Druid Lake rebuild offers chance to reconnect gateway street to premier park (Baltimore: 2013)

[BMoreJuice]

Druid Hill Park urgently needs a gateway – at precisely the location of the city’s $130 million Druid Lake fill-in plan.

The city’s biggest park has suffered acutely from this need for decades and the city’s lake plan, announced two weeks ago, only re-emphasizes its importance.

The plan focuses on the portion of the park directly north of Eutaw Place, which numerous homeowners have been painstakingly attempting to restore to its former splendor.

It is unfathomable that Baltimore’s grand Victorian avenue has no direct linkage to Baltimore’s grand Victorian park. Druid Hill Park needs the strongest possible connection, mentally as much as physically, as the culmination of elegant Eutaw Place emanating from downtown.

Druid Lake rebuild offers chance to reconnect gateway street to premier park | Baltimore Brew

- Very interesting article about Druid Hill Park. Read the article and recent comments. Do you think improving access to Druid Hill Park will A) increase the usage of the park B) Give the neighborhood Reservoir Hill better access to the park and development on the neighborhood for growth?

[ajacksb]

If Baltimore politicians can't profit from this plan (politically, or even personally), it won't happen. Very few visionary planning projects get built in Baltimore, and the ones that did get built in a bygone era (Inner Harbor, Camden Yards) failed to catalyze much private investment within the neighborhood.

[BMoreJuice]

Originally Posted by ajacksb

If Baltimore politicians can't profit from this plan (politically, or even personally), it won't happen. Very few visionary planning projects get built in Baltimore, and the ones that did get built in a bygone era (Inner Harbor, Camden Yards) failed to catalyze much private investment within the neighborhood.

We are also talking about Res Hill, the potential of having half a million dollar homes.

[lanhvtnymd]

I seriously want a home in Res Hill. The homes in the area are beautiful, relatively large, and I really think in the next few years, those homes are going to jump in value. Unfortunately I don't have the capital to buy right now or anytime soon. I think improving access to the park would help the entire area, but it has to be done properly. That community has tremendous potential, it could one day look like Butcher's Hill and Upper Fells but with more space.

[Woodlands]

Res Hill, Bolton Hill and Madison park(?) are forming the Mt. Royal Community Development Corp with the goal of doing what the Patterson Park Community Dev. Corp. did for the areas around that park in some of the areas south of Druid Hill.. that along with a partnership with Parks for People, the Maryland Zoo, and other development agencies to promote and to program events and activities at Druid Hill will go along way at revitalizing the area and the Park itself.. I think if they implement the plan to reuse the Reservior in the manner outlined in the Brew.. will be an excellent start....

[BMoreJuice]

Originally Posted by Woodlands

Res Hill, Bolton Hill and Madison park(?) are forming the Mt. Royal Community Development Corp with the goal of doing what the Patterson Park Community Dev. Corp. did for the areas around that park in some of the areas south of Druid Hill.. that along with a partnership with Parks for People, the Maryland Zoo, and other development agencies to promote and to program events and activities at Druid Hill will go along way at revitalizing the area and the Park itself.. I think if they implement the plan to reuse the Reservior in the manner outlined in the Brew.. will be an excellent start....

What about a walking bridge from Eutaw Place to Druid Hill? The city would never approve it?

[Woodlands]

Originally Posted by BMoreJuice

What about a walking bridge from Eutaw Place to Druid Hill? The city would never approve it?

probably not.. The City has been tearing down walking bridges so I doubt they would go in that direction since its against their nouveau city planning principles. They may reduce the travel lanes along Druid Park Lake Drive.. They would want to make the connection between the Park and Res Hill more seamless instead of having on point of entry. Slowing down and reducing the traffic along Lake Drive would encourage more connectivity and likely increase the desire to build housing along the Drive because it becomes more pedestrian focused . Everytime I ride along there it reminds me of Minneapolis and some of there lake front neighborhoods..The other issue is regardless of what Parks may want to the the Dept of Transportation will resist it because Druid Park Lake Drive is a main drag onto 83 especially when it backs up and people bail off of it to hit Reisterstown Road and/or Liberty Heights.. so any reduction in travel lanes may raise their eyebrows.. though they may favor a bridge.....