Turning Ellicott City's Main Street into a Pedestrian Street?

I've been recently thinking about the concept of turning Ellicott City's Historic Main Street into a pedestrian-only zone, removing vehicles from the corridor. The thought came into my mind after going to Ellicott City's MusicFest this past weekend, and realizing how congested the downtown area becomes when cars and pedestrians fight for space. This got me thinking, wouldn't sectioning off this main artery for pedestrians, increase visitors and enhance the Ellicott City experience?

Ellicott City's Main Street

This concept has been implemented in many cities across the United States, like Cumberland in Western Maryland, and New York's Ithaca in the Finger Lakes. Those communities are now celebrated for their pedestrian-friendly atmospheres; something that E.C. is certainly lacking. Whenever I travel to Main Street, the feeling of being taken back in time quickly disappears when traffic snarls up Maryland's Route 144. During a normal day, parking usually isn't too much of an issue because of the city's many free visitor parking lots. However, when walking down Main Street, you are mere inches away from cars much of the time, causing a sense of claustrophobia and danger. So I went to my Google Maps, and created a new plan for my version of the new Ellicott City.


My proposed plan includes a new bypass for Historic Ellicott City, by rerouting traffic on a new road that I've coined "Ellicott City Parkway". This new parkway would leave old Frederick Road in Oella, and cross the Patapsco River undercutting south of Ellicott City. The new road would intersect all of the major roads on the south side: College Avenue, New Cut Road and Old Columbia Pike. The bypass would terminate and join Rogers Avenue at the intersection of old Frederick Road/Main Street on the west side. Manahan Drive is also extended to intersect the new bypass to increase connectivity. I've also added a new bikeway/path and a park on this new road in order to increase access to greenspace and the historic district.

A design for Ithaca's Pedestrian Mall.

For the pedestrian zone, Main Street would be sectioned off from Old Columbia Pike to the west end, and Maryland Avenue to the east end. All of Main Street from those two points, and Tiber Alley would be only used by pedestrians and authorized vehicles. This new zone would be the perfect place for entertainers (like that Bubble Blowing guy that's always there, ghost tours, festivals, and socializing). Old Columbia Pike and Main Street could also include a drop off zone area at the curve.
Of course this plan would require extensive work, and might not even be allowed due to historic conditions under the historic district and the Historic National Road (MD 144). Either way, it is worth thinking about how we can make Ellicott City more pedestrian and biker friendly.

Red Line Alternatives in the Wake of Gov. Hogan's Cancellation

On June 25, Governor Hogan announced his cancellation of the Baltimore Red Line, and instead gave the green light to the Purple Line in Washington's suburbs. Obviously, this news is detrimental to Baltimore's future, and devastating to all of Baltimore's citizens, politicians, urban planners, and transit enthusiasts. At a time when Maryland continues to grow, gas prices continue to rise, and our transportation infrastructure weakens, the need for new transit is extremely necessary. It appears that Baltimore continues to be neglected by Governor Hogan, as well as the rest of Maryland. We can't keep devoting all of our money to the already wealthy Washington area. So, while we are under the gloom of this regressive attitude projected by the Hogan Administration, we might as well explore some alternatives. Below, I have created a map that includes a proposed outline for a Red Line BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) System. The system includes two lines: Red Line East and Red Line West. The line basically follows the old path for the proposed Red Line, but instead includes a Downtown Loop that could be used to circulate individuals to different modes of transit. The alternative plan also includes an extension for the existing Metro Subway (Green Line). This extension would go from Johns Hopkins Hospital to White Marsh.
Red Line Busway

Red Line East (CMS to Harlem Park)
CMS
Security Square Mall
I-70 Park and Ride
Edmondson Village
Allendale
Rosedale
West Baltimore
Harlem Park

Red Line Downtown Loop (East to West) 
Poppleton (MLK/Baltimore)
UMB Campus (Pratt/Greene)
Convention Center (Pratt/Howard)
Inner Harbor (Pratt/Calvert)
Aquarium (Pratt/Gay)
Shot Tower/Market Place (President/Baltimore)
City Hall (Saratoga/Holiday)
Midtown (Saratoga/Charles)
Lexington Market (Saratoga/Eutaw)
Seton Hill (Saratoga/Greene)

Red Line West (Harbor East to Essex)
Harbor East (Fleet-Eastern/Central)
Fells Point (Fleet-Eastern/Broadway)
Canton (Eastern/Patterson Park)
Patterson Park (Eastern/Linwood)
Highlandtown (Eastern/Conkling)
Greektown
Bayview (Eastern/Bayview)
Kane Street (Eastern/Kane)
Eastpoint Mall (Eastern/Rolling Mill)
Essex (Eastern/Beltway)

Baltimore Metro Extension

Green Line (Johns Hopkins Hospital to White Marsh)
Collington
East Baltimore
Bayview
Rosedale
Cedonia
Overlea
Franklin Square / CCBC
Nottingham
White Marsh

Centre Theater: Baltimore's Original Cinema

Centre Theater

10 E. North Avenue

Baltimore, Maryland 21218

            The Centre Theater opened its doors on February 2^nd, 1939 as the latest addition to Baltimore’s theater community. The complex was originally deemed “Radio Centre” for it also included a radio station for WFBR, as well as offices for the Equitable Trust Company, a shop, and a parking garage. Prior to its construction, the lot at 10 East North Avenue was used as a Studebaker and Chevrolet car dealership, a similar industry that was commonly found on North Howard Street (Kelly, 2014). The Centre is located in Station North Arts and Entertainment District on the first block of east North Avenue on the north side of the street. Currently, the complex is being restored to become a mixed-use development that will centralize history, arts and community in Station North.

            The theater came to fruition thanks to Morris A. Mechanic, a local developer who would later be the namesake of the late brutalist 1967 Mechanic Theater in Downtown Baltimore (Chan, 2011). Mechanic came from a Polish and Jewish background, who immigrated to Baltimore as a child. A true businessman, Mechanic began his success by owning a chocolate shop downtown while being a principle for Hebrew School in West Baltimore (Pousson). Ten years prior to the opening of The Centre, Mechanic purchased The New Theatre at 210 West Lexington Street on the Westside, which became a major success with its showing of Sunny Side Up (Kilduff). This success drove Mechanic to continue his theater business until his death in July of 1966 (Pousson).

The theater presents a rich history for its precedence in the arts and for its architectural significance. A few days before opening night, the Baltimore Sun described the new art deco style as “conservatively modern”. The architect, Armand Carroll, expressed that the style was meant to be utilitarian and that the decoration was “intended to soothe rather than startle the spectator” (The Sun, 1939). The sheer smooth angles of the theater’s façade still attract the passerby’s eye as they traverse North Avenue. The theater also is significant for it was the first theatre in the city equipped for radio broadcasting and the ability to project live television on the screen (Kelly, 2014).

            Within its interior, the theater also was acclaimed for a circular proscenium arch outfitted with multicolor light bulbs and gold leaf paint. The main stage of the theater was a modest size, but was equipped with the latest technology for either film or theater events. The theater itself seated up to 1,000 guests, and was one of the first in the city to be climate controlled. On the opening night, Mayor Howard W. Jackson along with major players in the film and broadcasting industry joined Baltimore’s socialites to view the Baltimore’s first aviation film: Tailspin (The Sun, 1939). Many memorable films were shown at The Centre, including the Baltimore premiers of Oklahoma, and Around the World in 80 Days in 1956 (“Center Theatre”).

            Unfortunately, The Centre’s crowds were dwindling as Station North decayed due to suburbanization and white flight. In response to the declining admissions, the lobby was also used as a gallery space for artists Jacob Glushakow and Herman Maril (Kelly, 2014). The Centre continued to operate as a film and radio center until April 16, 1959 when the neighboring Equitable Trust Company expanded its office space into the structure. Redevelopment plans included adding an additional story to the existing theater, due to there being 20,000 square feet of unusable space on each level of the theater (The Sun, 1958). A major reason for the banks expansion was the need for new space to house state-of-the-art electronic equipment that was highly sensitive. Despite the closing of the theater, WFBR continued its operations under a lease with the bank. During the 1970s, WFBR became locally renowned for their disc jockey, Johnny Walker, who operated out of the leased space. Later on, the space was also used as a church for the community, but soon became vacant and dilapidated (Kelly, 2014).

            In 2002, Station North Arts and Entertainment District was formed by the city government, creating hope for the old abandoned North Avenue theaters. Along with this designation, the National Register of Historic Places created the North Central Historic District, protecting the Centre Theater from deliberate destruction. However, it wasn’t until July of 2011 when Charles Duff, the president of the nonprofit organization Jubilee Baltimore, purchased The Centre at a public auction for the price of $93,000 (Kelly, 2014). Duff is leading the efforts to redevelop and restore the property to its former glory, so that it once again can contribute to the entertainment industry of Baltimore.

The new theater will be the new facility for film and video programs derived out of the partnership between the Johns Hopkins University in Homewood and the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) in Bolton Hill (Kelly, 2014). Together with Jubilee Baltimore, Ziger/Snead and Southway Builders are leading the reconstruction process. The completed 73,000 square foot Centre Theater will feature spaces for film screenings, music venues, artists’ studios, galleries, a playhouse and a restaurant (“10 East North”). The project was awarded $3 million in Maryland Sustainable Tax Credits, and was required to follow environmental and historical design standards. Construction for The Centre began in late 2013, and is expected to open in March 2015 (Meehan, 2013).

Reflections - 5/11/15

Rowhouses in Charles Vilage

As the spring semester comes to a close, I am left with a sense of completion and greater awareness towards not only Baltimore, but also community engagement. In retrospect, I think the most important thing that I have learned is the endless significance of taking all perspectives into account, especially when it regards controversial topics like gentrification. This may not seem to be the most innovative of revelations, but I think that its importance spans to universal levels and can be applied in almost any setting. Personally, I feel like I am stubborn in my own views (maybe it's the aquarian in me), but being both a student of both geography and sociology, I recognize that everything (humans and nature) possesses their own individual qualities that shouldn't be disregarded. This class has helped me see this by gaining greater insight into the world where these voices originated. Conversely, these voices should also be viewed as one giant collective echo that distinguishes the many concerns humanity encounters in the urban realm. 

This course has also emphasized the importance of working together as a team in order to create an interdisciplinary product. I think my greatest contribution to this project would be mitigating our mapmaking process so that each voice or place could be visualized. As a result, we are able to have a dynamic map that could be used as a source for anyone who wishes to know more about Station North. Looking forward, I hope that our efforts will benefit others who wish to know more about Baltimore's past and present through the eyes of a neighborhood.

Reflections - 5/4/15

This past week was certainly eye opening for our class as Baltimore experienced the 2015 riots following the tragic death of Freddie Gray. In a matter of hours, the city was turned upside down when peaceful protests gave way to arson, looting, and chaos. Watching the destruction take place was certainly painful and depressing, and often seemed pointless. It is safe to say that it will take years for Baltimore to get back to where it was, as we have learned from the repercussions of the 1968 riots. However, unlike the '68 riots, these events were followed by an outpouring of love, concern, and hope that the city can get back up on it's feet.

Despite what some critics may say, we all need to care about "our" city, wherever we may live in the region. The geographical fact of the matter is that we all depend on Baltimore as an epicenter of economic, knowledge, and artistic proportions. While sitting at my desk at work on Friday, I watched Marilyn Mosby deliver the criminal charges that would be filed against the Baltimore City Police Officers involved in the Gray case. It was at this moment when I remembered why I loved Baltimore. Regardless of the charges, it was the timely fashion of delivery and straightforwardness of justice that gave Baltimore the shock back to life that it needed.

In class, we discussed the themes and quotes found in the Sherrie Chase interview. In my notes, I found the themes of diversity, detachment, family, and sense of place to be core components. In addition, the map group convened and worked together in outlining the introductory paragraphs for the webpage, and figuring out the missing places that needed to be completed for the map. Mike and I also worked on the graphic display of the map. I also created four new zones that highlight the different sectors of Station North: Charles North, Greenmount West, Barclay, and Koreatown.

Reflections - 4/27/15

What a week! Things are winding down and really coming together with the project. On Tuesday, we were fortunate enough to have Marc Steiner of the Marc Steiner Show join us in a joint-class meeting to view the rough cuts of the audio and visual media that will be used for the final project. As a class, we viewed segments for Greektown and Station North. Afterwards we discussed the project direction, and what needed to be improved for the final edition of both pieces. The general consensus found that there needed to be a flow for the entire piece, and that the themes should be more evident throughout the piece. For example, Marc brought up the idea of having a two sided argument for and against the neighborhood changes that were taking place, such as gentrification and demographic shifts. On Thursday, we came together as a class and worked in groups on our assigned audio piece. Similar to Alethia's interview, we transcribed and pulled out common themes such as community and neighborhood change.

Reflections - 4/20/15

This past week was heavily focused on project work, and outlining what needs to be done in order to get the project close to completion. On Tuesday, Mike and I presented the map along with the rest of the map group. Everyone seemed to be happy with the progress thus far, which was good to hear. I was really happy that we got a chance to hear some feedback from our classmates on what they would like to see added and changed on the map. The voices group presented their work as well, by playing some of their audio recordings and showing the class their interviewing database. Afterwards, Dr. King requested that we help out the voices group in their transcription and theme-pulling efforts.

For Thursday, I listened to the interview with Aletheia Shin. While listening, I transcribed her interview and pulled out common themes that I thought would be useful for the overall class project. In our new groups, we discussed the themes and consolidated our transcription by removing duplicates and editing the content. We then came together as a class to discuss our group work, and the common themes that we found from the audio. As a group, we discussed the themes of: community-based art, identity and presence, how we visualizing Baltimore, diversity, relationship with the community, and community participation.

Reflections - 4/13/15

This past week was focused on project work and reviewing the articles we read as a class. On Tuesday, we discussed the Baltimore City Paper article, "No Trivia: How white people have gentrified the word 'gentrification'", and the Metro Politics article, "Arts Districts Without Artists". Overall, I found these articles interesting interpretations of the situation going on in Station North and other Baltimore neighborhoods. In particular, I found Brandon Soderberg's article in the City Paper similar to how Jude Lombardi characterizes the word "gentrification" to those who replace it with "revitalization". Personally, I disagree with this viewpoint because revitalization is meant to help neighborhoods, which otherwise would remain in a state of urban decay.

On Thursday, I remained on campus while the rest of class went to Station North, to meet with our groups to discuss and worked on the group project. Jodie and I worked on figuring out the remaining missing places, and then I completed the database by putting the addresses into the map. Afterwards, I felt a lot more confident with the map and feel that it will be a good base to show to the class on Tuesday.

Reflections - 4/6/15

Last week, Aletheia Shin of MICA spoke to us about her art and research about the Korean community in Baltimore, and how it interfaces with the rest of the city. Aletheia brought a very interesting and refreshing perspective to our classroom; in that she truly was a student from abroad studying in the U.S., even though she grew up between America and Korea. Perspectives such as Shin's always fascinate me because I have lived in Baltimore my whole life, making it challenging to imagine her history of moving back and forth from place to place. 

Aletheia's outreach and art aims to bridge the gap between Koreans in Baltimore, creating a more interconnected community with a sense of balance. I found this to be very important especially in a city like Baltimore, where immigrants and diversity reinforce the city itself when older populations shrink and/or circulate outwards. As we have seen in many other great cities like New York or Los Angeles, ethnic enclaves are hot spots of growth and success, which can only help a city thrive. For Baltimore, Aletheia's work stemming from the city's public markets demonstrated the importance of having a common shared space with all types of people. Overall, I gained insight on the workings of the Korean community of Baltimore, and how community can be interpreted as social connections and ties formed over temporary places of activity and commerce.

In terms of our group, we have made significant progress with our map research and database. The rest of the group has completed summaries and collected the addresses of our Station North locations. I was able to enter in the places that we already have into a KML spreadsheet that will be imported into our map system. While doing this, I have made multiple columns including the 1) place name 2) address, and 3) type of place. This week I plan on talking to Mike about additional data that could be added, as well as how we want to display our information. After playing with our Google Map a bit, I organized our places by type (food, entertainment, residence, and community). I gave each type a temporary icon related to the place function (i.e. silverware, music note, etc.) This could be a unique way to show our places, and may also be more user-friendly. I look forward to meeting with the group this week to discuss ideas! 

Reflections and Project Update (Week of March 23, 2015)

This past week, our class was fortunate enough to have Jazmin Simmons come speak to us about changes going on in her neighborhood of Station North. We also had the opportunity to meet with our groups to discuss the next course of action and schedule for our projects.

Throughout the semester, I have enjoyed all of the guest lectures very much, especially Baltimore's Art in Transit group working on the Baltimore Red Line and Ben Stone's talks about Station North's future development. With that said, I found Jazmin to be very refreshing and charismatic, which sometimes gets lost amidst discussing business and planning. Moreover, Jazmin provided us with valuable insight into her personal experiences of working at the Bohemian Coffee House and the Charles North Garden. Her experiences seemed more relatable to a college student, and in turn, her views seemed to be the most honest and straightforward out of our lecturers in our class. Probably the most important thing I learned from her talk was her connection to the youth of Station North. Children and young adults often get kicked to the curb during the development of an arts district. Her proposal of having a safe space for the kids of Station North sounded very important and needed in order to create the best neighborhood possible for all parties. 

In regards to the term project, my group discussed the next steps of our plan. We now have all of the places logged, so now we need to gather photographs and any other additional data that we might want to add later on. For myself, I will begin to enter the data into our Google Map, and ensure that we place our data in all of the correct locations.

So far, I have already created the map online and made sure that everyone has access so they can observe the progress of our final product. In addition, I went ahead and downloaded shape files of the neighborhood boundaries of Station North. This way everyone will be able to easily locate our neighborhood. On April 14, we set the deadline to have all of our photographs gathered for the map, so that Mike and I can add those as well. We hope to have everything ready to go before schedule so that we can make any adjustments to the overall map.

Adventure 2: Exploring Art at MICA in Station North

 

For my second adventure, I was curious about looking into the arts scene at Station North. In particular, I was interested in learning more about MICA's relatively new presence in the arts district. Since a lot of the neighborhood's growth is a result of MICA's expansion on North Avenue, I figured it would be good to get a firsthand look at the spaces they occupy, and how it relates to the community.

During spring break, I attended the faculty exhibit going on at the Lazarus Center (aka the Graduate Studio Center). The building was once used as a factory for Morgan Millwork Company and later for Jos. A. Bank clothiers, a local Baltimore menswear company. After an 18 million dollar renovation, the Lazarus Center officially opened in October 2012.

Like most of Station North, I have driven past this structure many times, and had always been interested in its interior and historical significance. Upon entering the building, I felt like I had stepped into a gallery in Chelsea or Tribeca. I was very impressed by the architectural renovation, as well as the design of the gallery. Instead of sheltering the art from the avenue, the gallery was the first thing you encountered as you entered. This layout gave me a welcoming feeling, encouraging an artistic dialogue with the outside community.

Along with viewing the show, I went to the building's cafe, Nancy, where I got a coffee and a delicious pastry. Nancy also had a very welcoming and bright atmosphere, having tables and chairs looking out onto the avenue. The owners were also very friendly, adding to the overall experience. Afterwards, I found out that Nancy is owned by the same people who run the Station North Arts Cafe on Charles Street. In terms of the art, I enjoyed the show very much. My favorite pieces were the oxen pastel drawings (shown above). The inventory of the gallery was very diverse and eclectic, triggering the eyes of any passerby. In a way, the diversity represented in the show could easily be connected to the diversity of Station North, and how there are countless ways to express ourselves through the arts.

Centre Theatre: Preliminary Research Findings

Centre Theatre
10 E. North Ave
Baltimore, MD 21218

The Centre Theatre was constructed in 1939 as a studio theatre and a broadcasting center for WFBR. It is located in Station North Arts and Entertainment District on the first block of east North Avenue on the north side of the street. It is currently being restored to become a mixed use development that will include spaces for film screenings, music venues, artists’ studios, galleries, a playhouse and a restaurant.

Timeline:

• Constructed with $400,000 by Morris A. Mechanic. Building was designed by Philadelphia architect Armand Carroll.
• Opened 2/2/1939
• Operated as a studio theatre and a broadcasting center for WFBR.
• It was the first theatre in the city equipped for radio broadcasting in-house (other theatres had broadcast via remote before) and the first with the ability to project live television on the screen.
• Closed on 4/16/1959 after the Equitable Trust Company announced plans to enlarge the complex and move their operations department in early 1960
• The bank planned to add a third story and "special dust-free areas... to create the exact atmospheric conditions required for the most efficient use of highly sensitive automated electronic equipment." One example offered for this new equipment included a $55,000 sorting machine that sorted checks and other documents at a rate of 1,000 a minute guided by "magnetic ink" rather than "the familiar punch card holes." 
• Purchased by a church in the 1990s
• Jubilee Baltimore purchased the property in July 2011 during a public auction for $93,000.

List of contacts:

Jubilee Baltimore

Charles Duff, President/Current owner 

410.327.7373 x101 

charlie@jubileebaltimore.org

Ziger/Snead Architects

Steve Ziger, Project Architect/Partner

sziger@zigersnead.com

Maryland Institute College of Art

Fred Lazarus, President

North Avenue Market

Michael L. Shecter

Carolyn E. Frenkil

Sources:

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2012-02-06/news/bs-md-ci-theater-20120206_1_arts-district-central-baltimore-partnership-film-screenings

http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/news/2013/06/03/mica-johns-hopkins-film-program-part.html

http://retrobaltimore.tumblr.com/post/81719245787/jacques-kelly-centre-theater-in-ruins-but

http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/5552/photos 

http://explore.baltimoreheritage.org/items/show/17#.VO6nqlPF93U

http://www.zigersnead.com/projects/details/10-east-north-avenue-mixed-use-redevelopment/

Adventure 1: Morning in Station North and First Time at Red Emma's

For my first adventure for Community in America (AMST 380), I wanted to experience and explore Station North during the morning hours. In my experience, the morning is always a great way to get a true feel for a particular location when everyone is just beginning to get on with their day.

On the cold winter morning of February 19, I wandered about the neighborhood scoping out landmarks that I know of, seeking out new changes since the last time I passed through. I was very impressed by the changes I observed. In particular, I was happy to see the restoration of The Centre theatre under way with the new vintage sign already up. I can already imagine how great North Avenue is going to look with the additions of the historic theaters of Parkway and Centre! Even though the day was bitterly cold, the sun was shining brightly on the beautifully unique facades of the boulevard.

Interior of Red Emma's in Station North.

I've heard a lot about Red Emma's from friends of mine, but I never got a clear sense of their experience. Nevertheless, I have been wanting to check it out since the business moved into the historic North Avenue Market building from their old location in Mount Vernon. As I was walking up to the door, I took a survey of the locals. There is definitely diversity when it comes to Station North, but I think it could also be characterized by extremes. On one end you have your typical Baltimore mix of working class people and the occasional homeless individual, but on the other end you have the obvious art student (who may or may not have a trust fund, and may or may not be from here). Not that there's anything wrong with that, but I think it's important to note the differences especially in a changing neighborhood like Station North.

My delicious Red Emma's coffee!

Overall, Red Emma's turned out to be a great experience! As soon as I stepped in, I immediately fell in love with the interior design of the space. I ordered a coffee with the Colombian blend, and it really hit the spot after being out in the cold. Compared to other local coffee places like Dooby's and Donna's, Red Emma's was a lot friendlier, cheaper, and had less of an attitude. Could this be because they moved to Station North where everything seems to be more laid back and less segregated than other parts of Baltimore? Maybe, maybe not. After I got my coffee, I browsed through their interesting book collection, and then found a table by the window and studied for a bit. As my adventure came to a close, I realized that Red Emma's provides a sanctuary in the middle of the city, of both calmness and equality. Unlike national chains, everyone is allowed to enter to enjoy the experience.

Looking Forward: "Can Station North Save the City?"

The renovation of The Parkway theatre would be a game-changer for the development of Station North.

The Marc Steiner Show on WEAA 88.9 FM asked this question of the relatively new neighborhood of Station North Arts & Entertainment District, along with discussing the connected topics of revitalization, gentrification, and the state of arts in Baltimore. One of the city's most changing communities, Station North has numerous projects in the works in order to revitalize the neighborhood like the restoration of the Parkway and Centre Theaters on North Avenue.

Ben Stone, the executive director of Station North Arts and Entertainment Inc., spoke about the mission of the neighborhood. He stressed the importance of inclusion of all residents, no matter how long they have resided in the area. A common concern that was addressed was the issue of displacement over the long term due to the gentrification of the neighborhood. Stone along with other members of the panel were all in agreement that they would like to avoid hyper-gentrification and displacing residents.

In my opinion, I believe that Station North has been doing a good job so far through its development process. Namely, I think that Station North utilizes transparency and encourages the inclusion of others in the community. From my experience working on Section.1 Park, inclusion and nondiscrimination are common themes throughout the project, so that nobody is left out of the experience. Overall, I believe that the projects going on at Station North will greatly help the city.

Ben Stone, Executive Director of Station North Arts and Entertainment Inc.

Three main questions that I would extend to Ben Stone would be:

1. How can we sustain the development brought by Station North, and extend it into neighboring areas? In other words, how can we take advantage of this development and bring it into decayed areas surrounding Station North?
2. Is there a way to bridge the different "layers" found in Station North? Can we unite students, working-class individuals and artists through community functions and urban planning?
3. Will families and others outside the city have a place in the long term plans for Station North? I think there needs to be more contribution from other institutions that are not immediately located around Station North (i.e. MICA/UB/etc.) 

Introduction: Building Community in Changing Neighborhoods

Community, Gentrification, and Station North

A sense of community is essential to the health and success of a group of individuals. Without the presence of a community, the group slowly weakens and disconnects. I believe that the process of gentrification can be both good and bad, often depending on the neighborhood at hand. If a sense of community is absent from a particular community, gentrification could often take place to fill the void. For neighborhoods such as these, I think gentrification can be useful so that the neighborhood can return to a vital state.

 

Station North is a unique example of a changing neighborhood in Baltimore. Many claim that Station North is an example of gentrification, but I disagree. As a child, I remember North Avenue before the creation of the arts district. At that time during the late 1990s/early 2000s, the area was dilapidated, depressing, and lacked development of any kind. Presently, Station North has transformed the North Avenue corridor to a vibrant arts community for everyone to enjoy. 

For our class, Community in America, I think it would be great to focus on the spatial aspect of community in Station North. As an intern for the Section.1 Art Park project, we focus on how we can create a public space for everyone in the neighborhood and Baltimore as a whole. Our class project could elaborate on this concept, and look in detail at the changing spaces around Station North. By associating these spaces with people, we can get a better idea of how these changes impact the individuals around them.  

Introduction: From the Land of Pleasant Living

My name is Mitchell Ford and I am from Baltimore, Maryland. Currently, I am studying geography at UMBC with the aspiration to eventually become a landscape architect and urban planner. I view home as a place where I feel comfortable amongst my surroundings.

Specifically, this includes not only the geography of where I am, but also the individuals around me. Primarily, my family’s house in nearby Elkridge is where I call home. In addition, I view the concept of home beyond the traditional definition of a dwelling, but rather as our identity that we develop with the geography around us.