is Pikesville a good choice? Help.. (Baltimore, Towson: real estate, apartment complexes, to rent)

[ElenaAlexandra]

We are a family of three, with a baby, moving to Baltimore area in June. Looking to rent 2-3 BR place, somewhere with easy commute to JHH.. Is Pikesville a good area for a small family? We are thinking Brittany apts, they seem to be located close to the Old Court Subway... Is it a quiet, safe area? Thanks a lot for any input!

[algebratan]

I lived in Pikesville for a year. I had a great time. You will notice that the closer you get to the city the crappier it gets. Reistertown road, a main thoroughfare, is highly congested during peak hours and very dangerous to traverse on foot at all hours.

There is a large population of Jewish folk in Pikesville. Many ultra orthadox jews too. I found these people a joy to live and work with. Others will no doubt see it differently.

I was also there when the 17 year locust came out. If you have not seen it...you would not believe it.

[Baltborn]

As the post above stated, Pikesville is HIGHLY Jewish based. If you are of the Jewish faith, then definitely Pikesville will work for you.

If you are not, I would suggest the Towson area.

I would get into my reasons for those statements, but at the risk of sounding less than "P.C." about it I won't. I will say that I work in Pikesville, and the drivers in the area are horrendous. (1 totaled car, and numerous dents and dings to a 2nd, due to a certain lack of respect for the fact that there other drivers on the road...)

[barante]

My wife and I are not Jewish. But for the past seven years we have lived off Greenspring Avenue, above Cross Contry. Some call this Pikesville, others say that we are in Cheswolde, north of Mount Washington. Plenty of apartments here, relatively close to the Metro and light rail. Many of our neighbors are black hats, i.e. observant Orthdox. We couldn't be happier.
Our neighborhood is totally quiet. Always. No noise issues, ever. Not even klezmer. In return, we avoid doing anything that would interfere with Sabbath. (While the observant walk on Sabbath, we drive. No prob).
We moved here from a neighborhood where everyone was clingy. Here we have next to no contact with our neighbors, and they seem to maintain little contact with one another. Fits us fine.
On the basis of this experience, I cannot understand how anyone could recommend that if you are not Jewish, you should consider Towson instead of Pikesville. Pikesville contains a variety of neighborhoods, enough for every taste.
Historically, Baltimore has always had three separate housing market: one for whites, another for blacks and yet another one for Jews. This has been partially due to steering by the real estate people, partially due to self-selection. You can foster that bigotry or you can disregard it. We disregarded it -- and never thought we would.
As to the Metro, it's great. Nothing fancy, but it takes you reliably from Point A to Point B. No driving hassles.
Oh, before I forget, we'll be noisy as hell this weekend. That's because the Pimlico Race Course will be the location of the two-day Virgin rock festival. Perhaps 100,000 people will come. Our house will be rocking because sound carries. We'll survive.

[carolott]

One great thing about Pikesville (and Reisterstown Road) is the FOOD. Bakeries, Jewish delis and grocery stores -- food you'd normally never see outside of New York. A friend and I get into the car every so often and load up on food. There's also a nice Trader Joe's in Pikesville -- it's bigger than the one in Towson, and there's easy parking.

[barante]

Carolott -- Thanks for reminding about food. Not only does Pikesville have half a dozen excellent Russian stores -- which are next best to a trip to Russia in terms of authenticity -- but there is other variety, too. You are right about Trader Joe's. But because Pikesville now also has a growing Latin population, there are a couple of Latin stores as well. A couple of years ago, when an Israeli kosher grill went out of existence, it was replaced by a truly excellent Mexican grill at Reisterstown Road and Seven Mile Lane. Mari Luna Grill takes no reservation but has long lines.
A brand-new development called Quarry Lake along Greenspring has a new Whole Foods copycat open. We haven't been there yet. But it has to compete not only with the real Whole Foods in Mount Washington -- which is soon to relocate to the Village of Cross Keys, if rumors are true -- but also with a couple of dir-cheap Russian fruit and produce markets.

[barante]

Since at least one previous post claimed that Pikesville is too Jewish, let me add an interesting factoid here: There is not a single synagogue in Pikesville proper. However, there are several churches, including a huge Catholic one.

[JaBradshaw]

Pikesville is a fine place right now, but it's slowly declining.

[JaBradshaw]

Originally Posted by barante

Since at least one previous post claimed that Pikesville is too Jewish, let me add an interesting factoid here: There is not a single synagogue in Pikesville proper. However, there are several churches, including a huge Catholic one.

Pikesville Proper? Pikesville is just an area, not even its own zip code. Ever hear of Beth Tfiloh? The massive synagogue/school. The synagogue is Pikesville. I'm not sure where the school is. There are also a bunch of synagogues up in Owings Mills, Reisterstown, etc. and over the line in the city. I remember hearing the 2000 Census indicated that something like 30%-40% were Jewish. No synagogues? Look at an ADC street map.

Here's something from the Baltimore Sun:

Pikesville was predominantly Jewish in the 1950s, and it remains so today, although the arrival of Asian and Hispanic immigrant groups has begun to change the face of the neighborhood. Still, while some Jewish families have migrated to more distant suburbs, newly arrived Russian Jewish emigres have taken their place in Pikesville's ethnic mix. Meanwhile, the core of the Jewish presence here remains the Orthodox Jews, whose religious laws require them to live within walking distance of their synagogues.

Thus among the offerings on Reisterstown Road, one will encounter not just Judaic bookstores, but also kosher groceries, kosher bakeries and Russian import shops.

[barante]

JaBradshaw -- You are right about Beth Tfiloh, which is not far from Pikesville High School. When I referred to Pikesville proper, I meant the village. It was not Jewish in the 1950s, but changing. The Sun notwithstanding. In fact, the files of the Baltimore Jewish Council contain a report (by a rep of the Philadelphia Jewish Council!) that described alarming clashes (the adjective was his) at a movie theater and the bowling alley when resentful non-Jews felt Jewish kids were showing off with late model cars, etc.
Today's Pikesville, however it is defined, is fine. Some of the older apartment complexes are drawing Hispanics, a new addition to the mix.