
$160,000 (Union Square)

DISTANCE TO DOWNTOWN 1.2/1.7 miles

Think of these two Southwest Baltimore neighborhoods as fraternal twins—distinct, but inextricably linked.

Hollins Market is the funky commercial district reminiscent of Hampden 15 years ago, while Union Square is largely residential with elegant townhouses surrounding the 2.5-acre Union Square Park.

“In Hollins Market, you have the younger people moving in,” says Kirstin Ramsay, 35, who, along with her husband, Brian Marick, moved to Hollins Market in 2012. “In Union Square, you see more established families.”

Together, the neighborhoods are able to meet the needs of diverse demographics. “They don’t have restaurants. They all come over here,” says Ramsay, mentioning Hollins Market eateries such as Zella’s Pizzeria, Cups Coffeehouse, and Primo Chicken as dining draws. Union Square, on the other hand, offers the park and a quieter lifestyle. “That’s where we take our dog. I work out in Union Square Park,” says Ramsay, an attorney with the Social Security Administration.

Betsy Nix, a 51-year-old history professor at University of Baltimore, has lived in Union Square since 2000, and agrees the neighborhoods are different but complementary, bonded by community events, including the Sowebo Arts and Music Festival each May and Union Square’s annual Christmas Cookie Tour. Nix and her husband, Andy Imparato, have raised two sons in a Victorian brownstone overlooking the park, and have loved the experience. “A lot of places say, ‘Oh, we’re diverse.’ But we really are diverse,” says Nix. “That’s what we’ve really liked about it because you get to meet interesting people you never would otherwise.”

Whither the Millennials?

Even before the latest recession, Realtors and other market watchers have been asking, “When will the millennials start buying real estate?”

Some experts, including real-estate research firm Zillow, think the answer is “soon.” That view is based, in part, on a poll the firm did in which 18- to 34-year-olds expressed more favorable views toward the idea of buying than older generations, with 65 percent believing it is the best long-term investment a person can make. But a study by the Pew Research Center begs to differ, noting that more adults ages 18 to 24 are living with their parents than in the past four decades.

Veteran Baltimore Realtor Joan Goldman of Coldwell Banker says that generation isn’t necessarily living the cushy life with their parents because of the well-stocked fridge and cable TV, but because they face obstacles.

“Their incomes are lower than other generations due to the recent weak job market,” she says, “and many were either unemployed or underemployed after college. Also consider that colleges today are more expensive than ever, and most twentysomethings have college loans to pay off.”

Local Realtor Rachel Rabinowitz agrees—and thinks the 30-year mortgage is part of the problem. “Millennials are not yet seriously in the housing market because, like their essential devices, they’ve become increasingly mobile and that does not bode well for the idea of a 30-year mortgage,” she says. “The millennials will enter the market in droves once the mortgage industry catches up with fresh financing options.”

And, finally, there’s the credit issue: “They use debit cards instead of credit cards and therefore are not building credit,” says Goldman. “Paying college loans helps, but if they have deferred them, then it won’t.”

So Goldman suggests that young people who are even thinking of buying a home should get a credit card—now.

Seton Hill

—Lisa Meyerhardt

At a Glance

Housing types Two- and three-story brick rowhomes and townhouses, some with colorful exterior paint jobs

Claim to fame St. Mary’s Park; St. Mary’s Spiritual Center and Historic Site; on National Register of Historic Places; partly in Bromo Tower Arts & Entertainment District

Character Urban, walkable, diverse, artsy

POPULATION 1,390

Median home price $222,500

DISTANCE TO DOWNTOWN 1.3 miles

Seton Hill, a tiny tangle of streets sandwiched between Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Mt. Vernon, might not be well known, but it has a couple of notable features. The most surprising, perhaps, is that it was once Baltimore’s French quarter, founded in the late 1700s by an order of French priests who started the first Roman Catholic seminary in the U.S. here, and whose early-1800s chapel still stands as part of the St. Mary’s Spiritual Center and Historic Site on Paca Street. The community celebrates its heritage every fall with a French Fair and Fleamarket in St. Mary’s Park, a 4.75-acre expanse of lawn with tree-lined walking paths that is, itself, another local landmark. Since 2013, the ever-popular Baltimore Bike Party has started its monthly ride from the park.

Even so, Seton Hill has managed to stay under the radar, and this isn’t such a bad thing, says Kevin Macartney, who owns two homes in the neighborhood—one he rents and one he lives in.

“If you look at other safe, artsy, and cool neighborhoods in the city, you’re going to find that the price point is so much higher than in Seton Hill, and there’s really no reason for it other than people don’t know about this neighborhood,” he says. Macartney, who works for the federal government at Fort Meade, notes that the neighborhood’s historic housing stock runs the gamut from 600-square-foot alley rowhomes to grand 3,500-square-foot brick townhouses. “It’s one of the last remaining, intact rowhome neighborhoods in the country,” he says.

And while there’s not much retail in the neighborhood, Mt. Vernon and the up-and-coming Bromo Tower Arts & Entertainment District are just blocks in either direction, meaning Seton Hill residents get both convenience and quietude.

“It’s close to downtown, but not too close,” says Macartney.

WALTHERSON

—Courtesy of Live Baltimore

—Jennifer Hughes

At a Glance

Housing types Assorted styles from the early to mid-20th century

Claim to fame Red Canoe, a bookstore with coffee and lunch options, is a favorite hangout, while Main Street (Harford Road) is fast becoming Baltimore’s latest restaurant row

Character Leafy, walkable, diverse, and friendly, with lots of young families

POPULATION 6,124

Median home price $119,900

DISTANCE TO DOWNTOWN 5.6 miles

Cori Duggins has gotten used to the puzzled looks she gets when she tells people she lives in Waltherson. But the quiet Northeast Baltimore neighborhood turned out to be a perfect fit for the new mother and her partner, Graham Young, 28, who is deputy chief of traffic for Baltimore.

“When we were renting in Medfield, near Hampden, we had a pretty good idea what we were looking for,” says Duggins, 35, who works for Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger. “We knew we wanted a single-family home, but we weren’t ready to leave the city. We wanted a good-sized backyard, because we were planning a family, and also wanted a large vegetable garden—we have two dogs, too—so we also looked in places like Northwood, Lake Evesham, and Homeland.” Either price or backyard space ruled out the homes there, but the couple got everything they wanted, and within their budget, when they found a three-bedroom, two-bath 1920s-era home on a quiet, leafy street in Waltherson, one of several lesser-known communities in greater Lauraville, which is in the Harford Road corridor. The timing couldn’t have been better: The couple had their first child, a daughter, in June of last year.

“It’s a very family-friendly neighborhood,” says Duggins, pictured with her family. “There are lots of progressive-minded people living here—some of them keep chickens—as well as people who home-school their kids.” And they all keep connected with a neighbors-only Facebook group they use to watch out for each other, promote the ’hood, and organize events. “There are also great restaurants, nearby shopping, a sweet little bookstore, and a yoga group that operates in a church,” adds Duggins.

“We’re in the city still, but the difference is it’s without the rowhouse, and there’s lots of parking. I love it. I can’t say enough good things about it.”

Strange But True

As any veteran Realtor can testify, people can be really weird. With some help from the friendly folks at multiple-listing service MRIS, we spread the word that we wanted the funniest or most bizarre tales that local brokers have to tell about buyers and sellers over the years:

Listing Love
About a year ago, Realtor Effy Lamp was handling a listing with two homes on the property, so she asked the homeowner to be present during the open house to help keep an eye on things.

“After the open house was over,” Lamp recalls, “we met up and shared notes about the buyers who visited.” But it wasn’t until a few weeks later that her client remembered to mention the “peculiar” couple who were there that day.

“What do you mean by peculiar?” Lamp asked. “She then told me that they did the normal preview of the home but, after the tour, the couple entered the bathroom together, then locked the door behind them. The homeowner said she was worried they were in there to steal meds or other things but checked after they left and didn’t see anything missing. At this point, I already knew the answer to my next question, which was, ‘How long were they in there?’

“She said, ‘Oh, for a while, at least 15 or 20 minutes.’ Then her face got a look of horror and disgust. Her next comment to me was, ‘Oh, no. Well, I guess I’m bleaching that bathroom immediately.’”

Scene of the Crime
Female Realtors, particularly, have to be safety-minded when showing an empty home to a male stranger, but Realtor Lynn Lombardi remembers having no qualms about working with a client for months—a butcher by trade—to help him find an investment property in the city. “This client was a large man who was always soft-spoken and kind,” she recalls. “Most of the properties we visited, usually in the evening, were vacant and without utilities, in addition to not being in the safest neighborhoods. Together, we eventually found a multi-unit property that fit his criteria.” But about one month after settlement, he called Lombardi to share some unsettling news. “He informed me that his ‘story’ was going to be featured on the TV news show Dateline the following Friday. Turns out, he had been under investigation for 12 years for a murder in the area, in which the killer was referred to as the ‘butcher of Baltimore.’ Luckily, as the episode went on to explain, he was cleared of any wrongdoing by DNA evidence.”

Grave Concerns
“Most basements in Baltimore creep me out,” admits Realtor Joan Goldman. “Especially the dark ones with dirt floors, where you can’t stand up straight. I remember in one city home on Tyson Street, my buyers and I went downstairs and found a headstone of a child in the basement. I’m not sure if someone was buried there, or the headstone was stolen, or what, but it just added to the creepiness.” The buyers were creeped out, too. They passed on the house.

Thank You, God
“Years ago, I was working with my very first client, a homebuyer, who was looking for a home in a very specific area so that his daughter wouldn’t have to change her elementary school,” recalls Realtor Tom Carbo. “We were having a very difficult time finding a home in that small a radius, so we stood together in their dining room one evening, about 7 p.m., and prayed. The very next day, I checked out another home that had just come on the market. When I went to see the new listing, the owner told me I was the first to see the home and that he had prayed last night that he would get someone good to buy it. I asked him what time he was praying and he told me, ‘about 7 o’clock.’ My client bought that home and still lives there to this day.”

Lose the Shrine
“I once showed a townhouse that was completely full of religious artifacts,” recalls Realtor Joan Goldman. “There was a gory Jesus hanging from the cross, and every room was full of paintings, sculptures, and other religious trinkets to the point where my buyers—who confessed they were atheists—were completely uncomfortable. They couldn’t remember anything about the place once we left except all the graphic religious items. I gave my feedback to the listing agent, but she and her client were insulted when I suggested they might want to remove most of the religious items.”

BORING

—Jennifer Hughes

—Romana Klee

At a Glance

Housing types Mostly Colonials and farmhouses

Claim to fame Only 5 miles from Reisterstown shopping and near I-795; named after late-1800s postmaster David Boring; The Peppered Pig, a cozy cafe in nearby Butler

Character You can actually hear the crickets here

POPULATION 100(approx.)

Median home price $245,000

DISTANCE TO DOWNTOWN 28.9 miles

If you were looking to buy in an exciting neighborhood, you might forgo Boring—that is, if you’d ever heard of it. But Nikki Diamantopoulos, pictured left, knew better.

“I lived in Boring like 20 years ago, and thought if I was ever going to buy somewhere, it’d be there,” she says. So when she and her spouse, Eleni, decided it was time to become land barons, Boring is where they started looking.

“We knew we wanted some land, but also knew we wanted just what felt right,” says Nikki, 41, a scenic painter who met graphic designer Eleni, 49, pictured right, when they worked together on the set of Netflix’s House of Cards. And what felt right last summer in her old stomping grounds was a foursquare Colonial farmhouse, built in 1910, that was once a Methodist church rectory.

“The minute we walked in, we said, ‘This is it,’” she recalls. “And ironically, one of my longtime friends grew up in the house next door, and her grandmother had planted all the forsythia between the properties.”

So what does the ’hood have going for it? For one, it’s only about 10 minutes to I-795—and about 35 minutes to the city. “And, of course, it has a great name,” jokes Nikki. But the warm greeting they’ve received from fellow Boringites was an added bonus. “You might think that if a gay, atheist couple moves into what historically has been a conservative farming community, there would be resistance, but everyone has been so friendly and accepting,” she says. “Everybody’s very laid-back and even invites us to their churches.”

Now, of course, it’s time for the two artists to strut their stuff: “We really love the house, and what the previous owners did. But,” she quips, “we’re looking forward to making it weird in our own way.”

Havre de Grace

—Jerry Georgette

At a Glance

Housing types Mostly 19th- and 20th-century Colonials, Victorians, and farmhouses/p>

Claim to fame The Marquis de Lafayette slept here/p>

Character A close-knit waterfront town with lots of early American history

POPULATION 113,500

Median home price $257,000

DISTANCE TO DOWNTOWN 25 miles

This historic bayfront town might seem farther out than some might want, but it’s also right on I-95 and has some unique selling points. “The attractions include Victorian homes and romantic bed and breakfasts, easy access to the Chesapeake Bay, and a ‘Main Street’ that’s full of restaurants, shops, and two museums,” says Realtor Kimberly Bogris of Coldwell Banker. The museums include the Havre de Grace Decoy Museum (think duck replicas), offering a mother lode of working and decorative Chesapeake Bay decoys.

Many of Bogris’s clients are relocating military families moving out of New Jersey after the closure of Fort Monmouth and looking for a similar atmosphere near the Army’s sprawling Aberdeen Proving Grounds, which is the town’s neighbor to the south.

“It’s one of the most up-and-coming towns in Harford County, with low average home costs of about $257,000,” says Bogris.

Havre de Grace boasts an impressive pedigree, having served as a strategic port town during both the American Revolution and the War of 1812. And the name? The story goes that when the Marquis de Lafayette visited the seaport several times in the 1700s, he remarked at how the town reminded him of the French town of Le Havre on the English Channel. In 1785, inspired by these comments, the place was incorporated as Havre de Grace.

Much of its charm comes from its location at the top of the bay and the mouth of the Susquehanna River. (Cecil County is on the opposing shore.) That makes the town a prime spot for boaters and fishing—and don’t worry about getting lost in the fog, thanks to the Concord Point Lighthouse, the oldest continuously operating lighthouse in the state. There are also lots of attractions for nature lovers, bird watchers, and outdoorsy types: The city maintains half a dozen parks and riverside walking trails, several of them connected by the town’s boardwalk.

Maple Lawn

Maple Lawn created streetscapes that mix both modern and faux historic architecture.—Courtesy of Michael Harris Homes

Courtesy of Maple Lawn Events/Full Moon Marketing,—Tim Frye

At a Glance

Housing types An eclectic mix of newly constructed traditional and Victorian styles

Claim to fame Close to both Baltimore and D.C., and boasting some of the best public schools in the state

Character Upscale and walkable planned community with a town center with shops and services

POPULATION 3,000

Median home price $618,000

DISTANCE TO DOWNTOWN 22 miles

Located in the southern end of Howard County , this fairly new community has seen steady growth in the past two to three years, says Realtor Barbara Seely of Long and Foster. “It’s walkable, everything’s close by, and there’s lots of diversity in housing styles,” she says.

With a median home price of $618,000, it’s a bit more expensive than some of the older communities in the county, but comparable to similar neighborhoods around Baltimore, says Seely, who has handled a number of resales there in the past year.

The area got its name in 1839 when Heinrich Iager purchased 108 acres of land to form Maple Lawn farms. The agricultural community reached its peak in 1970, when the farm owned by C. Ellsworth Iager won the Progressive Breeders Dairy Award. Then, 20 years ago, a developer in partnership with the Iager family had another vision for the sprawling tract: a planned community of homes built around a village of office and retail spaces. But Maple Lawn isn’t plagued by the colorless architecture that afflicts so many new developments. Claiming inspiration from American small towns of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the developer created streetscapes that mix both modern and faux historic architecture, giving the instant town a warmer architectural feel.

You also can leave your car in the driveway for many errands: The nearby town center has most anything your heart desires, from restaurants (including Ananda, named one of the region’s 50 best restaurants this year by Baltimore) and shopping to medical services, salons, fitness centers, and banking. Think you’ll be bored? There also are lots of events, including the Maple Lawn Street Festival and Fireworks, a weekly Saturday farmers’ market (May through November), and Pink Night, hosted by retailer Bra-La-La.

And few can argue the high quality of public schools in the county—Howard County boasts some of the highest test scores in the nation.

House Hunting?
There’s an App for That

There’s a gaggle of new real-estate technology out there. We picked the brain of an expert on the subject, David Charron, president and chief executive of Rockville-based multiple-listing service MRIS, to find out the best apps for renters, buyers, and sellers.

Click or tap on the apps above for more information.

Finksburg

—Courtesy of Field Mouse Farm

At a Glance

Housing types Mostly 19th- and 20th-century homes, from cottages and Colonials to farmhouses

Claim to fame Home to its very own Taj Mahal, the architecturally inspiring Greater Baltimore Hindu-Jain Temple

Character Reeks of small-town Americana but close to the big city

POPULATION 11,000

Median home price $300,000

DISTANCE TO DOWNTOWN 20 miles

Its location on the Baltimore County line just northwest of Reisterstown puts it very near I-795 leading to Baltimore, but it feels a lot farther from the bright lights of the big city: It’s quiet, rural, and affordable, and it’s only six miles from bustling downtown Westminster.

Located at the intersection of Maryland Route 91 and Maryland Route 140 on the border of Carroll and Baltimore counties, Finksburg is named after Adam Fink, who owned a local tavern in the area in the early 19th century. There are plenty of shops of various kinds in the center of town to meet most needs without driving to a bigger shopping destination, like Westminster or Owings Mills, which are about equidistant (though the locals admit you do have to drive a bit to find a Best Buy or Apple store).

So why do they come and why do they stay? Sure, there are the good public schools, low taxes, and low crime.

But Heather Owings, branch manager of the county’s relatively new Finksburg library branch, sees a special quality to life in Finksburg.

“What makes Finksburg unique and welcoming is the sense of community,” she says. “I can’t remember working anywhere where I could greet so many people by name when they come in,” says Owings, who believes the sense of community was only made stronger by the opening of the library, which was high on the town’s wish list for years. “The branch has only been here seven years, but we’ve had tremendous support from local community groups, such as the Finksburg Planning and Citizens’ Council, the Roaring Run Lions Club, the Reese Volunteer Fire Company, and our local schools.”

And then there’s that price thing: The median home price for Finksburg is around $300,000, putting it high on the region’s affordability list.

Lender Lessons

You’ve spotted the perfect house and are ready to put in a bid. But will a bank give you the mortgage you need? We talked to Dale Horn, Baltimore-based senior vice president of wealth management for global investment firm UBS, about what kind of reception you can expect from banks, and how things have changed since the last recession—which was caused by banks lending money to too many people who shouldn’t have qualified.

How much tougher is it to get the mortgage you need?
Due to regulatory changes since the housing crisis, it’s harder than ever to qualify for a residential home loan. Of course, those tougher regulations are there to prevent people from overstating their earning capacity. In essence, the regulations were increased to create a healthier financial transaction.

What are some common red flags for banks?
If you have little or no earned income, or are between jobs, or an entrepreneur with hard-to-document income, it can be a very arduous process to qualify today.

What sort of discretionary income are lenders looking for in an application?
Most banks have a ballpark where they’d like to see 35-40 percent of gross income available to service all debts: Mortgage debt, credit cards, auto loans, and student debt are the most common examples. So, from my standpoint, as a financial planner, the first hurdle would be to see if my client can afford to purchase a house. In any case, it’s always recommended to get pre-qualified.

What part do credit scores play?
Credit cores are always taken into consideration and those of 720 or above are typically accepted.

What if your income comes from self-employment?
Even if the income is there and can be documented, it’s a more difficult process, all due to increased regulations, because there were so many non-documented loans before the housing crisis.

Are some banks more lenient than others?
All banks are different, but certainly some will push the boundaries.

A lot of Americans came out of the last recession with ruined or damaged credit. Even though some of those bad marks can be removed on request in writing to the credit bureaus after seven years, can that still affect a loan application?
The seven years helps, but any events of default are incredibly damaging and make it very difficult to achieve a home loan.

Westowne

Westowne's affordable homes and quiet streets are not its only selling points—Westowne Elementary School boasts higher test scores than the county or state average. —Jennifer Hughes

—Jennifer Hughes

At a Glance

Housing types Arts and Crafts designs and other types from the mid-20th century

Claim to fame Westowne Elementary School boasts higher test scores than the county or state average

Character Quiet streets and friendly neighbors but close to urban conveniences.

POPULATION 600

Median home price $175,000

DISTANCE TO DOWNTOWN 6.3 miles

When Robin and Alec Decker, Pictured, moved to Baltimore from Savannah, GA, 18 months ago to be closer to family, they knew they wanted to buy a home. Robin, 46, a former chiropractic assistant who’s now a full-time mom, and Alec, 44, who had been stationed in the Army in Savannah but who is now a consultant for financial services giant Deloitte Touche, wanted elbow room for themselves and their twin daughters, now 5. They started looking in the popular neighborhoods—from Roland Park and Mt. Washington to Ellicott City—but quickly realized that the homes there were out of their price range, and that they needed a plan B.

“Because of the kids, we wanted a nice yard, and we also prefer older homes architecturally, because they have more character,” Robin says. “We were shown some new homes, but I really didn’t like them. I was planning to attend the University of Maryland downtown, so we also needed to be close to the city. But one of the most important things was school—we looked really hard at the different public school systems.”

They looked at a lot of homes. “Our Realtor, Frank Locke of Chase Fitzgerald, was fantastic—he took us everywhere,” she recalls. But where they finally bought is not exactly a household word in the local real-estate world: They ended up in the Westowne neighborhood, where the homes are a little more affordable than in adjacent Catonsville proper. Built in the 1930s, their three-bedroom, three-bath, Arts and Crafts-style home sits on a double lot and reminds them of the century-old design aesthetic they loved in Savannah.

Of course, Robin already had done a lot of research online, but before sealing the deal, she undertook a little bit of extra detective work. “I wanted to know exactly who the people were living in the neighborhood and how they felt about it, so I would drive around Westowne at different times of day, like 20 times, just to accost people on the street. Everyone said Westowne was great, the schools were great, that there were lots of young families like ours, and that they loved it,” says Robin. “That’s what solidified it for us.”

Source

Video: Tour Baltimore’s Hamilton-Lauraville Neighborhood

Meredith Herzing — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 08:30:00 +0000

For more on Baltimore’s “Hidden Gem Neighborhoods,” pick up the April issue of Baltimore magazine, on newsstands now.

Source

Real Estate Predictions for 2015

Jess Mayhugh — Fri, 20 Mar 2015 08:30:00 +0000

Andrew Strauch – LinkedIn

Where’s the market going in the next year? Who better to read the real-estate tea leaves than a guy who lives and breathes the industry indicators—Andrew Strauch, vice president of product innovation and marketing at Mid-Atlantic multiple listing service MRIS. His forecast for the rest of 2015? A strengthening economy (which should mean more people with money to buy), lots of houses to choose from (think reasonable prices), and historically low interest rates (even if Janet Yellen tweaks them a bit).

What’s your take on what the Federal Reserve will do?

It’s anybody guess, but we work with economists to try to see where that’s headed, and it looks like, with an end in 2014 to quantitative easing [when the Federal Reserve tried to cure the economy by buying trillions of dollars in assets from banks and other institutions to raise asset prices and increase the money supply], some measures will be put in place in 2015 to raise interest rates. As a result, I’m guessing average 30-year mortgage rates will be 4.5 to 5 percent in 2015—they’re now in the high 3s—though 4.5 to 5 percent is still historically low.

At the same time, however, in the overall context of global economies, a lot of other developed economies are in recession, meaning a strong dollar, and therefore low U.S. bond yields (which affect interest rates and could soften the effect of any increase in short-term rates by the Fed).

Mortgages were hard to get post-recession. Is that changing?

Yes, there has been an easing of credit standards. Especially for first-time buyers, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which guarantee mortgage loans, will be allowing lower down-payment programs. This should give many people more opportunity to purchase a first home, which brings more buyers into the market.

National statistics suggest that the millennials have been sitting out the market, and opting to rent. Do you see that changing?

I think there’s higher interest among millennials in purchasing homes than you might see from the national discussion. We’ll see millennials over time getting into the market, especially if they’re looking to get married and have kids.

What effect will downsizing boomers have on the market?

If you look at a lot of cities, including Baltimore, the number of condos being built and the level of luxury associated with those condos is more than we’ve seen in past. So it’s not just about downsizing, but also what’s called right-sizing—downsizing without giving up lifestyle.

On a related topic, we’ve all seen the stats on the number of millennials returning to live with parents. When that ends, how will it affect the parents’ housing decisions?

As the unemployment rate drops, things are looking up for the millennials. That suggests the boomerang effect of millennials moving back home—which is related to the recession and the millennials’ ability to get that first job—will dissipate, enabling more of those boomers to downsize.

It’ll be seven years since the recession started, so a lot of people who had money problems will be aging out of the negative marks on their credit reports. And the huge percentage of underwater mortgages [houses worth less than what owners owe on them] has dropped. Will that help the market?

Both factors are important, but fewer mortgages being underwater is definitely helping the market. The vast majority of homes are above water now, which was not the case a few years ago. That should open up some liquidity.

Where do you see prices and inventory going?

Inventory was tight about two years ago, but it’s up year over year—there’s five or six months of inventory now, and that’s a healthy place for it to be. It might grow a bit more into 2015, which will control prices. We’ve already seen a slowdown in price increases in markets in and around Baltimore, and we expect limited price increases in 2015.

They’re Worth A Second Look
By Lauren Cohen

In any city, there are neighborhoods that suffer from a reputation for being a little ragged around the edges for one reason or another, and Baltimore is no different. But in many cases, these generations-old perceptions are outdated. Here are some of the communities you thought were forgettable, but in fact, they¹ve come up in the world:

Bolton Hill: Although this historic enclave went through a bit of a rough patch during the mid-20th century when its deteriorated homes needed some sprucing up, that rebirth has happened with its 2,000 residents living in beautifully restored row homes on tree-lined streets. “The resurgence of the entire Bolton Hill community goes hand in hand with the success of Maryland Institute College of Art [MICA],” says Karen Hubble Bisbee of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. “Baltimore City owes an enormous debt to Fred Lazarus [recent past MICA president].”

Patterson Park: This area took a hit in the ’70s and ’80s after the decline of the surrounding manufacturing industry forced residents to find work elsewhere and resulted in a spike in crime. Today, Patterson Park is making a huge comeback with the popularity of remodeled homes, the trendy arts scene both there and in nearby Canton and Greektown, and, of course, the park itself. Says Karen Stevenson of Keller Williams Realty, “My clients have told me that they love the different events in the park from rugby to movie nights. There¹s always something for them to do.”

Upper Fells Point: Real-estate experts predict that this diverse community will be one of the hottest places for homebuyers to peruse in 2015. Although many of its larger homes were divided into multi-family dwellings during the Depression era, Upper Fells Point is being restored back to its former glory with renovated properties that aren’t as pricey as those in neighboring Canton.

Station North: Once regarded as a good place to find drugs, crime, and poverty, this area is becoming popular, finally, thanks to the city’s arts-and-entertainment-district designation, the expansion of the MICA, University of Baltimore, and Johns Hopkins campuses, and the shops, restaurants, and art studios being started up there, often by grads from the two institutions. Also helping its redemption is its proximity to both Charles Street¹s restaurants and theater area and to the train station, as well as its quick access to the Jones Falls Expressway.

Remington: This friendly community had fallen on hard times during the economic downturn in the ’60s and ’70s, but now it¹s developing a new reputation as the stomping grounds for professionals, students, and thriving artists and musicians. Affordable apartments and row homes, a developing Main Street project, and some popular restaurants like Parts & Labor and Charmington ’s Café (recently patronized by President Obama) make this quirky ’hood one that’s worth looking at.

The Rotunda: Just a stone¹s throw away from Roland Park, this North Baltimore zone was once a premiere shopping destination and home to a swanky corporate campus. “The place just died off,” says Donna Brown of Long and Foster Realty. But a massive in-the-works redevelopment will soon transform the wasteland into a thriving community featuring 379 luxury apartments, nearly 300,000 square feet of office and retail space, and a MOM’s Organic Market. The remodel is slated to be complete later this year.

Dundalk: Forget what you’ve heard about this waterfront locale, because the popularity of its modernized properties is increasing rapidly. As the former home of Bethlehem Steel shipyard laborers, Dundalk saw some tough times in the 1980s and ’90s with the loss of steel- and auto-factory jobs. The community has had a hard time shaking off that perception, but with its comforting small-town feel, easy access to the city, and beautiful dockside homes, including new developments, this blossoming community definitely has its perks.

Source

Best Places To Live 2013: 20+ Best Neighborhoods for Public Schools

Jess Mayhugh — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 11:52:00 +0000

Spending $20,000 a year to send Junior to private school? You may not need to in these school districts.

Anne Arundel County

Annapolis/Cape St. Claire
Broadneck HS
Magothy River MS
Broadneck Elem.
Cape St. Claire Elem.

Pasadena
Chesapeake HS
Chesapeake Bay MS
Bodkin Elem.
Jacobsville Elem.
Lake Shore Elem.
Pasadena Elem.

Severna Park
Severna Park HS
Severna Park MS
Benfield Elem.
Folger McKinsey Elem.
Jones Elem.
Oak Hill Elem.
Severna Park Elem.
Shipley’s Choice Elem.

Baltimore City

Roland Park
Roland Park Elem./MS

Gwynn Oak
Liberty Elem.
Baltimore Civitas MS/HS (choice Northwest quadrant)

Woodberry
Medfield Heights Elem.

Middle East/Baltimore Highlands
William Paca Elem.
KASA Baltimore
College Preparatory MS/HS (choice Southwest quadrant)

Belair-Edison
Armistead Gardens Elem./MS

Edmondson/Woodlawn
Dickey Hill Elem./MS

Mt. Washington
The Mt. Washington School

Baltimore County

Hereford
Hereford HS
Hereford MS
Fifth District Elem.
Prettyboy Elem.
Seventh District Elem.
Sparks Elem.

Loch Raven
Loch Raven HS
Pine Grove MS
Pine Grove Elem.

Timonium
Dulaney HS
Ridgely MS
Timonium Elem.
Pot Spring Elem.
Lutherville Laboratory Elem.
Pinewood Elem.

Carroll County

Sykesville
Century HS
Liberty HS
Sykesville MS
Oklahoma Road MS
Eldersburg Elem.
Linton Springs Elem.
Piney Ridge Elem.
Mechanicsville Elem.

Mount Airy
Mount Airy MS
Mount Airy Elem.
South Carroll HS

Bel Air South
Patterson Mill MS/HS
Homestead/Wakefield Elem.
William S. James Elem.

Bel Air North
C. Milton Wright HS
Southampton MS
Churchville Elem.
Dublin Elem.
Hickory Elem.

Howard County

Marriottsville
Marriotts Ridge HS
Mount View MS
Manor Woods Elem.
Waverly Elem.
West Friendship Elem.

Clarksville
Glenelg HS
River Hill HS
Folly Quarter MS
Clarksville MS
Lime Kiln MS
Clarksville MS
Clarksville Elem.
Dayton Run Elem.
Pointers Run Elem.
Triadelphia Elem.

Columbia
Atholton HS
Wilde Lake HS
Harper’s Choice MS
Oakland Mills HS
Atholton Elem.
Thunder Hill Elem.

Ellicott City
Mt. Hebron HS
Centennial HS
Patapsco MS
Burleigh Manor MS
St. Johns Lane Elem.
Hollifield Station Elem.
Northfield Elem.
Centennial Lane Elem.

Ratings are based on Maryland School Assessment (MSA) and High School Assessment (HSA) data from 2012, and other data.

Source

Best Places To Live 2013: The Young Family

Jess Mayhugh — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 11:38:00 +0000

Westminster – Gregg Presbury, 40, a web developer, and his
wife, Marijka Grey, 38, a physician and medical administrator, faced a
challenge not unfamiliar to many couples: trying to find a home that
would make the commute a little more bearable—at least for one of them.

They were living in a townhome in Frederick, but Presbury’s job was
near Baltimore-Washington Thurgood Marshall Airport and Grey’s was with
major medical group WellSpan with operations in Gettysburg, throughout
south-central Pennsylvania, and in Frederick County.

“We were looking for someplace a little closer to both our jobs,”
says Grey. “My husband doesn’t mind the drive too much, but especially
with me working on the administrative side in the York offices,
Frederick was too far.”

They chose Westminster, and ended up buying a four-bedroom house they
were already pretty familiar with, located in a Ryan Homes development
called Meadow Creek. “The agent likes to point out that I looked at this
three years ago, before we got married,” says Grey. And the move makes
even more sense now that the couple just had their first child,
6-week-old Sylvia.

What were they looking for in a neighborhood? “A good school district
was important, which Carroll County definitely has, and a nice
community feel was important, too,” says Grey. “We live on the outskirts
of Westminster, across the street from McDaniel College, where we can
take classes or go to concerts, and downtown Westminster is pretty cute,
too. You can get all the basic amenities there, but if we really need
more shopping, we can go to Owings Mills.”

And proof that the place has a neighborly touch came when they
weren’t even home, says Grey: “When we were out of town during a big
snowstorm, the neighbors plowed our driveway.”

Source

Best Places To Live 2013: The First-Time Buyer

Jess Mayhugh — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 11:36:00 +0000

Upper Fells Point – When Jess Parker started working in
sales at Under Armour five years ago, she did what comes naturally to
22-year-olds—she ganged up with some girlfriends to rent a place in
Federal Hill. But five-plus years of communal living got the Baltimore
County native and Clemson University grad thinking about buying.

“I was really kind of interested in owning a house from an investment
standpoint,” says Parker, who is unmarried and now works in sports
marketing for Under Armour. “I love being in the city—there’s always fun
things going on, so I started looking around Federal Hill and Locust
Point.”

The hipness factor, though, put most of the homes out of her
financial reach. “It was my Realtor at O’Conor & Mooney who
convinced me to start looking instead in Upper Fells Point, where values
were a little better, and where a lot of my friends had ended up
anyway.” And, sure enough, she found an affordable little townhouse
there that she loved, which she closed on last fall.

It’s close enough to work that she often zips home for lunch to walk
her golden retriever, Izzy. And she’s enlisted a favorite former
roommate to help pay the mortgage by renting a room to her.

But it wasn’t all about investing her money wisely: “I feel like I
always wanted a place I could call my own, where I could do fun stuff,
and decorate, and so on,” says Parker. “I got a lot more for my money in
Fells versus Federal Hill, and the parking is easier, too. We used to
have to hunt down spots in Federal Hill—it was the luck of the draw. It
was definitely the right move.”

Source

Best Places To Live 2013: Westminster

Jess Mayhugh — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 11:29:00 +0000

The old part of Westminster proper has kept its historic feel, but just beyond are lots of affordable housing
developments and shopping for most every need.

Median home price: $244,000.

Miles to downtown: 36.

Bragging rights: The countryside is at its doorstep and the schools are good, too.

Source

Best Places To Live 2013: Ruxton

Jess Mayhugh — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 11:26:00 +0000

A quiet, leafy, and exclusive suburb just north of the city line with some huge lots and plenty of green.

Median home Price: $289,600.

Miles to downtown: 10.

Bragging rights: A quaint village center and its very own access to I-83 (but no light rail stop, which residents rejected 30 years ago).

Source

Best Places To Live 2013: Fells Point

Jess Mayhugh — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 11:23:00 +0000

Like Annapolis, this historic port neighborhood has a lively waterfront bar and restaurant scene.

Median home Price: $216,000.

Miles to downtown: 1.

Bragging rights: Housing is still affordable and if you work in Baltimore, the commute is sweet.

Source

Best Places To Live 2013: Columbia

Jess Mayhugh — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 11:21:00 +0000

One of the nation’s best-executed planned communities, Columbia is convenient to both Baltimore and Washington, D.C.

Median home price: $309,100.

Miles to downtown: 18.

Bragging rights: Columbia and the rest of Howard County have among the best public schools in the nation—and the home prices reflect that.

Source

Best Places To Live 2013: Annapolis

Jess Mayhugh — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 11:16:00 +0000

Sure, it’s Sailing City, the state capital, and home to the Naval
Academy, but it’s still got a small-town feel and a cool harbor scene,
too.

Median home price: $359,600.

Miles to downtown: 30 to Baltimore, 34 to Washington, D.C.

Bragging rights: You can’t get much more historic than Annapolis, and there are lots of snappy-looking Naval Academy midshipmen walking the

Source

Best Places To Live 2013: 50+ Top Neighborhoods

Jess Mayhugh — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 11:12:00 +0000

Anne Arundel County

Annapolis: Historic, Low crime, Walkability, Waterfront
Severna Park: Top-rated schools, Low crime, Waterfront
Arnold: Top-rated schools
Londontowne: Historic, Low crime, Waterfront
Shady Side: Low crime, Waterfront
Crofton: Good housing values, Walkability, Green space/Parks, Commuter friendly
Davidsonville: Good housing values
Millersville: Good housing values, Low crime, Green space/Parks
Gambrills: Low crime, Walkability

Howard County

Ellicott City: Top-rated schools, Green space/Parks, Low crime
Columbia: Top-rated schools, Green space/Parks, Low crime
Clarksville: Top-rated schools, Green space/Parks, Low crime
Dayton: Top-rated schools, Green space/Parks, Low crime

Harford County

Fallston: Good housing values, Green space/Parks, Low crime
Bel Air: Good housing values, Green space/Parks, Low crime
Havre de Grace: Historic, Waterfront, Green space/Parks, Good housing values
Abingdon: Good housing values, Green space/Parks, Low crime
Jarrettsville: Good housing values, Green space/Parks, Low crime

Carroll County

Westminster: Historic, Low crime, Green space/Parks, Good housing values
Taneytown: Historic, Low crime, Green space/Parks, Good housing values
Uniontown: Historic, Low crime, Green space/Parks, Good housing values

Baltimore County

Hunt Valley: Top-rated schools, Low crime, Green space/Parks
Glencoe/Sparks: Top-rated schools, Low crime, Green space/Parks
Mays Chapel: Top-rated schools, Low crime, Green space/Parks, Commuter friendly
Phoenix: Top-rated schools, Low crime, Green space/Parks
Ruxton: Top-rated schools, Low crime, Green space/Parks, Commuter friendly
Lutherville/Timonium: Top-rated schools, Green space/Parks, Commuter friendly
Stevenson: Top-rated schools, Low crime, Green space/Parks, Commuter friendly
Worthington: Top-rated schools, Low crime, Green space/Parks
Glyndon: Top-rated schools, Low crime, Green space/Parks
Butler: Top-rated schools, Low crime, Green space/Parks
Monkton/Hereford: Top-rated schools, Low crime, Green space/Parks
Jacksonville: Top-rated schools, Low crime, Green space/Parks
Cockeysville: Top-rated schools, Low crime, Commuter friendly
Oella: Top-rated schools, Low crime, Green space/Parks
Owings Mills: Good housing values, Commuter friendly
Quarry Lake/Western Run: Green space/Parks, Commuter friendly
Reisterstown: Historic, Low crime, Good housing values, Green space/Parks
Randallstown: Good housing values
Rodgers Forge: Good housing values, Walkability, Commuter friendly

Baltimore City

Roland Park: Historic, Low crime, Walkability, Commuter friendly
Homeland: Historic, Commuter friendly
Guilford: Historic, Low crime, Green space/Parks, Commuter friendly
Mt. Washington: Historic, Low crime, Green space/Parks, Top-rated schools
Lauraville/Hamilton: Low crime, Good housing values, Commuter friendly
Woodberry: Low crime, Good housing values, Commuter friendly
Ashburton: Historic, Commuter friendly
Butchers Hill: Good housing values, Walkability, Commuter friendly
Canton: Good housing values, Walkability, Waterfront, Commuter friendly
Cedarcroft: Good housing values, Commuter friendly
Federal Hill: Walkability, Waterfront, Commuter friendly
Fells Point: Historic, Walkability, Waterfront, Commuter friendly
Harbor East: Low crime, Walkability, Waterfront, Commuter friendly
Little Italy: Low crime, Walkability, Commuter friendly
Locust Point: Good housing values, Waterfront
Wyndhurst: Low crime, Good housing values, Commuter friendly

Source

Best Places To Live 2013

Jess Mayhugh — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 11:07:00 +0000

Finally, it’s coming back with a gaggle of indicators on the rise,
from applications for building permits and new construction to a
dwindling number of homes languishing on the market and double-digit
annual increases in homes sold in the Baltimore area. And thanks in part
to a still-nervous Federal Reserve and a queasy Eurozone that’s keeping
bond yields down, mortgage interest rates remain historically low. At
the same time—though new-home prices are about 9 percent higher than in
2008—prices for existing homes are still a bargain, averaging 25 percent
under the statewide average of $350,000 five years ago. But in some
places, like Carroll and Baltimore counties, they’re climbing back at a
rate that could match 2008 numbers very quickly.

Which means that this party won’t last forever: If you’ve been
thinking about buying a home or moving up to something bigger, this
could be a pretty good time, before prices—and interest rates—go higher.

Where to buy? We’ve done the homework for you, identifying the best
neighborhoods in the greater metro area, whether it’s because of
location, good schools, or great home values.

You probably can’t go wrong with any of these communities—but one of them is bound to be the perfect match.

Source

Best Places To Live 2013: 10 Best Neighborhood Parks

Jess Mayhugh — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Go ahead: Walk the dog, fly a kite, push the stroller, go jogging.
And here are some of the green spaces best suited for all that.

Canton Waterfront Park
Canton
This modest bit of green has a dog park, boat launch, and views of Fort McHenry.

Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park
Edmondson
Baltimore’s largest park, it’s home to the Carrie Murray Nature Center and the 19th-century Orianda House.

Carroll Park
Pratt Monroe/Pigtown
Once
part of Charles Carroll’s Mount Clare estate, there are athletic
fields, basketball courts, a skate park, and a nine-hole golf course.

Robert E. Lee Park
Baltimore County/City
The
415-acre tract sports a new pedestrian bridge over Roland Run, the Paw
Point dog park, light-rail access, and canoeing and kayaking on Lake
Roland.

Patterson Park
Baltimore
Check out
the new Patterson Park dog park, plus a host of events and a rehab of
the courts for both tennis and Ecuavolley, an Ecuadorian spin on
volleyball.

Piney Run Park
Sykesville
Piney Run
Park hosts fishing tournaments on the 300-acre lake plus more than five
miles of hiking trails, a climbing rock, and a nature center.

Pine Valley Park
Manchester
With a
stream, a pond, and more than four miles of hiking trails, Pine Valley
surrounds the Charlotte’s Quest Nature Center in northeastern Carroll
County.

Centennial Park
Ellicott City
Though it includes sports facilities like tennis and basketball courts, there’s also woodland and wetland ecosystems.

Harford Glen Park
Bel Air
In addition
to providing outdoor education programs for students, the park opens
its woods, fields, and marshes to the public on weekends.

Rocks State Park
Pylesville/Deer Creek Valley
There’s fishing and tubing on Deer Creek, plus the 190-foot rock cliff known as The King and Queen Seat and Kilgore Falls.

Source

Best Places To Live 2013: Safest Neighborhoods

Jess Mayhugh — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Based on ratings from neighborhoodscout.com

– Dayton
– Clarksville
– Jarrettsville
– Fallston
– Owings Mills
– Bel Air
– Phoenix
– Abingdon
– Reisterstown
– Cockeysville

Source

Best Places To Live 2013: Baltimore’s Top-Selling and Most Expensive Neighborhoods

Jess Mayhugh — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Top Selling ‘Hoods

So which neighborhoods are the most popular? These are the communities with the most units sold in 2011.

Anne Arundel: Annapolis (814 units sold), Glen Burnie (684 units sold), Pasadena/Gibson Island (563 units sold)

Baltimore City: Canton/Highlandtown/Patterson Park
(834 units sold), Bolton Hill/Union Square/Hanlon Park (747 units sold),
Hamilton/Lauraville/Raspeburg (598 units sold)

Baltimore County: Gwynn Oak/Windsor
Mill/Randallstown (744 units sold), Perry Hall/Nottingham/Northeastern
Baltimore County (612 units sold), Lutherville/Timonium/Cockeysville
(601 units sold)

Howard County: Columbia/Clarksville (1,034 units
sold), Columbia (928 units sold), Ellicott City (778 units sold),
Clarksville/Woodstock/Western Howard County (438 units sold)

Harford County: Bel Air (661 units sold), Aberdeen/Belcamp/Havre de Grace (491 units sold), Abingdon (398 units sold)

Carroll County: Westminster/Taneytown (515 units sold), Sykesville (346 units sold), Hampstead/Finksburg/Manchester (285 units sold)

Most Expensive Neighborhoods

If you’re rollin’ in dough and want to hobnob with neighbors who are,
too, point your checkbook toward these pricey enclaves, where sales
prices top the metro-area charts (median prices courtesy Long &
Foster).

Anne Arundel
Severna Park ($442,450)
Annapolis ($318,000)
Edgewater ($337,450)

Baltimore City
Homeland/Roland Park/Cedarcroft ($252,500)
Mount Washington/Roland Park ($308,800)
Federal Hill/Locust Point/South Baltimore ($225,000)

Baltimore County
Phoenix/Sparks/Northern Baltimore County ($342,500)
Lutherville/Timonium/Cockeysville ($318,000)
Towson ($260,000)

Carroll County
Sykesville ($242,000)
Hampstead/Finksburg/Manchester ($230,000)
Westminster/Taneytown ($270,000)

Harford County
Forest Hill/Jarrettsville/Northern Harford County ($235,000)
Bel Air ($244,500)
Fallston/Joppa ($278,500)

Howard County
Clarksville/Woodstock/Western Howard County ($438,000)
Ellicott City ($435,000)

Source

Video: Editor’s Corner April 2013

Jess Mayhugh — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Source

154 Things To Do In The 10 Neighborhoods You Need To Know About

Jess Mayhugh — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 08:30:00 +0000

If you talked to any Joe Schmo on the street about the best neighborhoods in Baltimore, they’d list the usual suspects: Canton, Federal Hill, Fells Point, Hampden. And while all of those are wonderful areas, and certainly popular for a reason, we wanted to feature some of the unheralded spots in our region. Many of these areas feel like the neglected step-children of their more popular counterparts, but there are plenty of reasons to celebrate these ’hoods on the rise— whether it’s affordable real estate, adorable mom-and-pop shops, undiscovered art scenes, or fantastic summer events.

As the weather gets warmer, it’s a great time to explore outdoor concerts, local parks, and summer festivals, whether as a visitor or future resident. We urge you to take a closer look at the Baltimore metro area because what you find might surprise you.

*Statistics from 2010 U.S. Census except where noted.

Ashburton

Population: 2,520 Median home price: $152,000 Own-to-rent ratio: 71.7 to 28.3 percent Miles from downtown Baltimore: 4.5*

Since the mid-’50s, Ashburton has been the home base for Baltimore’s African-American elite. It has produced generations of civic leaders including Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, who grew up in the neighborhood, and former Mayor Kurt Schmoke. Even one of Mayor Rawlings-Blake’s recent challengers, Catherine Pugh, calls the petite district north of Liberty Heights Avenue, east of Callaway Avenue, south of Sequoia Avenue, and west of Hilton Road, home. Full of older, well-kept homes on large lots with mature trees, Ashburton recalls parts of Cedarcroft or even Mt. Washington (though much less hilly). Nearby Lake Ashburton in Hanlon Park has a walking path around the reservoir that gets plenty of use while just a little farther down the road is Druid Hill Park, containing the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore and the Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory and Botanic Gardens of Baltimore, which is named after Mayor Rawlings-Blake’s late dad, state Delegate Howard Peters “Pete” Rawlings, who died in 2003. Ashburtonites take their horticulture seriously, and the For-Win-Ash Garden Club (named for the communities of Forest Park, Windsor Hills, and Ashburton) is still very active. Every other year, it hosts a garden tour, but sadly, this is an off year. The recent renovation of Mondawmin Mall has given area retail a boost with a new Target, a Forever 21, and several other clothing stores, now open.

Events:

The Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory offers weekly classes sure to please green thumbs. On May 5, learn how to create a succulent garden.

The Maryland’s Zoo’s Brew at the Zoo event—two days of craft and local beer sampling and live music—is May 26-27.

Get your engine running at the 2nd annual Druid Hill Auto and Motorcycle Extravaganza, August 25 from 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Browse the offerings at the city’s newest farmers’ market every Wednesday evening from June through September at the Rawlings Conservatory.

Butchers Hill

Population: 1,889, Median home price: $250,000, Own-to-rent ratio: 51.1 to 48.9 percent, Miles from downtown Baltimore: 1.4

What used to be home to affluent German and Jewish butchers is now home to a diverse cross-section of the city. Butchers Hill is at the northwest end of Patterson Park, bounded by Fayette Street on the north, Patterson Park Avenue on the east, Pratt Street on the south, and Washington Street on the west. A mix of artists, Hopkins employees, students, and empty-nesters now reside in the neighborhood’s oversized brick row houses. Many of the wide, three-story houses are quite affordable for their size, making them attractive to rehabbers. One example of what can be done with these houses is Blue Door on Baltimore, a bed-and-breakfast that opened in 2007. The B&B offers a soothing experience for guests, many of whom are visiting because of nearby The Johns Hopkins Hospital. In fact, a main draw for Butchers Hill residents is its close proximity to Hopkins, Patterson Park, and Fells Point. But you don’t have to leave the confines of the neighborhood to experience urban culture, with places like neighborhood bar The Life of Reilly, which serves up authentic Irish cuisine. If something more upscale is your scene, there is Salt Tavern, which offers fare like duck-fat fries and Kobe-beef sliders in a modern setting. For a quick cup of coffee and a pastry, head over to Water for Chocolate. (Bonus: the shop’s iced drinks have coffee ice cubes so they don’t get watered down.) Then there is also, of course, the natural beauty of the city’s largest park right next door, with tennis and basketball courts, jogging and biking trails, and constant summer festivals.

Baltimore’s Backyard

While many houses surrounding the park don’t have big backyards, there is plenty of green space—–137 acres to be exact—–in adjacent Patterson Park. Here is just a sampling of things to do.

Splish Splash – The pool in Patterson Park is one of the city’s many great, affordable public pools. Pool season starts in June and runs through the last Sunday in August. There’s a lap pool, toddler water-play area, and adult swim times—–all for just $1.50 a visit.

Play Time – Although there are two playgrounds in the park, the one near Eastern Avenue between S. Milton and S. Montford Avenues may be the coolest in the city. Built in 2005, the playground pays tribute to city landmarks—–with row houses, a Bromo-Seltzer clock tower, and a gazebo that looks like the old park’s music pavilion.

Game On – Any athlete would feel at home, whether enjoying the park’s almost three miles of biking and walking trails, 10 tennis courts, four full-sized basketball courts, various multi-use fields, or the rink open for hockey in the winter and broomball in the summer.

Great Lake – Almost smack dab in the middle of the park is its boat lake, which is a combination of open water and wetland habitat for fish, waterfowl, and birds. The lake is great for fishing, wildlife viewing, or just an afternoon of feeding bread to the ducks.

Events

Butchers Hill Flea Market and Craft Fair, located by the pagoda in Patterson Park, is the ultimate treasure trove for the bargain hunter. Tip: Get there early, as the seasoned residents of the neighborhood don’t sleep on this one. May 12, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

PNC Concerts in Patterson Park run Tuesdays and Sundays throughout the summer. Grab a blanket and a picnic dinner while you listen to everything from salsa and reggae to bluegrass and funk. June 10 and 26; July 8, 17, 31; August 7 and 19, all at 6:30 p.m. (Rain dates are the following Wednesday.)

Latino Fest, one of many ethnic festivals celebrated in the park, is probably the most well attended. With authentic Latino music and delicious food, this annual outdoor party is a big draw for residents of all ethnicities. June 23, 12-10 p.m., and 24, 12-9 p.m.

Dickeyville

Population: 156 Median home price: $307,500 Own-to-rent ratio: 96.4 to 3.6 percent Miles from downtown Baltimore: 6.2

If you asked a 10-year-old to draw a picture of a storybook village, he or she would probably produce something closely resembling Dickeyville, a National Register Historic Preservation District on the western edge of Baltimore City. A cluster of 138 homes and buildings nestled along narrow, winding streets north of Windsor Mill Road, west of Wetherdsville Road, east of the city-county line, and south of Purnell Drive, Dickeyville got its start as a 19th-century mill village powered by the adjacent Gwynns Falls. Residents take extreme pride in preserving their nabe with not one but two governing bodies overseeing its architectural integrity. (White houses can only be repainted white; shutters are encouraged to be either black or dark green.) But all this enforced quaintness pays off with high home values and a close-knit community. The Dickeyville Garden Club, founded in 1940, hosts multiple community events throughout the year including a spring plant sale and autumn cook-off and bonfire. One of the best perks of living in Dickeyville is its proximity to Gwynns Falls-Leakin Park, a roughly 1,000-acre tract containing walking and biking trails, tennis courts, the Carrie Murray Nature Center, and Orianda House, a 19th-century Italianate mansion. There’s also the nearby 18-hole Forest Park Golf Course, with greens’ fees starting as low as $9.50.

Events:

This year’s Horticultural Society of Maryland’s Garden Tour will offer a peek behind the picturesque picket fences and stone walls of Dickeyville. June 3, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Dickeyville takes the Fourth of July seriously with a multiple-day celebration featuring a community dinner dance (June 30), brunch (July 1), and, of course, parade and picnic (July 4).

April through November, Friends of Gwynns Falls Leakin Park hosts Second Sunday in the Park, a day of free activities including guided hikes, tours of Orianda House, and free miniature train rides! 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Hampstead

Population: 6,323 Median home price: $265,000 Own-to-rent ratio: 74.3 to 22.3 percent Miles from downtown Baltimore: 27.1

Hampstead is a Carroll County town just 30 miles northwest of Baltimore that seems straight out of another time. Main Street is reminiscent of quintessential small-town America, with an old-time police station and great antiquing. There are many sprawling farmhouses on Mt. Carmel Road and along Route 30, but also some beautiful Colonial houses built in the 1800s along Main Street. The central avenue of town also boasts quaint shops like Linens and Lace Tea Room, where you can find girls of all ages having tea parties, or independent floral shop Petals Flowers & Gifts. While there isn’t much for fine dining, there are certainly charming restaurants, like the 50-year-old Dean’s Restaurant, which feels like eating at your grandmother’s house with homemade desserts and delicious corn fritters. For a more casual atmosphere, there is Greenmount Station, known for its crab cakes and sports-bar atmosphere. And every great small town needs a diner, so Hampstead Diner is the spot where locals chow down on sausage gravy and chipped beef while they shoot the breeze about politics and gossip. For fresh produce, there is a farmers’ market at the fire station every Saturday starting on June 9. Plus, right in town, there’s a huge water park Cascade Lake, which is a six-acre, spring-fed lake with a roped-off area for swimming that includes various waterslides and platforms. For the history buffs, there’s a war memorial on Main Street and there are also several historic signs throughout the town marking different Civil War battles as people make their way up to Gettysburg, about an hour north.

Events:

Hampstead Day is a day to celebrate the town where they close off Main Street and feature nearly 150 vendors with kiddie rides, music, and food. May 19, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

A Month of Sundays Summer Concert Series takes place in nearby Westminster City Park where, every Sunday in July, people bring their lawn chairs and picnic baskets to enjoy country, rockabilly, or Motown. Starting July 1, 6:45-9 p.m.

Hampstead Fire Company Carnival is a six-day event to celebrate the town’s volunteer fire company with a parade in their honor, as well as food, games, and entertainment. August 13-18, 6-11 p.m.

Knettishall

Population: 1,176 Median home price: $198,700 Own-to-rent ratio: 88 to 8.7 percent Miles from downtown Baltimore: 8*
*Statistics courtesy of Cummings & Co. Realtors.

Many people don’t even know how to pronounce this neighborhood (net-a-shawl), let alone know where it is. But, you probably drive by this Towson ’hood all the time since it’s located near Parkville, just west of Loch Raven Boulevard and south of Joppa Road. While it looks like a quintessential county suburb, the real estate is more affordable than its West Towson peers, but with all of the same space in its single-family homes. The ’40s and ’50s brick row homes are reminiscent of downtown architecture, but with the added bonus of front and backyards. Plus, shopping is a breeze with the walking-distance Towson Marketplace, which features stores like like Target, Marshalls, and Wal-Mart. There are plenty of local stalwarts within a stone’s throw, including Johnny Dee’s Lounge, which is a cavernous restaurant that pays tribute to the Colts and also has renowned shrimp salad. Just recently, there was some excitement when Gino’s Burgers opened right up the street, bringing the classic burger back to Baltimore. The cherished ’50-style Bel-Loc Diner and seafood haven Crackpot Restaurant are also close by. And don’t count out The Raven Inn, a dive bar beloved to the locals with entertaining bartenders and great deals on seafood. But a big part of the neighborhood demographic is families, who, most days, can be found enjoying the Pleasant Plains Elementary School playground. For even more space to roam, there is nearby Cromwell Valley Park, which boasts 380 acres of wetlands, meadows, gardens, and a farm right in the center of it, which is known for its organic methods. If organic is your thing, be sure to swing by the neighborhood’s farm stand on Putty Hill Avenue that runs every day in the spring, summer, and fall.

Events:

Towsontown Spring Festival is celebrating its 45th year and will feature four days of live music, beer gardens, carnival games, and countless vendors. May 3 (10 a.m.-3 p.m.), May 4 (5:30-9 p.m.), May 5 (10 a.m.-7 p.m.), and May 6 (1-7 p.m.).

Arts in the Park. This festival in Cromwell Valley Park showcases local fine artists, crafters, writers, and musicians. Also on hand are food, wine, and classic cars. May 12, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; May 13, 12-5 p.m.

Fourth of July is a pretty big deal in this neighborhood. The fireworks at the former Luskins building are now put up right down the street. Residents can walk down to Pleasant Plains Elementary with chairs and picnic baskets to take in the view. July 4.

Lauraville-Hamilton

Population: 13,903 (combined), Median home price: $159,900 (Lauraville), $150,000 (Hamilton), Own-to-rent ratio: 73.5 to 26.5 percent (Lauraville), 48.6 to 51.4 percent (Hamilton), Miles from downtown Baltimore: 5.1

This hyphenated hamlet is really two neighborhoods tied together by the unifying thread of Harford Road’s business district, which starts in Lauraville just north of Argonne Drive and continues up through Hamilton to Northern Parkway. Quiet, tree-lined streets boasting a mix of bungalows, Foursquares, and farmhouses shoot off the main thoroughfare offering suburban ambiance within the city. Of course, these days, the area is probably best known for its many culinary hotspots (see sidebar). But the affordability of the neighborhood and its strong public and charter schools—–including Hamilton Elementary/Middle School, City Neighbors Hamilton, and City Neighbors High School—–also attracts many young families who can be found browsing the excellent selection of children’s books at Red Canoe Bookstore Café, playing in rec leagues at Herring Run Park, or biking around Lake Montebello. Parents can also enroll their budding thespians in classes at the Performance Workshop Theatre or drop off their tiny dancers at Mid-Atlantic Center for the Performing Arts, a ballet and contemporary dance studio. Mommy and daddy can have fun, too, at Charmed Life, an art gallery and tattoo parlor or at The Chop Shop, a hair salon with a 20-seat movie theater, which owner Lisa Hawks rents out for events. Downstairs from The Chop Shop is Blue Spark Barbershop, home of Bill the Barber, whose in-demand cuts start at $16. And just down the street is Beth’s DIY Workshop, where founder Beth Dellow provides space, tools, and training for do-it-yourselfers.

Destination Dining

If someone had said 10 years ago that Harford Road would become one of Baltimore’s hottest dining destinations, you would have laughed. But, now, you can eat your way from one end to the other. In fact, we recommend you do.

Fine Dining – The strip’s two highest-profile restaurants are Hamilton’s Clementine, which serves upscale comfort food and The Chameleon, which opened in Lauraville in 2001, way before Harford Road was cool.

Casual Dining – Enjoy the hefty crab cake at Koco’s Pub. The recently opened Tooloulou is favored for its Cajun cusine. Hamilton Tavern keeps ’em coming back with a seasonal menu of pub favorites. Los Amigos turns out traditional Mexican food. Big Bad Wolf’s House of Barbecue has excellent meats and sides. And the two local diners—–Lost in the 50’s and Valentino’s—–crank out classic eats, the latter 24/7.

Markets/Groceries – The Tuesday Market in Lauraville sells from June through October. Clementine’s chef/owner, Winston Blick, is opening Green Onion, a grocery which will sell Clementine prepared foods (such as their beloved charcuterie) and other comestibles. Get your daily bread at Hamilton Bakery.

Cafes – Lauraville is home to Zeke’s Coffee, which brews nearly 50 different roasts at its plant and sells them a few blocks away in a coffee shop. Try a cup with an award-winning muffin from Red Canoe Bookstore Café.

Events

The Blue Water Berry Festival in Herring Run Park is a taste of summer with barbecue, music, vendors, and a native-dessert contest. June 23, 12-4 p.m.

The 19th Annual Hamilton Street Festival & Classic Car Show goes down July 28 and features a soapbox derby. 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

First Fridays offer visual and performing arts at galleries including Hamilton Arts Collective, Studio 55, and The Hamilton Gallery. Year-round.

Locust Point

Population: 2,138 Median home price: $292,500 Own-to-rent ratio: 70.8 to 29.2 percent Miles from downtown Baltimore: 2.7

Locust Point, the neighborhood once home to dock workers and their families, still has the industrial feel with its waterfront factories and Formstone houses. But, while the South Baltimore ’hood (with Lawrence Street to the west and the Patapsco River to the north, south, and east) held onto its blue-collar roots longer than its nearby compatriots, it also has new developments making it extremely attractive to homebuyers. Of course, there’s the behemoth condo complex Silo Point with its 360-degree views, swanky residences, and upscale restaurants. There’s also the Locust Point Dog Park on the corner of Latrobe Park, which has fancy amenities like Astroturf, rock features, and a doggie waterslide. And there is the former Tide Point campus, which just got bought by Fortune 500 company Under Armour, and features a waterfront boardwalk for jogging or yoga. Plus, there’s a free water taxi service on weekdays from the promenade over to Fells Point. And one of the newest establishments is shopping center McHenry Row, featuring the innovative Harris Teeter, where people from all over the city come to grocery shop. But you can’t ignore Locust Point standbys like the quaint, windowless J. Patrick’s Irish Pub, which features live Irish music multiple nights a week. There’s also the neighborhood bistro (and cleverly named) Hull Street Blues Café, which started as a saloon in 1889 and has a fantastic Sunday brunch. And don’t count out sports bar City Limits with its huge shuffleboard table and fresh-squeezed orange crushes. Also, if you want to get quite the waterfront vista (including the Under Armour and Domino Sugar signs), you should crack open some crabs on the roofdeck of L.P. Steamers. For the kids, there is spacious Latrobe Park with its tulip-lined pathways and large gated playground—–and they can cool off by visiting “Miss Twist,” who drives her turquoise ice-cream truck around the neighborhood delivering sweet treats. And lastly, while it’s no secret, the proximity to nearby Fort McHenry is an added bonus for any history buff.

Events:

Community Yard Sale, Find all the tchotchkes and antiques you want at the neighborhood’s annual yard sale in Latrobe Park. June 2, 8 a.m.-12 p.m.

Federal Hill Jazz & Blues Festival, in nearby Federal Hill, will feature more than 12 bands on two stages, as well as arts and crafts, food vendors, and kid games. June 3, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

Star-Spangled Sailabration, the weeklong celebration to mark the War of 1812’s bicentennial, features many events in Locust Point, including an air show, public ship tours, and concerts and fireworks at Fort McHenry. June 13-19. starspangled200.com.

Remington

Population: 2,458 Median home price: $106,000 Own-to-rent ratio: 48.6 to 51.4 percent Miles from downtown Baltimore: 2.6

Those whose only pass through Remington on their way to or from I-83 are missing out. Bounded on the west by Sisson Street, the south by 21st Street, the east by N. Howard Street, and the north by Wyman Park, the ‘hood is a bastion of blue-collar Baltimore. In recent years though, Remington has been embraced by younger generations, eager to repurpose its vacant industrial spaces for their own artistic and altruistic functions. Perhaps the most notable example of this is Charm City Cakes, the bakery made famous on the Food Network’s Ace of Cakes reality show, filmed at its 6,000-square-foot compound at the corner of Remington Avenue and W. 30th Street. Across the street is one of Baltimore most-beloved bars, The Dizz, which sells Charm City Cakes merchandise for the tourists but lures locals with its excellent bar food and unpretentious atmosphere. The New Wyman Park Restaurant—–which is not new and actually a diner—–is similarly down to earth, while the neighborhood’s other diner, the Papermoon, ups the quirk-factor with its eclectic décor and menu. Locavores love the new Baltimore Food Co-op, which carries local produce and national brands like Annie’s Naturals and Kashi. For gluten-free goodies hit up bakery Sweet 27, and complement your guilt-free dessert with organic coffee or tea from Charmington’s, where the baristas can top your cup with milk-foam designs. Charmington’s is also notable for its location on the ground floor of Miller’s Court, an old tin-can factory renovated into state-of-the-art office, retail, and living spaces. Apartments are available to Baltimore-area schoolteachers at discounted rents, and office space is leased to nonprofits such as Teach for America and Playworks. But Remington hasn’t gone soft. Just across the street from Miller’s Court is the Ottobar, the city’s stalwart rock club that’s never met a mohawked musician it didn’t welcome. We just wonder what the punks think about the soon-to-be-built 25th Street Station shopping center, which will be anchored by, yes, a Wal-Mart.

Events:

As of June, the Baltimore Streetcar Museum is open both Saturday and Sunday from 12-5 p.m. Regular admission is $7 and includes unlimited rides on original Baltimore streetcars.

Wyman Park Dell will be ground zero for this year’s Charles Village Festival featuring live music, a 5K race, and a block party. June 2-3. The Ottobar hosts Insubordination Fest 2012, three days of prime underground punk, pop-punk, and power pop. June 21-23.

Sparks

Population: 5,544, Median home price: $559,000*, Own-to-rent ratio: 76.5 to 23.5 percent, Miles from downtown Baltimore: 17.6 (*Sparks median home price courtesy of Krauss Real Property Brokerage)

Sparks is a perfect slice of Maryland countryside in central Baltimore County. Though the community’s borders are somewhat amorphous, it is generally accepted that it encompasses land within a two-mile radius of I-83 north of Hunt Valley and south of Route 138/Monkton Road. It is an area of considerable natural beauty with rolling pastures sloping down to the winding Gunpowder River along which the 20-mile Torrey C. Brown Trail (aka the NCR trail) meanders, offering hiking, biking, horseback riding, and fishing. Before casting your line, stop by Great Feathers for your rods and reels and to ask the fly fishermen on staff what’s biting. Drive along Belfast, Sparks, and Lower and Upper Glencoe Roads for good views of the many working and gentlemen’s farms that dot the landscape. Make sure to swing through the Oldfields School campus, a picturesque all-girls private high school with a stellar equestrian program. Sparks also boasts the U.S. headquarters of sportswear giant FILA as well as offices of McCormick & Company. This combination of rusticity and sophistication is reflected in the neighborhood’s two main restaurants. First, there’s The Filling Station, an old gas station turned coffee shop serving delicious soups, salads, and sandwiches during the day. Then, there’s The Milton Inn, which offers fine dining housed in a circa 1740 fieldstone Colonial that was once an all-boys school whose pupils included John Wilkes Booth. During the summer, locals relax at Basignani Winery, a family-run vineyard that hosts frequent events.

Events

The MAC Half Marathon & Two-Person Relay takes over the NCR trail on May 19.

Basignani Winery has outdoor movie nights (including wine tasting and popcorn!) May 25, June 8 and 22, July 6 and 13, and August 3, 24, and 31.

Kids ages 6-12 will explore the Gunpowder River at Stream Search/Aquatic Exploration on June 23, 9-11 a.m.

West Annapolis

Population: 734 Median home price: $737,200 Own-to-rent ratio: 74.6 to 21.3 percent Miles from downtown Baltimore: 25.4*
*West Annapolis statistics courtesy of kcookehomes.com.

The New Annapolis

If you can’t afford to take that big trip this spring or summer, think about sticking closer to home with the ultimate “staycation” in Annapolis, only a half-hour drive away. Now more than ever, our state capital has exciting things going on. Here are just a few:

Test Your Luck
The first phase of Maryland Live! Casino at Arundel Mills—–which will feature 4,750 slot and electric table games, like blackjack, roulette, craps, and poker—–is scheduled for completion in June.

Wine and Dine
Wine bars are all the rage in the Annapolis area this year. Red Red Wine Bar on Main Street is a tough table to get with its funky, bohemian design. And Vin 909 in Eastport takes an organic, seasonal approach with its ever-changing menu.

Getting Around
Naptown went pretty green last summer with the introduction of two car-free ways to get around. Electric-bike shop Green Pedals moved to West Annapolis last summer. Also, the town’s new City Circulator trolley trots people from the various shops and restau-rants, all for $1 a ride.

Set Up Shop
The gargantuan Annapolis Towne Centre seems like it keeps expanding, but that doesn’t stop boutique shops and eclectic stores from making their mark—–everything from Poppy and Stella and Urban Chic to Paper Source and Charm City Run.

The peninsula northwest of downtown Annapolis has started to have an identity all its own. Separating itself from the preppy, naval stereotypes of the state capital, West Annapolis is a tiny, bohemian community. The hippie vibe is evident in the establishment of wellness centers like Ridgely Retreat, which offers advanced spa treatments, yoga and dance classes, and acupuncture. There is also West Annapolis Art Works, which has framing services and an eclectic gallery of pieces, like waterview paintings, political cartoons, and African sculptures. And, if you’re so inspired, there is supply store Art Things, stationery shop Pris’ Paper, and Tara’s Gifts for kitschy presents and party décor. For a quick bite, there’s the eco-friendly b.b. bistro, which uses only local and seasonal ingredients. For potent margaritas and huge portions, try Mexican Café. There’s also Regina’s Restaurant which features unlikely, but welcome, German cuisine. There are plenty of places to go antiquing in this small community, like Bon Vivant Antiques, which specializes in online sales, and West Annapolis Antiques, which features jewelry and furniture from estate sales. Spending a day browsing the shops along Annapolis Street makes you feel like you’re in a quaint New England town, instead of the heart of Maryland. But, of course, the Annapolis influence isn’t too far away as the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium is down the street and is jam-packed with football fans every fall. There are plenty of activities (and prime real estate) along the water, so many residents can be seen crabbing, kayaking, or sailing on the Severn River. The close-knit community seems like the best of many worlds—–a classic yet progressive small town with no shortage of things to do.

Events:

Cinco de Mayo is the town’s first celebration of this Mexican holiday. Look for margaritas and sangria, Latino music, and vendors selling their wares. May 5, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Paris Flea Market is a unique event where the town turns into a Parisian-style market, and they close off Annapolis Street and have residents buy a space and sell whatever old artifacts they want to get rid of. June 23, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

Oktoberfest is the biggest West Annapolis event and will be celebrating its 22nd year. They close the street and have 140 vendors and feature German bands, beer, and food from Regina’s Restaurant. September 23, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Source

The Ultimate Neighborhood Guide

Jess Mayhugh — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 13:57:00 +0000

Baltimore has always been a city of neighborhoods, every one a universe unto itself. Each section of our city has its own history, culture, and personality—an identity that can only be truly understood after years or generations of experience. For this story, we combined our own expertise with that of dozens of residents to create insiders’ guides to some of our greatest neighborhoods. So dog-ear pages, use these maps, and get exploring!

Canton

While still the destination of choice for young urban professionals looking for restaurants and nightlife, more of them are staying to get married and have kids.

Why I Love My Neighborhood by Patrick “Scunny” McCusker
Canton is like a small town they plucked out of the middle of suburbia and dropped into a city. The neighborhood has a real sense of itself, and a real sense of community. Plus, we have a waterfront for kayaking. We have a huge park for outdoor concerts. We have a lively square and tons of corner bars.

I opened Nacho Mama’s 18 years ago and, along with the owners of Looney’s, Claddagh, and Speakeasy, I’ve watched this neighborhood grow. When I first opened, a guy asked me why I was putting a Mexican restaurant in a Polish neighborhood. It’s grown from that old-school, working-class feel to a place where people are settling down with their kids and raising families.

I have original customers of mine bringing in their grandkids now—which is a testament to the fact that people don’t just live here, they stay here.

About the Writer
Patrick “Scunny” McCusker owns Nacho Mama’s and Mama’s on the Half Shell (2901 O’Donnell St.).

Insiders’ Tips

Watching the Charm City Roller Girls compete in roller-derby matches at DuBurns Arena (1301 S. Ellwood Ave.) is always a thrill, but when archrivals the Boston Derby Dames come to town, the intensity ratchets up a notch.
Walt’s Inn (3201 O’Donnell St.) has some of the best karaoke—and strongest Jell-O shots—in the city.
You can always run into 2910 on the Square (2910 O’Donnell St.) and get a funky present for just about anyone.
The pool at Patterson Park is one of the greatest deals in the city at $1.50. Go on weekdays to avoid the crowds.
Chesapeake Wine Co. (2400 Boston St.) is a perfect place to relax and enjoy some vino on a Sunday.
The off-leash, fenced-in space of the Canton Dog Park (3221 Toone St.) is as much a mingling spot for owners as it is for their pups.
The buffalo mushrooms at Annabel Lee Tavern (601 S. Clinton St.), a wonderfully cozy restaurant, are sublime. Get there early before it fills up.
Don’t miss Gloria’s storytelling and sing-alongs at Thursday’s “Mother Goose on the Loose” program at the Canton Pratt library (1030 S. Ellwood Ave.).
Personal trainer Jamie Samuel, owner of Kilo (2737 Dillon St.), gives an intense one-on-one workout guaranteed to whip you into shape.

Cockeysville

A boom in the gaming and tech industries of nearby Silicon Hunt Valley has given this lush suburb—chock full of great restaurants and country charm—new luster.

Why I Love My Neighborhood By Marc Steiner
I moved out to Sparks, just a little north of Hunt Valley, a few years ago because my wife loved it. I grew up a street-corner kid and my last address was on University Parkway, and now I’m surrounded by horse farms and sheep farms.

We live on a country lane, so we take four- or five-mile walks, and it’s like walking into the English countryside. When we moved out here, my 13-year-old laid down in the middle of the road, and said, “Can you imagine? I can lay down and not get run over.” You couldn’t do that on University Parkway.

It’s a different way of life. I buy most of our meat and our vegetables from the farms around us. There’s a great little place up the road called Soup’R Natural, where everyone is friendly and they use all local ingredients. We love Wegmans and Calvert Wines—you have to find your local wine store.

Sometimes I miss the city—I like the concrete, I like the noise—but it’s 22 minutes between my studio in Hampden and my house. In 22 minutes, I can go from the heart of the city to the heart of the country.

About the Writer
Marc Steiner hosts The Marc Steiner Show on WEAA.

Insiders’ Tips

Go to Hunt Cup, not for the horses but to peep the glorious outdoor spreads, many with candelabras and elaborate place settings.
Gourmet mega-store Wegmans (122 Shawan Rd.) is the multi-jeweled king of local markets, but its brightest gems are the cheese and tea departments, each with hundreds of specimens from all over the world.
Oregon Ridge Park (13555 Beaver Dam Rd.) is not only a great spot on the Fourth of July (when the BSO plays there), but a year-round kid wonderland with two sparkling playgrounds and a fantastic nature center.
The geeks in the area’s booming tech industry rave about the newly renovated Cockeysville library’s graphic novels selection (9833 Greenside Dr.), said to put the Enoch Pratt’s collection downtown to shame.
A tour, tasting, and picnic at Basignani Winery (15722 Falls Rd.), just up the road in Sparks, is a great way to spend a Saturday.
The local’s guide to BBQ: Andy Nelson’s (11007 Yord Rd.) for pulled pork, The Corner Stable (9942 York Rd.) for ribs.
Go hiking, biking, or jogging on the NCR Trail and then stop at Jackie and Joe’s (10 Fila Way) for great sandwiches and salads.

Ellicott City

Nestled on the banks of the Patapsco River, Ellicott City’s walkable 19th-century Main Street remains an uncommon draw for visitors seeking antiques, one-of-a-kind shops, cozy restaurants, and an escape from suburban sprawl.

Why I Love My Neighborhood by Cindi Ryland
I’ve been on Main Street for 15 years, and I still never know how my day is going to go, who is going to walk in, or what I’m going to learn. We have people coming from across Maryland, but also from the Carolinas, New York, Florida, and California. There are locals, too, of course, who come in all the time. We make friends with everybody and try to match people with our treasures.

Main Street has a real friendly atmosphere, and it’s a unique community, I think. We like the one-of-a-kind shop, where the owners are hands on and in the store, and the regular salespeople have been there forever. There’s talk of Subway opening a store—I don’t know whether that’d be good or bad for business—but a chain store wouldn’t fit with the ambiance.

The Ellicott City Restoration Foundation and the Howard County Historical Society do a terrific job helping downtown maintain its character, and we draw a lot of history buffs. My building dates from 1860 and was a harness shop and then a church. Like so many of the buildings, it’s in great shape.

Historic Ellicott City is a bit eccentric and eclectic—a true escape from the suburbs and the city.

About the Writer
Cindi Ryland owns Retropolitan Fine Antiques and Vintage.

Insiders’ Tips

Tea on the Tiber (8081 Main St.) is a genuine Brit teahouse. “My mother would’ve loved it,” says Diane Conway, a Gloucester native visiting her daughter on a recent Sunday.
Ed Crowl has been selling, repairing, and refinishing furniture at Wagon Wheel Antique Shop (8061 Tiber Alley) since 1974, and his shop is full of fascinating items like the wood and glass hearse dating to 1850.
Locals go to Envy Hair Salon (3723 Old Columbia Pike) not only for cuts and styles, but for Tuesday “tini” (martini) nights and Wednesday “brews and do’s.”
The collection of ’30s and ’40s vintage clothes and hats in the basement of Retropolitan Fine Antiques and
Vintage (8227 Main St.) is a must-see.
Bella Bikes (8450 Baltimore National Pike) caters to women. Talk to Diana Smith about monthly tire-changing demos and women-only mountain biking trips at Patapsco State Park.
Nathan Sowers, co-owner of Little French Market Café (3744 Old Columbia Pike), bakes the baguettes for nearby French country restaurant Tersiguel’s. Visit the shop for sublime custard and chocolate-chip croissants.
Locals love the three fresh-roasted daily coffees and perfect quickie breakfast—warm granola with steamed milk, honey drizzle, and cinnamon—at Bean Hollow (8059 Main St.)
Babe Ruth got married at St. Paul’s Catholic Church (3755 St. Paul St.), dedicated in 1838. Stop by the parish office and they’ll show you copies of his wedding documents.

Federal Hill

Steeped in history from port to fort (McHenry), Federal Hill is like a great pair of blue jeans: time-tested, comfortable, and eternally stylish.

Why I Love My Neighborhood by Amy Grace
When my partner and I moved to Federal Hill as empty-nesters from the suburbs in 1996, the neighborhood’s business district was struggling to define itself, rehabbing was just starting in the areas south of Cross Street Market, and collaboration between the local entrepreneurs and residents was scarce.

Then it all changed. Buildings got fresh coats of paint, new facades, and updated signage. Hospital executives started working side by side with homeless men to clean up trash on the sidewalks. Veteran store owners—some with businesses dating back more than 100 years—started mentoring new entrepreneurs to create a vibrant Main Street.

Lifelong residents began taking art classes with young artists at School 33. Parents and grandparents could be seen pushing young children on swings at Federal Hill Park. Book clubs, chili cook-offs, street festivals, and award-winning restaurants began popping up like dandelions in a spring lawn.

Federal Hill had become Baltimore’s “historically hip” place to call home, and, best of all, it had happened organically because residents—old and new, gay and straight, rich and poor, professional and blue-collar—had pride in the neighborhood’s past and a vision for its future.

About the Writer
Amy Grace is a board member of Federal Hill Main Street.

Insiders’ Tips

Joggers run the stairs, parents and kids flock to the playground, and everyone else basks in the best view of the city in the city at Federal Hill Park (300 Warren Ave.).
The American Visionary Art Museum (800 Key Hwy.) is a local gem, not just for eccentric exhibits but for community events like outdoor movie festival Flicks from the Hill.
The crab and cheddar pie at Dangerously Delicious Pies (1036 Light St.) is one of tat-covered chef Rodney Henry’s killer specialties.
Locals love SoBo Café (6 W. Cross St.) for its cheerful décor (including local art) and amazing macaroni and cheese.
Get the $50 “Book Pass” at The Book Escape (805 Light St.)—a welcoming hangout with reams of new and used books—for access to extended evening hours in the summer and steep discounts year-round.
Nightly comedy and magic shows make Illusions Bar & Lounge (1025 S. Charles St.) one of the most interesting bars in town.
Cross Street Market (1065 S. Light St.) is a goldmine for thrifty foodies. Highlights include the hefty sandwiches at Big Jim’s Deli and tasty, inexpensive oysters, steamed shrimp, and sushi at Nick’s Inner Harbor Seafood.
Besides its namesake mollusks, Ryleigh’s Oyster (36 E. Cross St.) is good for what some locals describe as “the neighborhood’s best burger.” (Others stand by The Abbey Burger Bistro.) Homemade potato chips, too!
Seeing Kelli Kulnich behind the bar at Bluegrass Tavern (1500 S. Hanover St.) raises locals’ spirits. “She makes a good drink and she’s super friendly,” says one.

Hampden

Old and young, entrepreneurial and community-minded, blue-collar and bohemian: Hampden is an intriguing mix of opposites, a microcosm of Baltimore.

Why I Love My Neighborhood by Benn Ray
It happens every week. A group of folks stops in my store and says, “I wish we had a neighborhood like this where I live.”

But that isn’t the part that gets me. What makes me proud of Hampden are the answers I get when I ask where they are from. Answers like “New York.” “Washington.” “San Francisco.” “Chicago.”

What these folks covet is Hampden’s main street: “The Avenue,” which is nearly devoid of chain stores, instead favoring individually owned shops and boutiques staffed and managed by city residents who would be priced out in those other cities.

They are referring to Hampden’s unique character that comes from a micro-melting pot of lifelong residents and young artists and professionals—a mutually beneficial cohabitation of people of various socioeconomic backgrounds. They are referring to the real possibility that the person who just served them a meal or a drink at a local bar or restaurant is, more likely than not, in a band that just got a great review on NPR or www.pitchfork.com.

It’s the envy of others that keeps me from taking for granted what a truly unique and precious Baltimore City neighborhood Hampden is.

About the Writer
Benn Ray owns Atomic Books.

Insiders’ Tips

Mondays are the best night to be in Hampden. Holy Frijoles (908 W. 36th St.) has half-price margaritas, while Fraizer’s on the Avenue (919 W. 36th St.) has free pool, 45-cent wings, and an open mic. “We tattoo everyone who works there, from barbacks up to management,” Eric Gilbert, manager of Have Fun Be Lucky Tattoo, says of Frazier’s. “You always know you’ll have a good time when you go there.”
David’s Used Furniture (914 W. 36th St.) might be the best place in the city to shop for reasonably priced big-ticket items like bookshelves and armchairs.
The huevos rancheros and black bean burgers at Golden West Café (1105 W. 36th St.) are the top choice for area vegetarians.
HampdenFest is a less-crowded alternative to the already quirky Honfest. Held every September, the event features music and art exhibits, a film festival, local food and drink, and the legendary Charm City Beard & Moustache Championships.
Ironic though it may be, The Wine Source (3601 Elm Ave.) is the top beer source in town.
The savory pastries at Puffs & Pastries (830 W. 36th St.) are “satisfying and hearty,” says Martin Kasey, barista at Spro Coffee, who likes the pulled-pork with spinach and carrots.
Visit Griffith’s Tavern (3631 Hickory Ave.) to see the tiniest bar—maybe 10 seats—in town, and possibly the world.
Twenty20 Cycling Co. runs a cycling team out of the shop (725 W. 36th St.). “It’s pretty easy to get on the team,” says Twenty20 co-owner Johnny May. “We just ask that you love cycling and be cool to hang out with.”
Thrifty locals love the $4.23 falafel deal at King’s Pizza & Subs (907 W. 36th St.). “I’ve ordered it so many times that when I call, someone picks up and says ‘Okay, 10-15 minutes,’” reports Jason Willett, owner of The True Vine (3544 Hickory Ave.), The Avenue’s best record shop just around the corner.

Harbor East

Once a no-man’s-land between the Inner Harbor, Little Italy, and Fells Point, this little burg that could has become Baltimore’s Soho: The destination for high-end boutiques, restaurants, and nightlife.

Why I Love My Neighborhood by Max Weiss
When we moved our offices to “Inner Harbor East” in 1997, it was a virtual ghost town. There was a new restaurant called Charleston (that chef Cindy Wolf… will she make it?), a little deli/market that we affectionately referred to as the “smelly delly”—and that was pretty much it.

There were rumors—wild tales of a Whole Foods, a movie theater, of restaurants, monuments, and hotels. It all seemed like crazy talk. We would’ve been happy to get a place that sold a decent slice of pizza.

Oh, what a difference 14 years makes. In that time, Inner Harbor East got shortened—KFC style—to the snappier Harbor East. That Whole Foods did indeed come, plus a CVS, two pizza joints (with a third on the way), a bunch of blow-yer-paycheck boutiques (including South Moon Under, Urban Chic, and Handbags in the City), more restaurants (Lebanese Taverna, Roy’s, Oceanaire, to name a few), fancy office buildings, four hotels, and—cue the angels singing—a Starbucks.

But the best thing about Harbor East today is that it is both a fabulous bridge neighborhood—to Fells Point, Little Italy, and the Inner Harbor—and a bona fide destination. It reflects that urbane, sophisticated side of Baltimore—you know, the side out-of-towners don’t even know exists—and we’re proud to say that we were among the first..

About the Writer
Max Weiss is managing editor of Baltimore magazine.

Insiders’ Tips

Stop in the local Whole Foods (1001 Fleet St.) at lunchtime and visit Ms. Iris near the checkout lines for featured samples (sliders, meatloaf, soup) served with a heavy dose of Bawlmer charm.
At Thursday night wine tastings at Bin 604 (604 S. Exeter St.), sample the area’s best selection of vino, while meeting and mingling with the shop’s refined clientele—including lots of singles.
On Wednesdays, be sure to make your way to Central Avenue near Pratt Street, where the Gypsy Queen Café food truck doles out portable gourmet specialties like crabcake tacos and caramel chai doughnuts.
The bubble teas at Teavolve Cafe and Lounge (1401 Aliceanna St.) are a perfect accompaniment to the mellow live music popping off every Friday and Saturday night.
The Monday through Saturday happy hour at RA Sushi (1390 Lancaster St.), from 3 to 7 p.m., is a great scene, with $2 sake to wash down some of the best sushi in town.
You can get surplus fresh bread at absurdly low prices—75 cents for a loaf of white, $2.59 for two specialty whole- grain loaves—at the H&S Bakery Outlet Store (1616 Fleet St.).
Landmark Theatres (645 S. President St.) is the only cinema in town where you can bring drinks from the bar into the theater. Combine the martinis with the plush leather seats, and it’s also a great location for a stealth nap.

Mt. Vernon

The cobblestone streets lined with history and urban charm in central Baltimore mark not only a cultural and epicurean center, but, increasingly, a family-friendly residential neighborhood.

Why I Love My Neighborhood by Gary Vikan
Mt. Vernon is like a 19th-century theater. There’s no place in this country where you can walk out of your door and essentially walk back 150 years, almost as if you’re a player on the stage.

As I sit in my office and look out the window, just slightly to the right is the Washington Monument, circa 1829. Looking across the square, I see the beautiful Mt. Vernon Club, from 1842 and, of course, Mt. Vernon Place United, a Gothic church from the 1870s.

That is Mt. Vernon unanimated. In the last 10 years, it’s come to life with young people, artists, and people with dogs and kids, and it’s very vibrant.

My favorite spot is on the north side of the west park. In the spring and the fall, there are benches, which are in full sunlight, and you have a view of the monument and this entire rack of buildings that I’m in. Around lunchtime, kids in their little blue uniforms from Grace and St. Peter’s will be out there. It is sublime.

About the Writer
Gary Vikan is director of The Walters Art Museum.

Insiders’ Tips

Locals know spring has sprung when Towson University’s indie-minded NPR affiliate WTMD launches its First Thursday concert series in Mt. Vernon Square.
Nestled among the busy streets and cultural institutions is the lovely, thoroughly modern Mt. Vernon Children’s Park (1221 N. Calvert St.), with a big sandbox, water sprinklers, and sculptures.
At the über-casual Thairish (804 N. Charles St.), a gem among the top-tier eateries along Charles Street, owner/chef Kerrigan Kitikul doles out to-go platters of spicy Thai panang with unmatched charm.
The Walters Art Museum (600 N. Charles St.) is not only a world-class museum for grownups, but, on weekends, the basement is a perfect (and free!) drop-in play area, with art projects, dress-up clothes, and puzzles.
The new Milk & Honey Market (816 Cathedral St.) has great ambiance and the best selection of cheese south of Wegmans.
Student concerts at Peabody (1 E. Mt. Vernon Pl.) are a great, cheaper alternative to those at the Meyerhoff.
The annual late September Baltimore Book Festival in Mt. Vernon Square is the highlight of the city’s bibliophilic calendar.
More than just a quick bite before a show at CenterStage, Iggie’s (818 N. Calvert St.) has become a contender for the title of Baltimore’s top pizza place.

Station North

Launched a decade ago, Station North was the first area in the city to receive state designation as an Arts and Entertainment district. Today, the edgy arts neighborhood continues to blossom on North Avenue.

Why I Love My Neighborhood by Kevin Brown
My co-owner, William Maughlin, and I were two of the pioneers in the development of Station North, having been here since 2005. When we launched our business in the 1800 block of North Charles, the block was 80 percent vacant and no one wanted to come beyond The Charles Theater, let alone North Avenue. People would say it was nothing but junkies and methadone clinics.

Now, we’re throwing them out at closing time!

The Arts District designation by the state was, yes, supposed to bring artists, but also start economic development. There are still, what I call “pockets of poverty” and “islands of excellence,” but it’s happening. The North Avenue market, with Cyclops bookstore at one end and The Windup Space on the other, has three or four art spaces, businesses, and studios. And an Irish pub is going in.

Who’d ever have imagined an Irish pub on North Avenue?

Station North is a diverse place, and I see it becoming a destination neighborhood in the city. Not like Fells Point, Federal Hill, or Canton, sprawling with bars, but where there are hardware stores, galleries, cafes, and ice cream shops open during the day and live music, shows, and nightlife in the evening.

About the Writer
Kevin Brown is co-owner/ operator of Station North Arts Café Gallery.

Insiders’ Tips

Michael Ross, a drummer who rehearses next door to Joe Squared (133 W. North Ave.), is among many who swear by the crab pizza, with garlic sauce, crab, cilantro, zucchini, red onion, egg, and three cheeses. “Just eat it right away,” he says. “The egg makes it weird the next morning.”
The ramshackle performance space at Cyclops Books & Music (30 W. North Ave.) belies the top local visual artists and national acts showing and playing here. To wit: Three bookstore veterans were just announced for Bonnaroo.
The experimental- and improvisational-musician gathering Out of Your Head Tuesdays at The Windup Space (12 W. North Ave.) remains spontaneous and vibrant.
Try the full Jong Kak combo at Jong Kak (18 W. 20th St.), which serves Korean barbecue over hot charcoals ’til 4 a.m.: marinated beef bulgogi, spiced pork, and chicken, with 10 different sides. Feeds a small crowd for $87.95.
On the first Saturday of every month from April to November, Station North Flea Market (North Ave. at the Howard St. Bridge) offers eclectic people watching and 40 to 50 vendors, artists, and artisans. Occasionally, someone brings a guitar.
The funky Bohemian Coffee House (1831 N. Charles St.) buzzes until 3 a.m. on weekends, featuring locally roasted Zeke’s Coffee, vegan offerings, art, poetry, and a wall dedicated to napkin sketches.
Driving north on Howard Street past North Avenue, the first alley on the right is a towering cathedral of the city’s best graffitti and street art. Beware of broken glass.
Employee-owned Artist & Craftsman Supply (137 W. North Ave.) serves MICA students and local artists. Also: make-your-own puzzles, paint-your-own masks, and little, red toy accordions.

Towson

A college town situated at the edge of Baltimore City, Towson’s walkable downtown strikes a unique balance, serving students and professionals alike while maintaining the homey feel of leafy residential neighborhoods nearby.

Why I Love My Neighborhood by Scott Recher
My family had been in the movie business, owning the Towson movie theater since 1959, so I’ve been coming here for a while. Thirty years ago, I used to frequent bygone places like The Crease, Poor Richard’s, and Angel’s Grotto. Towson’s the county seat, so there’s a large government presence, lawyers and business people, during the day. Everybody says that at night the government workers leave and the college kids take over.

The theater closed in 1992. My brothers Brian, Steve, and I re-opened it first as Rec Room Billiards in ’96. We got the liquor license later that year, which really helped us grow. In ’99, we became the Recher Theatre, a full-time music venue. In 2000, we opened the Rec Room sports bar next door. Now we’re adding an upscale lounge/dining room.

We keep evolving. So does Towson, I think.

About The Writer
Scott Recher co-owns The Recher Theatre and The Rec Room.

Insiders’ Tips

The White Stripes, Sonic Youth, and the Jonas Brothers have all played the Recher Theatre (512 Yord Rd.). It’s not just for kids, either: Aimee Mann comes in April and the Wailers this summer.
Zia’s (13 Allegheny Ave.) is the organic cafe, juice bar, and mini-market of choice for TU students looking for an alternative to Jerry’s Subs. Monthly raw-food dinners and juice—”try the carrot and pineapple,” says one undergrad—are among the local favorites.
Newcomer Havana Road (8 W. Pennsylvania Ave.) has the-real-deal Cuban fare, with signature salsa, mojo, pepino, and other products in-store and at local markets.
Loch Raven High grads Seth and Jack Revelle founded independent Ukazoo Books (730 Dulaney Valley Rd.) with all the right ingredients: comfy chairs, readings, complimentary coffee and tea, and 100,000 books.
Pho Dat Thanh (510 York Rd.), next to the Recher, is the best place to watch visiting foodies and rock stars eating Vietnamese noodles.
Visit the original Record & Tape Traders (736 Dulaney Valley Rd.)—the last one standing—for Howlin’ Wolf vinyl, Caleb Stine on the listening post, incense, and Stones T-shirts.
Students go to Burger Bros. (14 Allegheny Ave.)—an old-time burger joint with Formica tables, tile floors, fresh-squeezed lemonade, baked brioche buns, and Idaho potatoes hand-cut daily—on Sunday for a half-price burger and drink purchase with college I.D.
No one seems to know why or how Towson became a sushi mecca. Sushi Hana (6 E. Pennsylvania Ave.) wins best-bet honors.

Source

Hot Neighborhoods

Jess Mayhugh — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 11:00:00 +0000

Baltimore has always been a city of neighborhoods, each with its own character and charm. Over the years, once-glorious blocks fall into disrepair, abandoned burgs are built up, people move in and move out, and the essence of a neighborhood evolves. In recent years, despite difficult economic conditions, several parts of Baltimore have grown by leaps and bounds. Harbor East, once an industrial wasteland, is now flourishing with high-end restaurants, boutiques, and condos. The once-grimy stretch of North Avenue near Penn Station has been dubbed Station North and dotted with galleries, performance spaces, and cafes. The abandoned cotton mills west of Hampden have been converted into verdant residential and commercial spaces, drawing young professionals and families. These areas—and the seven others profiled in our Hot ‘Hoods package—are a testament to the resilience of our city and a road map to its vibrant future.

HARBOR EAST

By day, suited Legg Mason or Morgan Stanley types cruise the Whole Foods crafting a perfect salad, then stop to look at shoes at Sassanova or Benjamin Lovell on their way back to work. They may pick up a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc at Bin 604 or lilies at The Dutch Connection before heading back to one of the condo towers nearby, like the Vue or Spinnaker Bay. By night, the city’s savviest diners flock to Charleston, Cinghiale, Ra Sushi, or Lebanese Taverna before catching a flick at Landmark Harbor East—the only cinema in the city that serves cocktails.

As recently as 10 years ago, Harbor East was a dark, industrial no-man’s-land between the Inner Harbor and Fells Point populated by H&S Bakery warehouses and not much else. When Cindy Wolf and Tony Foreman planted their flagship restaurant Charleston on the corner of Exeter and Lancaster Streets in the late ’90s, it was the beginning of a transformation. Now, a dozen restaurants share sidewalk space with upscale shops like Urban Chic and Arhaus. New residents include young business people, Hopkins and University of Maryland hospital staffers, and several current and former Orioles. The recently completed Circle at Harbor East—address of the new Legg Mason tower and the forthcoming Four Seasons Hotel—features the glittering gold Katyn Memorial (marking the murder of Poles in Soviet-occupied Poland), an important landmark in a neighborhood that only seems to be gaining in status.

The Lowdown Local Hangouts: Whole Foods (1001 Fleet St., 410-528-1640) anchors the neighborhood and, even in this foodie haven, is always the fall-back option for lunch; The massive Maryland Athletic Club (655 President St., 410-625-5000) boasts four pools, four squash courts, and babysitters to watch the kids while you work out. Median Home Price (last five years): $595,000 Most Expensive House: A three-bedroom, 3.5-bath penthouse at The Vue went for $1.6 million in 2009.

EVERGREEN

The small cluster of homes and businesses on and near Cold Spring Lane and Keswick Road have quietly separated themselves from the considerably stuffier Roland Park environs and become one of Baltimore’s hippest, most charming enclaves. Students from nearby Loyola University mix easily with young, often progressive professionals and families—Obama signs dotted the landscape like locusts in 2008—on its ample sidewalks, in Stony Run Park, and along the inviting stretch of eateries along Cold Spring Lane.

The first Baltimore neighborhood to be constructed of suburban-style detached homes instead of row houses—it predates Roland Park—Evergreen’s leafy environs, ample porches, and walkable access to restaurants and stores help residents strike a friendly, community-oriented vibe. Evergreen is also home to hordes of dogs and their people, all of whom love the illicit, leash-less life of Stony Run Park. And with homes both humbler and less pricey than most in greater Roland Park, there’s a certain cohesive neighborhood pride that doesn’t exist in many Baltimore burgs.

The Lowdown Pride of the ‘Hood: Evergreen is close to some of the city’s best public schools, including Roland Park Elementary/Middle (5207 Roland Ave., 410-396-6420), Baltimore Polytechnic Institute (1400 Cold Spring Ln., 410-396-7026), and Western (4600 Falls Rd., 410-467-3767). Median Home Price (last 10 years): $241,780 Most Expensive House: A six-bedroom, 3-bath home on the 4600 block of Schenley Road went for $487,905 in 2005. Overheard: “I need to pick up some organic bones for Buster and spread my compost before I head to the community association meeting.”

BOLTON HILL

Smack dab in the middle of the city, Bolton Hill combines everything that’s great about Baltimore. A neighborhood rich in history, it has also welcomed a hip, progressive community of young artists, professionals, and families. Filled with classic 19th-century architecture, it’s also home to some of the city’s most avant-garde buildings. It hosts august institutions, like the Meyerhoff and the Lyric, and more forward-thinking ones, like the Maryland Institute College of Art. Site of the city’s biggest annual cultural event, Artscape, Bolton Hill also holds lovely community-oriented events, like October’s Festival on the Hill, which last year featured a steel-drum band, craft displays, and a whole block dedicated to creative activities for kids.

The stars of Bolton Hill are its elegant townhouses, almost all of which date back more than a century, housing everyone from F. Scott Fitzgerald to Woodrow Wilson. Today, the homes are filled with one of the city’s most diverse populations, with residences from a broad range of ethnic, religious, and economic backgrounds. In recent years, many of the new residents have been young families looking for a dynamic urban lifestyle. The local public school, Mt. Royal Elementary/Middle, is among the best in the city, and a new K-8 public charter school focused on community involvement, Midtown Academy, opened in 1997. “For couples looking for the true wonderful urban experience, nothing beats Bolton Hill,” says Realtor and 20-year-resident Ricki Rutley.

The Lowdown Local Hangouts: Crowded with 19th-century townhouses, Bolton Hill doesn’t have a lot of space for restaurants or retailers, but the superb bistro, b (1501 Bolton St., 410-383-8600), and café/market, On the Hill (1431 John St., 410-225-9667), almost make up for it. Median Home Price (2009): $311,610 Most Expensive House: A three-story Victorian townhouse on Eutaw Place with four bedrooms, two full and two half bathrooms sold for $879,000 in 2006.

FELLS POINT

Like Mt. Vernon and Bolton Hill, Fells Point is a place where you feel the weight of hundreds of years of history. The neighborhood—which has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1969—was one of the nation’s biggest shipbuilding hubs as far back at the 18th century and has seen wave after wave of immigrants wash up on its shores, each leaving its distinct impression on the area.

Since at least the 1970s, when Bertha’s, Ledbetters, and The Horse You Came In On set up shop, Fells Point has been a premier destination for nightlife. These days, the waterfront section of Fells is the rare area that exists both as tourist destination and as a living neighborhood, where blue-collar folks still live, work, and eat at places like Jimmy’s Restaurant (801 S. Broadway, 410-327-3273) and the lunch counter at Vikki’s Deli in the Broadway Market (1640-41 Aliceanna St., 410-276-6996).

Many of the immigrants in recent decades are Latinos, and they have largely transformed Upper Fells Point into a foodie destination, with outlets like Arcos (129 S. Broadway, 410-522-4777), Tortilleria Sinaloa (1716 Eastern Ave., 410-276-3741) and El Rinconcito Peruano (1801 E. Lombard St., 410-276-2036). As a result, the area, long considered a blighted corner of downtown, has begun to attract Hopkins professionals and young families from other areas of the city and has a bright future.

The Lowdown VIP Resident: Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps. Claims to Fame: Where the USS Constellation—the U.S. Navy’s first ship to set sail—was built, in 1797 (not to be confused with the later USS Constellation, the last all-sail warship, which is moored in the Inner Harbor); the central setting for ’90s NBC drama Homicide: Life on the Street. Median Home Price (last five years): $318,028. Most Expensive House: The three-bedroom, three full and two half bathroom fifth-floor condo at 967 Fell St.—with a fireplace and two-car garage—sold for $1.7 million in 2007. Overheard: “Vamos a buscar algunos cangrejos de Sal’s, hon!” (“Let’s go get some crabs at Sal’s, hon!”)

ELLICOTT CITY

Gretchen Shuey scoops green, organic Mexican beans from the 150-pound burlap bags that blanket the dusky wood floor of her historic Ellicott City shop, Bean Hollow. While Shuey works, customers—most of whom she knows by name—congregate for cappuccino and conversation. “People love this area because there are no chain stores on Main Street,” says Shuey whose shop sits on the site of a former funeral home. “And ghosts are a big topic of conversation. People who live here really believe in them because this place has so much history.”

In recent years, a new generation of young families have moved to the area, because of its accessibility to downtown and, more importantly, its small-town feel. Mom and pop shops like Ellicott’s Country Store (penny candy, anyone?) and Yates Market dot the downtown district, while suburban staples like Barnes & Noble, Target, and Starbucks are kept a few miles away. “We love it when visitors from Europe come here and say this reminds them of an old European town,” says Rachelina Bonacci, executive director of Howard County Tourism Council. “This place is like living in an enchanted storybook.”

The Lowdown Claims to fame: Ellicott City was the largest flour-milling center in the American colonies; the Wilkins-Rogers plant is the last commercial grist mill in Maryland; America’s first railroad terminal was built here to service the first 13 miles of track laid in America in 1831. Local Hangouts: The Wine Bin (8390 Main St., 410-465-7802) will host monthly movie nights this summer; Patapsco Valley State Park (8020 Baltimore National Pike, 410-461-5670) with more than 40 miles of pristine hiking trails; the Howard County Library (9421 Frederick Rd., 410-313-5577), which is one of the most-used library systems in the country. VIP Residents: H.L. Mencken summered here in 1889 and 1890; mathematician Benjamin Banneker was a native son. Median Home Price (2009): $380,000 Most Expensive House: $5.25 million for “Bushy Park Farm,” a 1771, 8 bedroom, 3.5 bath historic farmhouse on Carrs Mill Rd.

WOODBERRY

A few years ago, if you asked someone about Woodberry, they would give you a puzzled look. “Oh, you mean TV Hill?” Though the neighborhood is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it wasn’t until a few years ago that Hampden denizens and artists migrated west and made Woodberry a neighborhood of its own. During the 1890s, about 4,000 people were employed in the various cotton mills in the area. Today, many of these mills make perfect settings for galleries, shops, apartments, and offices.

In certain parts of Woodberry—with its stone houses and woodsy surroundings—it’s easy to forget you’re in Baltimore City. But, look closer, and hip city life abounds: dining at nationally recognized farm-to-table restaurant Woodberry Kitchen; touring the studio of renowned glass blowing artist Anthony Corradetti (2010 Clipper Park Rd., 410-243-2010); hopping on the neighborhood’s Light Rail stop to head downtown; or working out at the expansive Meadow Mill Athletic Club (3600 Clipper Mill Rd., 410-235-7000). It’s this best-of-both-worlds vibe that makes Woodberry the city’s newest mecca.

The Lowdown Local Hangouts: The catalyst for the neighborhood renaissance was the opening of Woodberry Kitchen (2010 Clipper Park Rd., 410-464-8000), which is packed on a nightly basis and serves organic, locally grown food; if it’s just a beer and a burger you’re after, head to friendly sports bar Kolpers Restaurant & Lounge (1520 Clipper Mill Rd., 410-336-3267); to check out a unique art installation, go to The Amaranthine Museum (2010 Clipper Park Rd., 410-523-2574) where artist Les Harris created a labyrinth of his life’s work. Median Home Price (last five years): $235,000 Most Expensive House: A three-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom green construction duplex on Woodberry Ave. sold for $761,395 in August 2008.

FEDERAL HILL

Lunchtime at Federal Hill’s Cross Street Market is a full-contact sport. At Nick’s seafood, locals swig cheap beer and chow down on fried oysters and soft-shell-crab sandwiches while several stalls over, at Big Jim’s Deli, patrons sit on black bar stools and pack down mile-high hot corned beef melts oozing with Swiss and slaw. “I’ve been coming to this market since I was a kid,” says Anna Epsilantis, who owns Big Jim’s. “Last year, when this business turned 30, 140 people pitched in from the neighborhood and threw me a surprise party across the street at The 8 x 10 Club. That’s the kind of place Federal Hill is. Where else are you going to find people who care so much?”

While Federal Hill has long been a destination for weekend revelers looking for a continuation of college, neighborhood residents (most of whom live primarily in late 19th-century two-and-three-story row houses) include an amalgam of young professionals, old-timers, and first-time home owners who truly love the small-town feeling that they get from living in their ‘hood. “We call ourselves, ‘The Federal Hellions,'” jokes longtime resident Keith Losoya, past president of the Federal Hill Neighborhood Association. “We plant our feet down when it comes to development and change. We like to say, ‘We hold the Hill.'”

The Lowdown Claim to Fame: Location, location, location—from Federal Hill, residents can walk to a Ravens or Orioles game, the Maryland Science Center, and The American Visionary Art Museum; Federal Hill has some of the best bars and nightlife in Baltimore City; the Heart Attack on a Plate Burger from Mothers Bar & Grille (1113. S. Charles St., 410-244-8686) was voted by the Food Network as Maryland’s best burger. VIP Residents: Former first daughter Jenna Bush Hager and her husband, Henry; The Wire’s David Simon and his wife Laura Lippman, the writer; Tom Clancy; WJZ-TV’s Mark Viviano. Median Home Price (last 10 years): $234,000 Most Expensive Home: $1,823,000 for 2 bedroom 2.5 bath waterfront apartment in the Ritz Carlton Residences at 801 Key Highway (sold in 2009) Overheard: “I love you, man. Shots!”

CANTON

While a ship sounds its horn from a distant dock and a winking Natty Boh peers out over the new townhomes and formstone row houses, Lisa Valle lets loose her canine charges at the corner of South Bouldin and Toone streets. As Harrison, Molly, and JB socialize and squat under the crab apple trees, Valle bends down to pet Jeb, a dachshund-beagle mix. “I would never forget to say, ‘Hi’ to you,” says Valle, who works for the Canton-based Doghouse Girls. Canton Dog Park, started and solely supported by area residents, is a neighborhood hub, though people flock here from all over the city to enjoy the city’s first off-leash dog park. “It’s like a Cheers Bar for dogs,” explains Valle. “We all know every dog by name even though we don’t always know each other by name. It’s a place where everyone comes together.”

Long the domain of Polish, Welsh, and German immigrants, in recent decades Canton has attracted young people drawn to the nightlife, particularly around O’Donnell Square, and, now, many young families have put down roots and are committed to staying in the city. “If you don’t have a dog, a kid, or a drinking problem,” jokes longtime resident Nina McCarthy, “you don’t belong in Canton.” Adds Amy Jubb, a nine-year resident, “The second you pee on the pregnancy stick, and it turns positive, you don’t have to call the Realtor and move. This is a great place to stay and raise a family.”

The Lowdown Local Hangouts: Too many to list, including Patterson Park Community Pool ($25 for the season); Patterson Park Ice Rink (200 S. Linwood Ave., 410-396-9392); First Fridays at the Can Company (2400 Boston St., 443-573-4460); Jack’s Bistro (3123 Elliott St., 410-878-6542) for chocolate macaroni and cheese; Firehouse Coffee Co. (1030 S. Linwood Ave., 410-522-2199) for free Wi-Fi; Looney’s Pub (2900 O’Donnell St., 410-675-9235) for watching Ravens games; Yappy Hour at Dogma (3600 Boston St., 410-276-3410) on the first Friday of every month. VIP Residents: Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts, 98 Rock’s Josh Spiegel, WBAL-TV’s Jayne Miller, and WBFF-TV’s Megan Gilliland. Most Expensive House: Two bedroom, 2.5-bathroom Anchorage Tower penthouse at 2515 Boston St. for $645,000 in 2009.

STATION NORTH

Many folks who troll dreary North Avenue on a daily basis hear all this talk of a renaissance in the area just north of Penn Station and say, “Huh?” But they’re coming at the wrong time. “If you really want to get a sense of Station North,” says district association executive director David Bielenberg, “you need to be there between 8:30 and 9:30 on a Saturday night.” That’s when you’ll see your old stereotypes about this stretch of North Avenue seriously debunked by the hordes of twentysomething art, music, and restaurant fans that are swarming over the reborn district.

In just a couple years, the old hipster destinations in the ‘hood—The Charles Theatre, Club Charles, Everyman Theatre, and Tapas Teatro—have been joined by a slew of newer galleries, cafes, bookstores, and theaters that have popped up like dandelions through the sidewalk. “The successful model that’s emerging is the combination business with the art gallery, performance venue, poetry readings, and cafe,” says Bielenberg, citing The Windup Space (12 W. North Ave., 410-244-8855) and Joe Squared (133 W. North Ave., 410-545-0444).

Beyond the galleries—many of which cater to current MICA students—there’s an older crowd including MICA alums with day jobs who are drawn to the theater offerings, including those at newer stages like the Single Carrot Theatre. And just down the street, there are architects, venture capitalists, medical researchers, and other mainstreamers who’ve moved into Railway Express, the historic-post-office-turned-upscale-apartments across St. Paul Street from Penn Station.

“Who would have thought that in our lifetime, North Avenue would have anything decent on it?” says Marty Azola, historic renovator and managing partner of Railway Express. “With so much being driven by the expansion of MICA on the north and the University of Baltimore to the south, I can’t think of another neighborhood where there’s so much going on.”

The Lowdown VIP Residents: You haven’t heard of them yet, but they’re luminaries in their own ‘hood, like owner Russell De Ocampo of Windup Space and Myrtis Bedola and Alex Hyman of the 5,000-square-foot Galerie Myrtis (2224 N. Charles St., 410-235-3711), who moved their fine art operation from Capitol Hill three years ago to get in on the ground floor of Station North. Local hangouts: During the day, the happening spots are the Station North Arts Café (1816 North Charles St., 410-625-6440), Sofi’s Crepes, and the Cyclops bookstore, which, like so many of the enterprises here, also has poetry readings, peformances, and photo exhibits. Most Expensive Property: Five bedroom, two full, two half bathroom row house with five fireplaces on St. Paul Street sold for $490,000 in 2006.

ANNAPOLIS

With the wind whipping off the nearby Chesapeake Bay and church bells ringing in the distance, the usual crowd of state legislators, midshipmen—called “middies” here—and third-generation Annapolitans rub elbows at Chick and Ruth’s Delly, huddling over heaps of gut-busting waffles and crab omelets. At precisely 8:30, owner Ted Levitt puts his right hand over his heart, faces the American flag hanging next to the sandwich specials, and leads the crowd through a daily recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. “We’ve been saying the Pledge for 21 years,” says Levitt. “There was a time when people were talking about flag burnings, and the Pledge was no longer being said in schools. We felt this was the right thing to do.” Levitt’s led the patriotic ritual every day since February 12, 1989.

It’s an apt act for America’s first capital and Maryland’s state capital. But Annapolis’s appeal doesn’t end at this landmark restaurant in the shadow of State Circle. With stately Victorian and Georgian mansions on narrow, cobblestone streets, chichi boutiques, great food (French to Irish), and water, water everywhere, locals are learning to share with an influx of young singles and families drawn to the historic hub. Says Susan Steckman, vice president of communications for the Annapolis & Anne Arundel County Conference & Visitors Bureau, “People come here to visit for a day and end up staying for a lifetime.”

The Lowdown Local Hangouts: Rams Head Tavern, rated one of the top nightclubs in the country, hosts headliners from Lyle Lovett to Buckwheat Zydeco (33 West St., 410-268-4545); Pusser’s Carribean Grille (80 Compromise St., 410-626-0004) is notable for dockside dining and crab quesadillas; locals love Quiet Waters Park (600 Quiet Waters Park Rd., 410-222-1777) for frolicking with Fido and the new, state-of-the-art, $16 million Truxtun Park Recreation Center (273 Hilltop Ln., 410-263-7958) for rock climbing. VIP Residents: Annapolis’s native sons include Project Runway’s Christian Siriano (who worked at The Westfield Mall prior to the competition) and Good Charlotte guitarist Billy Martin. Writers Tom Clancy and Barbara Kingsolver and Chicago White Sox pitcher Gavin Floyd have also had Annapolis addresses. Most Expensive House (last 10 years): a five-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom 1910 Victorian, 1 Southgate Ave. on Spa Creek sold for $3.5 million in 2006. Hot Topic: Who has better crab cakes: Cantler’s Riverside Inn (458 Forest Beach Rd., 410-757-1311) or Mike’s Bar & Crab House (3030 Riva Rd., 410-956-2784)?

Perennially Hot ‘Hoods
Seven that stand the test of time.

By Ken Iglehart

In every major city, there are premiere addresses, neighborhoods that are always in demand regardless of passing trends or real estate values, where homes often sell by word of mouth for the asking price—and Baltimore is no different.
It’s not news that our seven such communities have remained prime real estate generation after generation—some would have been on the “hot/new” list in 1930. And while these staid enclaves may not be where you’d go for a rollicking good Saturday night, they’re still hot from a real estate perspective.

Ruxton
This shady, upscale enclave on the City line with Baltimore County is on the Light Rail line to Hunt Valley, but forget about stopping here. Ruxtonites fought tooth and nail 20 years ago to make sure there was no easy mass-transit access to their neighborhood, with its Gilded-Age megahomes, large lots, and quaint village center. (It’s also home to the exclusive L’Hirondelle country club.) The plaid people with Nantucket stickers on their Lexuses live here, and they want to be left alone.

Roland Park
In Charm City, where you’re stereotyped by the name of your ‘hood and where you “prepped,” Roland Park—one of America’s oldest planned neighborhoods—remains a 135-year-old synonym for wealth, power, and education. The houses along Roland Avenue and its hilly, forested sidestreets are often large and grand, the village center is polite and bourgeois, bustling with designer-outfitted denizens who all seem to know each other. So maybe it’s no surprise that it’s also home to some of the state’s most prestigious private secondary schools, as well as one of the best public elementary schools in Baltimore. And unlike some other high-end areas, it’s also completely surrounded by solid neighborhoods, serving as a buffer, of sorts, from crime, grime, or, God forbid, falling resale values.

Mt. Washington
In the late 1800s, Mt. Washington was a hilly, leafy, summer getaway for wealthy doctors, lawyers, and captains of industry, a respite from the tarmac-fueled heat, noise, crowds, and filth of downtown. Some things haven’t changed: The imposing Victorian and Edwardian “grand cottages” may now mix with the occasional upscale contemporary home, giving the community an eclectic feel, but it still boasts the huge, mature trees, quiet streets, family-friendly parks, and residents who tend to be highly educated and generally well-heeled. The historic-riverside-mill-turned shopping area and the original village center of shops and restaurants gives the ‘hood the feel of a small town. (And if you’re a developer thinking of changing that, beware of a powerful community association.) It also boasts, arguably, the city’s best public elementary school.

Homeland
The Roland Park Homeland Company purchased the 391-acre parcel that would become Homeland in 1924 for $1 million and, to lay it out, hired the Boston firm of the Olmsted Brothers, which had also designed New York’s Central Park. Its rolling terrain evoked the English flavor the company was looking for, and it continues to reflect that today with a mix of large stone cottages, faux Tudor architecture, and streets lined with massive 100-year-old trees. It’s affluent and conservative, and it’s in the city limits, but doesn’t feel like it.

Guilford
If there’s one return address sure to impress your neighbors, it’s this place, parts of which make Roland Park look like Guilford-lite. Also planned by the Olmsted firm and developed by the Roland Park Company in the early 1900s, it encompasses about 800 homes and has stunning examples of early-20th-century architecture, from über cottages to stately mansions reminiscent of the drippy estates in Newport, Rhode Island. It’s also known for its community parks, shady streets, and the tulip fields at Sherwood Gardens.

Columbia
The streets look the same, the housing looks the same, even the shopping destinations are designed to blend in with the original vision of developer James W. Rouse, who opened the town for business in 1967. Big, garish signage? Forget it. (And good luck finding the signs there are, because they’re so darned understated.) But with a booming, upper-middle-class population of nearly 100,000, Columbia has acquired many of the characteristics of other contemporary U.S. suburbs, such as increasingly large homes and big-box retail stores. Howard County’s top-rated public schools and its proximity to both Baltimore and Washington, D.C., keep this community in high demand for those who can afford it.

Ashburton
Located north of Liberty Heights Avenue near the Forest Park area of Northwestern Baltimore City, Ashburton is a well-kept secret. Dating to the roaring ’20s, it offers large mature trees and gracious homes that for many years have attracted prominent African-Americans, including Baltimore’s former mayor Kurt L. Schmoke, State Sen. Lisa Gladden, State Sen. Catherine Pugh, Clerk of the Court Frank Conaway Sr., State Delegate Shawn Z. Tarrant (whose home was used as Lt. Daniels’s in The Wire), attorney A. Dwight Pettit, and many others. It was also the childhood home of new mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, daughter of the late state legislator Howard “Pete” Rawlings.

Source

Best Places to Live – Baltimore Magazine

Best Places to Live

Home & Living

Just Call Them Mini Charm Cities

We went in search of a dozen communities with unique personalities in and around the city.

Mayfield

“It’s a friendly, diverse, and cohesive place. . . people are very proud of the neighborhood.”

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Fells Point

“There’s always something happening here, and that’s never changed. On summer evenings, we can sit on the front porch and watch the world go by.”

10512 Falls Road, Brooklandville

Rodgers Forge

“People see Rodgers Forge as a place for families, but it’s welcoming of all.”

Hamilton-Lauraville

Canton

“We didn’t want to live in a cookie-cutter community where everyone looked exactly like us.”

Dickeyville

“The neighborhood is a microcosm of the nation, with people of every race and orientation you can think of and a huge amount of talent—artists, lawyers, and teachers."

703 Abell Ridge Circle, TOWSON

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Stevenson

“You’re sort of in a rural atmosphere, but it’s not so rural that everybody is acres away, and you’re not way off the beltway. It’s the best of all worlds.”

Oella

“When I look out the front or back of my house, all I see are trees. Yet neighbors are close at hand on either side.”

1526 Greenspring Valley Road, Lutherville-Timonium

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Inner Harbor

“There are so many activities that are going on, and we can be a part of all of it. That’s what really appeals to me.”

5601 Wexford Road, Mt. Washington

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Historic Lutherville

“Lutherville is welcoming, walkable, diverse, conveniently located, and passionate about preserving what we value as a community.”

Ruxton-Riderwood

“There’s still a sense of being rural, and a lot of that is promoted by the topography of the place—the woods, open space, and streams that remain.”

1705 South Road, Mt. Washington

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Historic Mount Washington

“People are super engaged here. We want these types of community spaces and are willing to work for it and step up.”

Hidden Gem ‘Hoods

Hidden Gem 'Hoods

We go in search of the unsung neighborhoods of the Baltimore area.

Whither the Millennials?

Strange But True

House Hunting? There’s an App for That

Lender Lessons

Video: Tour Baltimore’s Hamilton-Lauraville Neighborhood

Real Estate Predictions for 2015

Best Places To Live 2013: 20+ Best Neighborhoods for Public Schools

Anne Arundel County

Baltimore City

Baltimore County

Carroll County

Howard County

Best Places To Live 2013: The Young Family

Best Places To Live 2013: The First-Time Buyer

Best Places To Live 2013: Westminster

Best Places To Live 2013: Ruxton

Best Places To Live 2013: Fells Point

Best Places To Live 2013: Columbia

Best Places To Live 2013: Annapolis

Best Places To Live 2013: 50+ Top Neighborhoods

Anne Arundel County

Howard County

Harford County

Carroll County

Baltimore County

Baltimore City

Best Places To Live 2013

Best Places To Live 2013: 10 Best Neighborhood Parks

Best Places To Live 2013: Safest Neighborhoods

Best Places To Live 2013: Baltimore’s Top-Selling and Most Expensive Neighborhoods

Top Selling ‘Hoods

Most Expensive Neighborhoods

Video: Editor’s Corner April 2013

154 Things To Do In The 10 Neighborhoods You Need To Know About

Ashburton

Events:

Butchers Hill

Baltimore’s Backyard

Events

House Hunting?
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