Highlandtown? (Baltimore: fit in, to rent, homes)

[lumibird]

Hello! My family is moving to Baltimore this summer. We'd prefer to buy a home, but are open to renting. I've been researching neighborhoods for months, and I've narrowed in on Charles Village and the surrounding neighborhoods, Patterson Park and the surrounding neighborhoods, and maybe Lauraville. We'll have about $100,000 in household income, but I think we're priced out of most of the cool but more expensive neighborhoods (Mt. Vernon, Fells Points, Bolton Hill, Canton, etc.)

But I'm also very interested in Highlandtown. I keep seeing it mentioned as a place that is relatively safe, with business development, and affordable housing. Can you tell me more about the neighborhood? It is walkable? Is there a Target, good grocery store, farmer's market, or coffee shops? We've also identified a school in the neighborhood we're thinking of sending our son to, so it may be a good fit in that regard. My spouse will be working in DC (part-time), so I like that Highlandtown is not as far north as some other neighborhoods. Am I right that this neighborhood might be centrally enough located to be good for commuting south? Thanks!

[Calvert Hall '62]

Have to laugh when see that Canton is expensive. Dad's parents got off the boat in 1915 and settled there-- Hudson St. -- with other Polish (legal) immigrants. Place was still dirt poor when they "moved up" to Belair-Edison in the early 50s and for many yrs. after. Now it's pricey. Heh.

Mom's side was from Highlandtown -- 336 S.East Ave -- a block north of the Patterson theater. Area was slightly better-off but still poor. Google street view show the homes in that block clean, well-preserved, and none boarded up. Search the Md. property values site (SDAT) to see the home valuations. Mom's old place at 336 is in the 100s, but right next door at 334 is in the 300s. Must've done a lot of improvements inside. I understand that there are quite a few Hispanic folks in "Hollandtown" today. Haven't been there since maternal grandmother's funeral in 1988, though.

[HandsUpThumbsDown]

Originally Posted by lumibird

Hello! My family is moving to Baltimore this summer. We'd prefer to buy a home, but are open to renting. I've been researching neighborhoods for months, and I've narrowed in on Charles Village and the surrounding neighborhoods, Patterson Park and the surrounding neighborhoods, and maybe Lauraville. We'll have about $100,000 in household income, but I think we're priced out of most of the cool but more expensive neighborhoods (Mt. Vernon, Fells Points, Bolton Hill, Canton, etc.) !

My advice would be to rent first ... it's hard to guage which neighborhood is right for you from afar.

Originally Posted by lumibird

But I'm also very interested in Highlandtown. I keep seeing it mentioned as a place that is relatively safe, with business development, and affordable housing. Can you tell me more about the neighborhood? It is walkable? Is there a Target, good grocery store, farmer's market, or coffee shops? We've also identified a school in the neighborhood we're thinking of sending our son to, so it may be a good fit in that regard. My spouse will be working in DC (part-time), so I like that Highlandtown is not as far north as some other neighborhoods. Am I right that this neighborhood might be centrally enough located to be good for commuting south? Thanks!

Highlandtown is indeed interesting. It is walkable. It is improving. There is no target (there is one large target at the Mondawmin Mall, only one in the city, and there are more in the nearby suburbs), there is a farmers market, you're near to a few good grocery stores (http://www.santonismarket.com/ has been around forever)

Is your wife driving to DC? It would be probably best to take the Harbor Tunnel from Highlandtown, if so. If she's looking for a train commute, I would try to live closer to Penn Station, like in Charles Village.

[KLynch10]

Canton will actually have a target by the fall and Highlandtown does have a Farmers Market. It would definitely be much easier for getting to DC than Charles Village or Lauraville. It's right on 95, but you'll have to use the tunnel which will cost about .80 a day. The area is pretty safe and definitely on an up swing. You may also want to look in Patterson Park, Greektown, and Brewers Hill.

[HandsUpThumbsDown]

Originally Posted by KLynch10

Canton will actually have a target by the fall and Highlandtown does have a Farmers Market. It would definitely be much easier for getting to DC than Charles Village or Lauraville. It's right on 95, but you'll have to use the tunnel which will cost about .80 a day. The area is pretty safe and definitely on an up swing. You may also want to look in Patterson Park, Greektown, and Brewers Hill.

Only if driving.

[lumibird]

Originally Posted by KLynch10

Canton will actually have a target by the fall and Highlandtown does have a Farmers Market. It would definitely be much easier for getting to DC than Charles Village or Lauraville. It's right on 95, but you'll have to use the tunnel which will cost about .80 a day. The area is pretty safe and definitely on an up swing. You may also want to look in Patterson Park, Greektown, and Brewers Hill.

Thank you, this is quite helpful!! She'll be driving most of the time, so this could be a good fit for us. I'll look at the surrounding neighborhoods too. We're coming down there this week to take a look around.

[L in sobo]

As someone that lived over there recently, I am a big fan of the area.
Reasons:

Ice skating rink at Patterson Park
Duckpin bowling
great tennis courts Patterson park
fesitvals in park
Gaffneys crabs
DisPasquales
Target, Harris Teeter and a ton of new stores on the way on Boston street
Great choice of gyms- Canton fitness and Merritt

We drove over there a few weeks ago and the area is improving by leaps and bounds. Definitely a great vibe next to the park ... it seems alot of renovations have occured in the area. The same thing happened in our South Baltimore neighborhood- lots of growth.

Love Highlandtown- qurky and charming yet near all of the new growth on Boston street. I expect property values to continue to go up.

[dogpark]

Originally Posted by L in sobo

As someone that lived over there recently, I am a big fan of the area.
Reasons:

Ice skating rink at Patterson Park
Duckpin bowling
great tennis courts Patterson park
fesitvals in park
Gaffneys crabs
DisPasquales
Target, Harris Teeter and a ton of new stores on the way on Boston street
Great choice of gyms- Canton fitness and Merritt

We drove over there a few weeks ago and the area is improving by leaps and bounds. Definitely a great vibe next to the park ... it seems alot of renovations have occured in the area. The same thing happened in our South Baltimore neighborhood- lots of growth.

Love Highlandtown- qurky and charming yet near all of the new growth on Boston street. I expect property values to continue to go up.

Don't forget Matthew's Pizza!

[KLynch10]

Matthew's is incredible! Places like that are why they call it Charm City.

[ffknight918]

Where's Matthew's? Never heard of that one yet.