Morning Ramble in Remington

I tried to get out early today to beat the heat, but the heat had a head start. Oodles of interesting pictures and stories.

I decided I've been ignoring Little Little Italy for too long.  Yesterday, I met Bob who owns on Fawcett Street.  Bob is an electrician and investor for Peabody Heights Brewery on 30th and Barclay.  He is a big fan of his corner of the neighborhood, so I thought I'd grab a few snaps to show everyone why the southern portion of Remington can feel so justifiably proud.

The Huntingdon Avenue houses behind Corky's are all in bloom.  It was hard to capture the entire block at once, so I encourage everyone to make the trip down there to see for yourselves. The houses along this block used be 100% Italian, but, alas those owners felt obliged to "move up the hill,"
and most of these houses are now rental property.  There is one exception, however, as the Detorie Family of the Liberty Roofing/DeLuca's fame sold their property to a fellow countryman.  Long may he stay!


Walking back toward Sisson Street, I stopped by the old American Ice House where I met Mike who gave me a tour of the east side of the building.  The west side is rented by Tom Brown's Woodworking and I didn't want to bug them; they sounded busy.  You can smell the scent of newly cut wood wafting from his shop.  The building is owned by the Jalows (dba Icehouse LLC, cute, huh?) and they are busy restoring the east portion, possibly for future retail.  I want to live there! Mike gave me a wonderful rundown of  the workings of the icehouse.  The ice was stored in the brick addition on the corner of 24th & Huntingdon, while the compressors were in the top floor of the older portion.  Mike said it was designed that way so, in case of explosion (you'd be surprise how often icehouses caught fire), the foundation would remain intact. The ice was dropped down from this door onto horse-drawn carts or sleds to be taken to storage.

There is a ramp on the east side interior that was used for loading the delivery wagons directly.  The B&O ran right up to the icehouse's loading dock so the ice could be quickly transported to other portions of the State. The Jalows have taken great effort to maintain the original woodwork and steel girders, but some people just can't appreciate the history and beauty of this architecture.  Some errant youth should be made to erase their mistakes and learn that tagging is not art, it's a crime!



The streets of Fawcett and 23rd were also abloom.  Here's a innovative plant holder on 23rd.

You can't miss the purple house on 24th Street.  There are a lot of very proud homeowners on the 400 block!.

Two-story Italianate mansions could be seen in this area in the l9th century.  I can't verify whether or not F & C Properties (not quite sure what they do) built their business onto one of these houses or had one built in the Italianate style that was prevelant in this section.

Over the Sisson Street Bridge and up through Greater Remington, I spied an impromptu playground on the corner of Miles & 27th.  Little Little Italy has a beautiful playground, but this area is bereft of such amenity.  We really have to work on this!

Back toward Stony Run and, boy, is it getting hot!  It's not even 9:00 and the air quality is leaving a lot to be desired.  The sound of machinery led me to James & Lynne's on Howard & 26th.  The Single Carrot Theatre is under fierce construction.  This part of the structure was slated for demolition last week, according to Evan from Seawall.  It looks like they're a tad behind. 







I managed to get a peek inside before  the watchman chased me out.





Passing the Baltimore Glass building, I heard the sound of breakage and a bit of cursing.  I hope new development won't force them to relocate, but I snapped a few pix for prosperity, just in case.

 Down to the Run to discover the "crust punks" have been living under Wyman Park Drive Bridge.  It's bad enough they're camping out there and lighting fires, but can't they at least clean up after themselves? Friends of Stony Run  are NOT going to like this!

I spotted a piece of gneiss on the way out of the park.  Remington still rocks!

I heard the roaring of a chainsaw and had to check it out.  DPW had to remove this once gorgeous beech tree to make way for sewer repair.  I took video of the process.

 My final mission was to find exposed trolley track from the old #27 line, which I located on 33rd Street near Keswick.  Whew! So many places to see in our community, who knew?

Remington May 2013

Baltimore Body Shop Burns

May 2, 2013.   The Baltimore Body Shop had a two-alarm fire damaging part of the building and vehicles in for repair.  Artwork housed in the Open Space gallery was spared, but had to be moved as part of the building collapsed.  There are 22 apartments also located in the space, but no tenants were injured. No word on how the fire started, but there are four auto repair shops located there that use hazardous, flammable material so use your imagination.

Sources:  Word on the street

Seawall Snaps up More Remington Properties

May 3, 2013.  GRIA board President Judy Kunst can't seem to stop gushing about Seawall Development, claiming the company "is one of  the best development partners" a neighborhood could ask for.  Why all her excitement?  It's the company's "30 by 13" initiative to purchase, renovate, and sell 30 homes in Remington by the end of this year. Incredulous old-timers are scratching their heads wondering who would buy a house in this gritty, rat-infested, drug-ridden, blue-collared neighborhood.  Well, my fellow Remingtonians, it's teachers.  That's right, educated folks are snapping up apartments in Seawall's Miller's Court like they were free crack.

The old American Can Company was obviously begging to be saved.  Its sturdy, utilitarian façade screamed for apartments, offices, and perhaps a coffee shop. OK, "screamed" may be a little melodramatic, but every time I walked past it, something was definitely screaming.  Probably rats.

Construction began from the ground up, which is always a good place to start. Invisible men with hats chased me out, so I couldn't get the full spectrum.  It seems a massive undertaking.

Ta-da! I can't figure out how that tree is the same height.

Sources: Kevin Litten, The Baltimore Business Journal, May 3, 2013.  My photos.

BROS Gets Remington Director

May 10, 2013.  Remington resident Barbara Geary will be directing the Baltimore Rock Opera Society's production of "Murdercastle".  Ms. Geary has decades of theater and acting experience and hopes to impart of this to the cast members.  The show runs from now until May 25 a the Autograph Playhouse on 25th Street.

Source: Wesley Case Baltimore Sun 10 May, 2013: T:14.

The House of W.C. Harlan

May 16, 2013.  W.C. Harlan bartender and part-time fashionista, Pam Haner was a stylist at the Tremont Grand fashion show. She sported her own "chic but different" style with a combination of thrift store finds.

Source: Sloane Brown, The Baltimore Sun 16 May 2013: C.4.

Remington March 2013

Homicide on Fox Street

March 18, 2013. To prove once again that Remington exists within Baltimore, we had our first homicide this year.  At 10 o'clock this morning, an argument in the 2700 block of Fox Street ended up with gunfire and one death.  There is currently no known motive.

The 25th Street Still Not Developed

March 21, 2013.  In shocking news today, a dispute between the owner and the developer of the 11-acre Anderson Automotive lot has once again dimmed the possibility of a Wal-mart in Remington. OK, not shocking, just kidding. Yesterday, the property owner, (Twenty Fifth Street, LLC which is controlled by Bruce Mortimer of Anderson) moved to declare that it legally ended sale agreements with the developer (WV Baltimore-24/Sisson LLC led by Rick Walker) in October 2012. You really can't tell the players without a scorecard in this debacle.

According to the suit, the developer failed to produce a purchase agreement with Wal-mart by the September 2012 deadline, and started exploring other options to market the property. Mortimer said in an interview that "it doesn't mean the development won't happen," but he isn't proceeding without the resolving the issue.

Walker stated his company was "extremely disappointed" because they had spent more than a year getting and defending zonal approvals.  He feels that Mortimer "is trying to pull the rug out from under [the project]".

Source: Perl, Larry.  The Baltimore Sun. Mar 21, 2013

Remington February 2013

The Dizz Lights Up a Ravens Victory

February 3, 2013.  OMG, was that an adrenaline rush or what?! Baltimore was so purple and LOUD.  Car horns and fireworks in front of The Dizz.  Screaming patrons at Long Johns almost drowned out the fireworks and cheering from Druid Hill and Charles Village. One night when the hundreds of neighborhoods in Baltimore City came together. I have a dream when we as a city are no longer black and white, we're all purple!

Saturday Ramble

February 16, 2013.  This morning the roosters were calling.  Literally.  Here's where the chickens are being raised behind Charm City Cakes, and I am in awe. They are warm, happy and hopefully productive.  Baltimore City zoning allows for certain agricultural enterprises, and if it wasn't for the roving fox on my street, my backyard would look similar.

Jacques Kelly is Jealous

February 23, 2013.  That's right, the Baltimore Sun journalist wants to upstage me with his article entitled "Once-gritty Remington is making a comeback".  Really Jacques?  My book, Remington: The history of a Baltimore neighborhood, is coming this July, but you just had to put in your brief tour with Roy Skeen.  Interviews with Bill Cunningham and Judith Kunst, but you avoided me, didn't you?  OK, sour grapes.  Maybe I'm jealous of Jacques Kelly.

Source:  Kelly, Jacques.  The Baltimore Sun.

Another Remington Ramble

February 24, 2013.  While on my way to do research in our Little Italy, I came across this little gem off Sisson Street.  Ironic that a rebuilding company's building needs rebuilding.

Also noticed that Top Gear Auto has moved to 24th and Sisson, CSX has done nothing to clean up the bulk trash under Sisson Street Bridge and WC Harlan's was doing a brisk business. 

Woodberry in Remington

February 27, 2013.  Lucky us!  Woodberry Kitchen owners Amy and Spike Gjede have signed a lease to open a butcher shop and restaurant at 2600 N. Howard Street.  That's right, the old Lynn's Tire Shop is going to serve food and butchered animals. Seems kinda fitting. Part of the site will include the Single Carrot Theatre and non-proft office space. Single Carrot's managing director, Elliot Rauh, believe the site to be a "wonderful concept" and is excited that food and theatre will be "under one roof".

The James Beard Foundation nominated Spike for an award in the Best Chef Mid-Atlantic category.  We'll find out next month if he made the finals. Oh, and you know who is behind the development, right?  Seawall Development, of course.  I predict Remington will soon become Seawall World.

Source: Gorelick, Richard.  The Baltimore Sun.

Remington January 2013

Thibault Manekin is a Person to Watch

January 4, 2013.  It's with a modicum of modesty that Seawall's Thibault Manekin has become a person of interest, according to the Baltimore Business Journal.  He is leading the company in building affordable houses for teachers, as evidenced on the 2800 block of Remington Avenue. Formerly owned by the City and in deplorable shape, Seawall has turned squalor into profit.  The newly renovated buildings are priced to sell to educators. With Baltimore City tax exemptions and first-time buyer incentives, the $100,000 price tag isn't outrageous as it seems to us natives.

Renovation of Houses on Remington Avenue

Thibault is very enthusiastic about his vision of
Seawall's development for the Remington Neighborhood.  However, this transformation may be hiding a few caveats.  I overheard a Greater Homewood Community member urging a couple to invest, as they could resell the house around "in five years" for a decent profit.  So the renovated houses are more of a magnet to generate interest in the (re)gentrification of our community and less of an incentive for people to establish roots here.

At a community meeting, I asked Thibault if Seawall had plans for developing the unsightly Anderson Body Shop these houses are facing.  He stated that the company had no plans, which I found highly suspicious.  I guess the neighborhood will wait and see.  Thibault is definitely a person to watch.

Source: Baltimore Business Journal, Jan 4, 2013. https://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/print-edition/2013/01/04/people-to-watch-thibault-manekin.html

Zoning Appeal Loses in Court

January 23, 2013.  Once again, the contentious Walmart project has been green-lighted by people from outside our 'hood.  I am one of the anti-Walmart contingent because I order online and have my stuff delivered. I understand, however, how the project would appeal to neighbors who are bereft of the internet and feel burdened by the trip to a store outside our area.  Regardless, the Appeals Court has allowed the redevelopment of the 11-acre tract and can now move ahead now on a plan that has been held up for years. 

Jon Laria

 "The project would have been done, generating benefits for the community and taxes for the city if these petitions had not been filed," said Jon Laria, the attorney for the developer of the mixed-use project, called 25th Street Station.  I worked with this man and let me tell you, he probably had never heard of Remington before his appointment as counsel.

What's really bothersome is the Maryland Court of Appeals declaring that the two people who live near the development site, one in Remington and the other in Charles Village, are not eligible to appeal because "they do not live close enough" to the tract and hence cannot file an appeal.  What idiocy.

Benn Ray, a Remingtonian (who owns and operates Atomic Books in Hampden), and Brendan Coyne of Charles Village, both live about four-tenths of a mile from the development site.  They alleged that the project "would have a negative effect on the neighborhood, depress local wages, and make the streets more dangerous because of increased traffic flow". 

For various reasons, the Court decided their argument had no merit, but their attorney, G. Macy Nelson, said he expects people in the neighborhoods surrounding the site to continue to oppose its redevelopment.  

Anderson Lot

Anderson Automotive Group now occupies most of the land.  The original proposal included the Walmart, a Lowe's Home Improvement store, more than 100,000 square feet of other retail, 70 to 90 residences, and nearly 1,100 parking spaces. 

 

It almost immediately received a mixed reception from residents. An online petition drive called "No Walmart in Remington" was created in February 2010. But representatives from the three neighborhoods containing or adjacent to the parcel -- Remington, Charles Village, and Old Goucher -- also began meeting with the developers on traffic issues.  

 Lowe's dropped out of the project in 2011, so Walmart is the only tenant still committed to 25th Street Station. But the developer has a lot of interest from retailers, Laria said. Zoning legislation for 25th Street Station passed the council in late 2010. The appeal of the legislation has been turned down at every level of the state's judiciary.  

Now that the Court of Appeals has decided, the developer will work on getting permits from the city and purchasing the land from its current owners, Laria said. 

 

"You can't finance the acquisition and development until litigation is resolved," he said.  

Mt. Vernon Mill No. 1

January 23, 2013.   Mt. Vernon Mill No. 1 project is blossoming as workers have installed a footbridge over the falls, connecting the mill to the westside.