Questions about Baltimore corners.. (Rosemont: condo, safe area, buying)

[tommy22]

hello, i have been doing alot of reading about the corners on the baltimore west side.

i am a photographer and i am fascinated about what is going on there.

im curious, is it really that bad?

i mean if i walk around there would i get stabbed or shot?

i mean would i be safe as long as im not buying any drugs?

also what is the worst zip code in baltimore, the one with the most crime?

i would like to look at aerial photos of the city.

[Emilyy]

If you walk through most (I'm assuming you mean the bad areas) areas of the west side? You will probably not get shot or stabbed, but you will feel very very uncomfortable. You will probably not feel safe. People will stare at you and may harrass you. The area around University of Maryland, at Baltimore and MLK over to Greene Street is not too bad, and there is heavy security.

I think the east side of Baltimore, north of Johns Hopkins Hospital to North Avenue is much worse. That is the scariest place I have ever seen throughout the entire country.

Interestingly enough, most people in Baltimore don't drive through the really bad neighborhoods. I worked in the city and would use these areas as shortcuts to get to work and miss all the traffic, on both east and west sides. I rarely saw other cars in large parts of west Baltimore (I'm not kidding).

Why are you fascinated by this? Just curious.

[MegaJoy]

Originally Posted by BambiTurner

Interestingly enough, most people in Baltimore don't drive through the really bad neighborhoods. I worked in the city and would use these areas as shortcuts to get to work and miss all the traffic, on both east and west sides. I rarely saw other cars in large parts of west Baltimore (I'm not kidding).

Why are you fascinated by this? Just curious.

Bambi, as sad as I hate to say this you are over reacting--
many, many people drive through West Baltimore--Also there are many wonderful neighborhoods in Baltimore.

Baltimore, Maryland gets a bad rap for a few people.
Dickey Hill, Windsor Hill, Mount Washington,Arlington,
Ashburton, Fallstaff this is just a few of the many neighborhoods in NW Baltimore are safe.
I think is sad when people are given the wrong impression about NW Baltimore.
I could name many more---But I have to look @ Dancing with the Stars in a few mins.

[Emilyy]

Let's see...driving south on MLK during rush hour to my job on West Baltimore Street, I would turn right at any point so that I was heading west through west Baltimore. Once I got just a few blocks off MLK, there would just be no other traffic and I would sail through to work. I don't even know what this neighborhood is called, but I do know that I rarely saw other cars. I think this is roughly Lexington, Poppleton, Harlem Park area.
Check out this link, which shows west Baltimore neighborhoods.

http://www.ci.baltimore.md.us/neighborhoods/west.html

There is not one neighborhood on this map that most people would consider "safe." Which of these do you consider to be wonderful neighborhoods Megajoy? Granted, I agree that Baltimore has a bad rap, and that there are fantastic areas here (Hey, I've lived in the city my whole life), but I don't see much to brag about in that part of town.

[MegaJoy]

I have lived in Baltimore, Maryland many years. I am very proud of where I live --Tell me the safe area you live --
I do not care to rain on your parade...The neighborhood is what the people who live there make it...
Not the people driving through. What do you care to be when you grow up? Baltimore, Maryland gets a bad rap for a few people.
Dickey Hill, Windsor Hill, Mount Washington,Arlington,
Ashburton, Fallstaff All are wonderful places to live I do not live there---
I have many friends who live in the neighborhood
I stand by my statement....

[Emilyy]

Ahh I think I figured out where our difference of opinion is coming in. The areas you are referencing are all in Baltimore County, whereas I was looking at the west side of Baltimore City. I assumed when the OP was talking about what's going on in the corners of West Baltimore, he meant in the city, which he probably did. I can't imagine what he'd be interested in on the corners of western Baltimore County, which is the suburbs, and is as nice as anywhere else.

You are correct though. The neighborhoods you mentioned in north/northwest Baltimore County are not bad at all. Many parts of Baltimore county are pretty nice. The areas I'm referring to, in the West Side of Baltimore City are indeed pretty grim. I don't think anyone would contest that.

[MegaJoy]

I drive to Sinai Hospital everyday via Northern Pkwy--I have never seen any of the above you mention. To a Photographer he can see beauty in things we do not see, only when it displayed in Black and White do we see the beauty. I am not a Photographer...
Tommy-I suggest you do a Google search. Zip codes which you might consider bad have many good people living there.
Bambi, if you drive via Druid Park to Gwyn Falls Pkwy via Windsor Road...You see no one standing on the corners. All of the above mention is considered BALTIMORE MORE CITY--Mount Washington is definitely Baltimore City, Dicky Hill is Baltimore City--I am out for now work to do....Drive safely! Gooooo Maryland Terps and Baltimore Ravens

[Emilyy]

If you look at this map, from the Baltimore City Government's website, you will see that we are clearly talking about two different areas. Geographically and in many other ways.

http://www.ci.baltimore.md.us/neighborhoods/index.html

The neighborhoods you mentioned are all considered to be NW, SW, or North Baltimore. West Baltimore, according to the map at the webiste above, includes the following neighborhoods:

Greater Rosemont
8. Bridgeview - Greenlawn
5. Coppin Heights
6. Easterwood
10. Evergreen Lawn
12. Midtown Edmondson
9. Mosher
11. Rosemont Homeowners
Mondawmin - Walbrook Area
2. Mondawmin
1. Panway - Braddish
3. Woodbrook

Old Southwest
Baltimore
15. Franklin Square
14. Lexington
16. Poppleton

West Baltimore
13. Harlem Park
4. Penn North
7. Sandtown - Winchester

If you look at the intent of the OP, he was most likely referring to the culture in West Baltimore in the inner city, which is probably what he's been reading about, because this is the area that gets the most attention. You're absolutely right that the neighborhoods you referenced are nice, normal neighborhoods with nice people, and that there are probably not people standing around on the street corners there. Since this is the case, then why would the OP have been reading about the corners and what's going on there in those neighborhoods? Obviously, he is talking about the inner city and what's happening there, which is the area I was referencing.

[MegaJoy]

I owe you an apology.

[tommy22]

hello and thank you all for responding.

the areas that i was talking about are indeed the inner city of baltimore.

i know it sounds strange that i would be fascinated by that. however i like to take photos. and real raw life like that is the best.

now i DO NOT condone drug use or any other activity that may happen on those corners. i do however find beauty in it.

its an acquired taste i guess.

so anyway my question was basically would i be safe to take photos in those areas? or should i hire someone to travel with me?

also, i would like to look at aerial photos of the area.. so if you know any address or intersection in the heart of the chaos i would appreciate it.

i mention west baltimore because most of the material i have read or heard about come from there. are the south, north, or east sides worst?

what i am looking for are neighborhoods ran by drugs and illegal activity, the worst of the worst.

i know that sounds crazy, but like i said. its an acquired taste of photography.