Why can't Baltimore make an urban turnaround? (Towson, White Marsh: homes, neighborhood)

[dogpark]

I think the biggest impediment to growth in Baltimore is inept/over regulation by city government and high property taxes.

City government needs audits - find it, fix it, move forward. Hiding behind disorganization is a form of corruption itself, even if not malicious in intent. Also, the city needs to streamline helping people do the things they want to do here (ever try to do something in the city?)

As for property taxes - both Boston and San Francisco were in decline in the late '70s, cut their property taxes and made their respective towns open for reinvestment - and it happened; years later those are nice cities, expensive now due to growth and valuation, but it happened because people and businesses reinvested.

[Tallybalt]

I know Philadelphia well enough.

I'm a Pennsylvania boy and despite residence in Baltimore since the 1970s I still consider myself a Pennsylvanian.

Philadelphia, as a much bigger city than Baltimore, has always been in a better position than Baltimore. I'm not disputing the gentrification of parts of Philadelphia and the expansion of Center City into the surrounding areas or Penn's success in pushing redevelopment and gentrification in West Philadelphia. It has been truly wonderful.

But it was hypocritical to boast about Philadelphia's successes while pointing fingers at Baltimore, because Philadelphia still has all the problems Baltimore does with dysfunctional neighborhoods, crime, drugs, gangs, schools, and these areas are even bigger with a bigger deprived population than what you find in Baltimore, if only because Philadelphia is a much bigger city, and at the same time ignoring that Baltimore has made substantial strides of its own. You talk about the New York influence on Philadelphia, Baltimore talks about the Washington money creeping into Baltimore.

Has Baltimore come as far as I or many people would like? No, but I did not appreciate the dismissive attitude of the OP towards Baltimore.

Originally Posted by Hallouise

Are you out of your gourd? Philadelphia has experienced a MAJOR and well-documented turnaround in the past 10 years, possibly the most of all 4 of these. It's enormously popular, and people who have been priced out of Manhattan are moving there in droves, driving housing prices (both rentals and real estate) way up. I have a few friends who bought houses in the 'frontier' on the border between the greater West Philly ghetto and the UPenn area, and now their streets are really sought after and their houses are worth double and triple what they were 5 years ago. Yeah, I could name a few bad neighborhoods in any city, even and especially NY. That doesn't mean anything.

I love Baltimore for the record. When I went to college there a few years ago, the nice sections were fairly limited, and I see on subsequent occasional visits that more of the city is (dare I use the controversial word?) gentrifying. Maybe it just hasn't hit the tipping point yet. It will. It has all the right elements.

[Infinite_heights77]

*Baltimore City government is not too smart in my personal opinion! Do they graduate from middle/high school.

I was looking at CNN's live press conference and they interviewed City Council President Jack Young. I was like, "I hope he doesn't embarrass himself and Baltimore with that god-awful u-fronting Baltimorese dialect!!"

Originally Posted by dogpark

I think the biggest impediment to growth in Baltimore is inept/over regulation by city government and high property taxes.

City government needs audits - find it, fix it, move forward. Hiding behind disorganization is a form of corruption itself, even if not malicious in intent. Also, the city needs to streamline helping people do the things they want to do here (ever try to do something in the city?)

As for property taxes - both Boston and San Francisco were in decline in the late '70s, cut their property taxes and made their respective towns open for reinvestment - and it happened; years later those are nice cities, expensive now due to growth and valuation, but it happened because people and businesses reinvested.

[Infinite_heights77]

"Philadelphia, as a much bigger city than Baltimore, has always been in a better position than Baltimore.."

*Yeah, Philly WILL always be the bigger brother!!!

"You talk about the New York influence on Philadelphia, Baltimore talks about the Washington money creeping into Baltimore..."

*We need more DC money in Baltimore!!!

Originally Posted by Tallybalt

I know Philadelphia well enough.

I'm a Pennsylvania boy and despite residence in Baltimore since the 1970s I still consider myself a Pennsylvanian.

Philadelphia, as a much bigger city than Baltimore, has always been in a better position than Baltimore. I'm not disputing the gentrification of parts of Philadelphia and the expansion of Center City into the surrounding areas or Penn's success in pushing redevelopment and gentrification in West Philadelphia. It has been truly wonderful.

But it was hypocritical to boast about Philadelphia's successes while pointing fingers at Baltimore, because Philadelphia still has all the problems Baltimore does with dysfunctional neighborhoods, crime, drugs, gangs, schools, and these areas are even bigger with a bigger deprived population than what you find in Baltimore, if only because Philadelphia is a much bigger city, and at the same time ignoring that Baltimore has made substantial strides of its own. You talk about the New York influence on Philadelphia, Baltimore talks about the Washington money creeping into Baltimore.

Has Baltimore come as far as I or many people would like? No, but I did not appreciate the dismissive attitude of the OP towards Baltimore.

[Infinite_heights77]

Tallybalt,

You weren't born and reared here, so you're only getting a partial view of what this city is about. I know Philly well myself, having many relatives and friends in the Delco area, my family's blood had travelled through that city.

Baltimore's strides have been waaaaaaayyyyy to slow for my progress. I'm starting to see things in the city, that should have been in existence 25 years ago.

[Sunflowery]

Originally Posted by dogpark

i think the biggest impediment to growth in baltimore is inept/over regulation by city government and high property taxes.

City government needs audits - find it, fix it, move forward. Hiding behind disorganization is a form of corruption itself, even if not malicious in intent. Also, the city needs to streamline helping people do the things they want to do here (ever try to do something in the city?)

as for property taxes - both boston and san francisco were in decline in the late '70s, cut their property taxes and made their respective towns open for reinvestment - and it happened; years later those are nice cities, expensive now due to growth and valuation, but it happened because people and businesses reinvested.

+1

[Northernest Southernest C]

Originally Posted by tallybalt

i know philadelphia well enough.

I'm a pennsylvania boy and despite residence in baltimore since the 1970s i still consider myself a pennsylvanian.

Philadelphia, as a much bigger city than baltimore, has always been in a better position than baltimore. I'm not disputing the gentrification of parts of philadelphia and the expansion of center city into the surrounding areas or penn's success in pushing redevelopment and gentrification in west philadelphia. It has been truly wonderful.

But it was hypocritical to boast about philadelphia's successes while pointing fingers at baltimore, because philadelphia still has all the problems baltimore does with dysfunctional neighborhoods, crime, drugs, gangs, schools, and these areas are even bigger with a bigger deprived population than what you find in baltimore, if only because philadelphia is a much bigger city, and at the same time ignoring that baltimore has made substantial strides of its own. You talk about the new york influence on philadelphia, baltimore talks about the washington money creeping into baltimore.

Has baltimore come as far as i or many people would like? No, but i did not appreciate the dismissive attitude of the op towards baltimore.

+1

[personone]

Originally Posted by choccity

The crime in Baltimore in my opinion, is the main problem keeping the city back.

I completely agree with you. I went to grad school in Baltimore and many of my friends really loved the city, but after 4 years of living there nobody wanted to stay long-term due to crime and safety issues. If the city can build large sections of nice neighborhoods, I think more people and businesses will invest and the city can have major revitalization. Out of the major east coast cities, Baltimore feels the least safe overall.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by the_curious_urbanist

Why can't Baltimore make an urban turnaround?

Why, isn't the answer obvious? Because it's not Philadelphia!

I give it two weeks tops before you're shown the door. Less than that if you keep up your current pace.

[BMoreJuice]

Baltimore at this stage in life can only go up and not down. We have had an increase in population in the last two years for the first time in 30 years. The city has some of the most beautiful homes in the region. Despite the crime, the city is very inhabitable. The restaurant business is booming in the city. Has anybody noticed that the city does not have allot of big box stores? Or even many name branded restaurants? All of that is in the county, and that makes Baltimore unique! But, we want more mom and pop businesses, restaurants, entertainment..

15 years from now, yall can visit me in my Eutaw Palace and look back on how "bad" our city was because it is surely going to get better.