Baltimore21201.Com - The Blog

You Love Frederick Law Olmsted? You'll Love This Tour.

Olmsted was America's First Landscape Architect. Olmsted believed that parks and landscapes were an essential part of every democratic society. He designed Central Park in New York City and the Capital grounds in Washington, DC... but, you already knew that, right?. He was also responsible for the Emerald Necklace in Boston. And, on and on and on.

Baltimore's Friends of Maryland's Olmsted Parks and Landscapes (FMOPL) has a walking tour coming up on May 17th, 2 - 4:30PM. Here's the information, read it and be there:

CARROLL PARK and MT. CLARE MANSION Sunday, May 17 - 2:00 - 4:30 PM
2:00-3:00 PM - Tour of the mansion led by volunteers of the museum
3:00-4:30 PM - Walk through the Park
Led by:

• Myra Brosius, park and environmental planner
• Bus Chambers,vice president, Friends of Carroll Park
• Gloria Pestridge, president, Friends of Carroll Park

Meet at 1:45 PM at the parking lot behind the Mansion off 1500 Washington Blvd. Accessibility: mansion includes stairs to second floor; park has gradual inclines on asphalt trails and roadways.

Part of the colonial plantation of Charles Carroll the Barrister, these grounds became a city park in 1890. The Olmsted Brothers Report Upon the Development of Public Grounds for Greater Baltimore, 1904 incorporated the park into the comprehensive city park system and later designed significant recreational facilities. Various organizations concerned about the conservation and restoration of the many-layered park are working with the City to implement the 2001 Carroll Park Master Plan.

If you don't already belong to FMOPL, visit their website and think about it. You may download a PDF membership form right here. Memberships start at just $25. I'll be posting more information about their upcoming walking tours here soon.

I'd close this post by writing, as I often do: We'll see you there. I can't say that this time. Jacob has broken a bone in each of his feet. So odd and so true. It's a long story. Want to know more? Ask me about the frozen ham!

Obama's Baltimore Visit - Transportation Updates

 

The MTA has two important webpages set up to keep us informed about the local events on Saturday and for Election Day on the 20th.

Link: This is the Official Statment for the President-Elect's visit to Baltimore.

Link: This is the information page for Election Day.

Remember, you can always get real-time, 24/7 traffic reports on the News Page at Baltimore21201.Com.

     This afternoon the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore released this advisory from Mayor Dixon.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, January 16, 2009 
 
CONGESTION ALERT: Updates on Barack Obama's Visit to Baltimore

The Mayor’s Office has released more information on Barack Obama’s visit to Baltimore on Saturday, January 17.

• All visitors to the War Memorial will enter at the Baltimore Street and Guilford Avenue entry point. 
• Visitors are strongly encouraged to use public transportation like Light Rail, Metro, or MTA buses.  MTA has created a webpage for Saturday’s event that includes rerouted bus routes, station closures, information on park and ride lots, and helpful travel tips.  For additional information, contact MTA at (410) 539-5000.
• If you plan on driving into the city, leave early and allow for extra travel time.

The City has released a list of street closures for Saturday.  On Saturday, January 17 between 4 am and 7 pm, the following streets will all be closed:

• I-83 Northbound from President/Lombard Streets to North Avenue will be closed.
• I-83 Southbound will be closed at North Avenue.
• All streets bounded by St. Paul Street, Lombard Street, The Fallsway/Front Street, and Bath Street.
• Streets surrounding the Main Post Office at 900 E. Fayette Street will be closed, but public access to the post office will be maintained from the east via Fayette and Colvin Streets.
• Additionally, Orleans Street from Gay to St. Paul Streets will be closed from 2 pm to 9 pm on Saturday, January 17.

The City has set up parking restrictions in the area.  Parking will be restricted in most areas around the event.  Variable message signs, cones, and barriers will be posted around the perimeters of the event, so be sure to pay attention to the restrictions in effect.  Cars in violation of parking restrictions will be towed to the Edison Parking Lot at The Fallsway and High Street.

• Several parking garages close to the event location will be closed.  Parking will be available at the stadium and generally west of St. Paul/Light Street.
• Bicycle parking will be provided at the garage at the intersection of Light and Redwood Streets.
• The ADA drop-off point will be at Calvert and Redwood Streets.

Parking will be restricted on the following streets on Saturday, January 7 from 9 am to 7 pm:

• St. Paul Street from Mt. Royal Avenue to Saratoga Street.
• Calvert Street from Biddle Street to Mt. Royal Avenue.
• Guilford Avenue from Biddle Street to Mt. Royal Avenue.
• Preston, Biddle, Chase, Eager, Madison, Monument, Centre, Franklin, Mulberry, Pleasant, and Saratoga Streets between Calvert and Charles Streets.

As mentioned in yesterday’s congestion alert, we suggest taking an alternate route into Downtown.

Here's the latest graphic from the Baltimore Sun.

21201 Traffic Isn't This Bad. However, You Should Be Aware...

...of the most recent traffic advisory from Baltimore's Downtown Partnership.

 

CONGESTION ALERT: Lane Closures on N. Charles Street from October 30 to November 20th

The Baltimore City Department of Transportation has announced temporary lane closures on N. Charles Street between Madison and North Avenues for a resurfacing and streetscape project. The lane closures will begin Thursday, October 30, 2008 and continue through Friday, November 20 from 7 am to 3 pm.

The lane closures are as follows: Between Mount Royal Avenue and the I-83 Bridge, the two right lanes of N. Charles Street will be closed. The two left lanes will be open to traffic. The right turn lane on Mount Royal Avenue will be closed from the I-83 off ramp to North Charles Street.

The University of Baltimore parking lot will remain open as usual to vehicular and pedestrian traffic.  Traffic could be slow at times, especially during the afternoon commute.  Drivers should remain alert for shifts in traffic patterns.

Be sure to visit Get Around Downtown Baltimore for updates and to sign up for our congestion alerts.

Note: Image above is a clip of art from TransFuture.Net. And, it's a website worth seeing.

A Few Words From Senator Barbara Mikulski & Why I Love This Woman

I've always seen the United States' most senior female Senator and Maryland's first and longest serving female Senator, Barbara Mikulski, as the woman guarding the rights of, and advocating for, the average man. Not only in Maryland, but everywhere.

I've always seen our Senator as a powerful bull dog with strong points to make. (And, a bull dog who has a bite that is stronger than her bark.) Now, I'm seeing her as more of the LIONESS of American politics and she's roaring loud for all to hear.

A couple of days ago I emailed our Senator (and many other elected officials) with my position on sending a blank check to the Bush administration for the proposed Bail Out of the very companies that caused this mess in the first place. Senator Mikulski's response was the only literate and to-the-point response that I received. And, while pre-written, it's perfect. Read along, aloud if you like:

Dear Mr. Brockelman:

Thank you for writing to me about the Bush Administration's proposal to bail out the financial industry. It's good to hear from you.

There's no question that we are in a credit crisis. People who have saved for their retirement, been faithful in paying their mortgage, and worked hard to pay for college are wondering, 'What is going on?'

They've watched Wall Street executives pay themselves lavish salaries. They've watched irresponsible lending practices. They've watched casino economics, gambling on risky investment mechanisms. Now those very same Americans who've worked hard and played by the rules are being asked to pay the bill for those who didn't.

Congress must act promptly to restore confidence and stability in the economy. But I will not be stampeded into voting for the Bush Administration bill. During the last seven years, every time there's a crisis, they generate fear and they generate bad ideas. This three-page bill gives the Secretary of the Treasury unlimited power to intervene in our financial markets without any review by Congress, agencies, or courts. It cannot be rubber stamped by the Congress.

At the minimum, the plan must be limited and temporary - not open-ended. There can't be any golden parachutes that reward executives for their excesses and their recklessness. No blank checks. There also must be a plan for those who have been hit hardest by the mortgage crisis.

Knowing of your views is very helpful to me. I will keep them in mind as the Senate continues to debate the President's economic plan.

Thanks again for getting in touch. Please let me know if I can be of assistance to you in the future.

Sincerely,
Barbara A. Mikulski
United States Senator

P.S. If I can be of further assistance in the future,
please visit my website at http://mikulski.senate.gov
or call my Washington D.C. office at 202-224-4654

 

So folks, regardless or your take on party lines, we need to adore and thank this Maryland Treasure for not dancing around her position. She never has; she never will.

Take Note - Los Angeles Police Chief, WJ Bratton is Coming to Baltimore

Really he is. And October 23rd will be a great day for learning. Truly great. Chief William J Bratton, LAPD has been fighting crime for over 30 years. I'm looking forward to his take on fighting city crime.

Chief WJ Bratton is the best-of-the-best to address the issues involved in Policing Cities in the 21st Century. And, he will do that in Baltimore. As LAPD Chief Bratton has, in many ways, bigger issues than we have here in Baltimore. In many ways we, in Baltimore, have bigger and more selective issues than he has in Los Angeles. And all cities have individual & specific issues that no other city can address alone. Cities, large or small, need to adress crime in this ecomony more than ever before. Let's see what he has to say. Let's see if we can learn.

 

Bratton's presentaion, "Policing in the 21st Century" is presented by Johns Hopkins Universtiy, Johns Hopkins Institute for Policy Studies, WTMD 89.7, WYPR 88.1, and EverGreen House & Museum.

Let's all be there and listen and ask questions. It's a free event. Attendance is limited and pre-registration is required. Call 410-516-0341 or send an email to urbanlecture@jhu.edu. Also, there's free onsite parking.

Need more, take a look at the official LAPD website.

BG&E's Parent, Constellation Energy Group is in Talks with Potential Buyers -- Shares Tank for Second Day

 

It seems the economic melt-down is starting to hit close to home. Real close like, say, Pratt Street. Baltimore began feeling the troubles in the real estate market a couple of years ago and that could turn out to be a much smaller issue.

This afternoon the New York Times reported that Standard & Poors has been informed by Constellation Energy Group management "that talks regarding an outright sale of the company were at 'an advanced stage'."

On January 8th of this year Constellation's stock was at an all time high, trading at $107.97 per share. Around 2PM today, CEG's shares were selling around $19.00... I'm sure glad that we received our BG&E rebate last month.

At this point in the downward spiral I'd hate to hear, "The check's in the mail."

UPDATE: The Baltimore Sun is reporting that S&P noted that it confirmed with the banks that the credit commitment [to Constellation Energy] is intact, but that the credit line contains a material adverse change clause tied to operating performance and financial condition.

"In the absence of rapid execution of these credit supportive actions, a multiple-notch downgrade is likely. We do not expect the company to withstand such a rating action," S&P said.

Detour Alert from Downtown Partnership

The Get Around Downtown Baltimore service from Baltimore's Downtown Partnership sent out an email press release this morning advising that Saratoga Street will be closed, between Charles and Cathedral Streets, for about a month. According to their detour directions, here's my map.

The reason for the closure was listed as Trigen Repairs. Yeah, OK. What's that?

Ah yes, Trigen is the company that supplies steam for heat (1,363,000 steam pounds per hour), chilled water for cooling (6,500 tons per hour), hot water (200,000 MBtus) and electricity (2.1 Megawatts) to a whole bunch of buildings in downtown Baltimore. I found these stats from a cached Trigen press release. Apparently Trigen was acquired by Veolia Energy some time ago.

You can find lots of interesting information on the Veolia Energy website if you're interested in infrastructure. Get lost in the data at your own peril.

Maryland Transit Administration + Google. What a Match!

I've just learned from the Baltimore Business Journal that our very own MTA has signed on to have Google Maps provide an extraordinary service: Online routes, alternates and times for local public transportation. This is big stuff. It's a really big deal.

While the program is still in a sort of testing Beta-stage, it already works and works very well.

Just go to the MTA website and enter your address and the address that you are headed for. And it will calculate the route, show you bus numbers, and show you a map...

But wait, there's more! You can plug in the actual time you want to leave your location or the actual time you want to arrive at your destination... and the program will give you options.

There are other interesting variables, some available now and others to be added.

I have to admit that I'm not a big user of public transportation in Baltimore. With this new information, that may just change. This is good for all. Please check this out and let the MTA know if this works for you.

How Our Inner Harbor Changed the World's Port Cities. No, Really! I'm Serious.

If you missed this last night, be certain to set your Tivo or DVR to record Maryland Public Television at 9PM July 22nd. (Channels 22 and 67)

Global Harbors: A Waterfront Renaissance is an outstanding piece of documentary work.

Baltimore Sun's architecture critic, Edward Gunts writes, "In many ways, Global Harbors is the Un-Wire. It doesn't deny the existence of crime and poverty and dysfunction in the city, but it starts with the premise that the glass is half-full. It shows Baltimore as a place where good things can happen when people put their minds to it. It dares to suggest that 50 years of rebuilding may be paying off."

I think Global Harbors' premise is that the glass is way, way more than half-full and that 50 years of rebuilding started paying off 50 years ago. It certainly did for the urban pioneers who, decades ago, bought their homes in Otterbein for a dollar.

In the Examiner, Michael Olesker notes, "What most of us didn’t know — but learn from the documentary — is the profound effect Harborplace has had on urban harbors around the world, with municipal leaders having taken their cues from the Baltimore model." I like Olesker's take, as I usually do, best.

Like all good documentaries should, this one has a website. And, if that Tivo crashes or Comcast goes down you can buy the DVD online. Trust me, it's a keeper. Spend the twenty-bucks.

Let's All Buy a Brick; Support a Home for Our Little, and Not-So-Little Ones.

A big, 24 year-old mother has given birth to a really big, healthy baby in Baltimore. The mother's name is Felix. The father is, for the time-being, unknown. Yep, it seems that Mother Felix was "sleeping around" prior to coming to Baltimore -- her new-born is, for now, unnamed also.

So what to do to support this unwed mother... I have the answer. Buy a brick. Yes, a brick.

...I first worked on a Zoomerang project for the Baltimore Zoo with some folks from Doner Advertising in 1998 (when Doner was on N Charles Street) and I've admired the Baltimore Zoo ever since. International attention to our zoo has been building with the announcement that Mother Felix was with child... er, calf.

Support for our Baltimore zoo is more important now than ever. And, I know that sometimes it's difficult to write a check to a general fund and not see anything you can hold in your hand.

You can't hold these bricks in your hand; you can walk on them, though. And, they will be engraved with your names and message. How's this for a thought: Buy a separate brick for each of your children. Once the bricks are installed take the kids for a grand field trip to find their names.

Let's make good things happen for the Baltimore Zoo. It will happen just one brick at a time.

By the way, do you know that the Baltimore Zoo operates a Penguin Cam?

Check it out during daylight hours. It couldn't be more fun.

The Walters Art Museum Director, Gary Vikan, Tells Stories

And, what entertaining and extraordinary stories they are. Vikan joined forces with Baltimore's NPR station, WYPR, a few months back and is hosting a weekly feature, Postcards from The Walters. It's broadcast Monday mornings at 9:35. However, you don't have to be tuned-in to listen.

The Walters website has a link to WYPR where the previous months audio postcards are archived.

I first learned of Vikan's natural story-telling ability when he made a presentation on branding Baltimore at one of the Baltimore Architecture Foundation's lunchtime forums.

I wrote him a note to thank him for his funny, clever, and informative talk. (It takes some on-stage savvy and bravado to get a room full of architecture enthusiasts laughing out loud. He has that savvy and more.) A few weeks later he invited me to lunch. That's when I truly learned what a story-teller he is. Just click here - Postcards from The Walters - and you'll be hooked. You'll also find out why the first Walters in Baltimore wasn't a museum at all. It was a bath house! Yep, a bath house.

Belly of the Beast? Nope. Today, I Was in the Brain of the Beast!

If you enjoy Baltimore 21201... If you've lived in Baltimore for any period of time... If you love our city and its landmarks... and, if you've ever dreamed about being in a seemingly impossible place to visit... then you must have thought about being in the clock room of the Bromo Seltzer Tower. I was there today. It was a dream fulfilled. I was INSIDE the clocks.

I'm a fairly new member of the Baltimore Architecture Foundation and while I attend their Forum Series, I didn't know how wonderful these tours could be. Adam Blumenthal, BAF's executive director, served as tour guide and was a wealth of information. (He also drives an old, cranky, brass-cage elevator like a veteran.)

Adam found me -- and my blog -- by way of looking for information on Baltimore's BG&E building conversion to luxury apartments. It seems that if you Google "BG&E Building" this blog hits the top of the charts. Odd, but true.


Adam began the tour on the ground floor by way of explaining the footprint of the building. As we arrived on the third floor, we saw drawings of the entire building -- inside and out -- including the Bromo Seltzer bottle that was on top decades ago. We learned about the wind sheer that probably caused the steel and glass advertising fixture to be removed.

Here's the deal: If you want an opportunity like the one I had today, join the Baltimore Architecture Foundation and every group like it.

And on some of these tours be prepared to climb some radical stairs. It's all worth it.

Baltimore's Charles Street Needs This Trolley - Jump On Board!

I've held my breath and crossed my fingers over the past couple of years hoping that Phase I of the Trolley Study would go well. According to a June 10th press release from the Charles Street Development Corporation, it did. It went very well.

Visit their handsome, new website and you can view the proposed route map, other animations and more.

There are two public meetings this month where you can learn more about this vital project:

Thursday, the 21st, at the Baltimore Convention Center, 6PM.

And Monday, the 25th at the Baltimore Museum of Art, 6PM.

Get on board with the project and tell everyone that you support a fixed rail system to connect the Inner Harbor with Johns Hopkins and all points in between.

Charles Center Plaza - Official Opening: June 15th

This Friday, June 15th, 12 Noon. 14-months and 7.4 million dollars in the making. The opening of the new Plaza at Charles Center, Baltimore.

Dignitaries. Speeches. Music, eats and other treats.

Over the weekend we wondered if the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore and the construction company could pull off the opening on schedule. It looked like there was still a long way to go. Here's how the project looked mid-morning today.

By noon all of the sod had been laid and work was progressing on the historic marker. Still, there's quite a lot of work to complete. The clock's ticking. 3.5-days and counting.

History Online: A Baltimore Photo Database

The Baltimore Museum of Industry has an outstanding, search-able database of photographs and documents that chronicles much of the twentieth century in Charm City. It's a vast collection from Baltimore Gas & Electric.

Visit BMI's Things to See page and check out their Online Collection.

BMI's website reports, "Both prints and negatives depict various scenes from Baltimore and the surrounding region. Taken as part of the company’s (BG&E's) daily operations, these photos capture many lost scenes of Baltimore life, including the city’s architecture, citizens, and businesses.  Because the BG&E photographers captured pictures of life in Baltimore across the span of the 20th century, the BG&E Collection highlights the changing commercial, cultural, and physical landscapes of Baltimore".

While I was meandering through the collection, looking at photos of the grand department stores, restaurants and lunch counters, and theatres on Lexington Street, I couldn't help thinking of the Baltimore Sun's Jacques Kelly. Looking at many of the photos, I felt as if I'd been there. And then I realized... I HAD been there by way of reading Kelly's recounts and recollections of times past in the Sun.