Washington Village-Pigtown 21230 (Baltimore: home, neighborhoods, university)

[davecj]

I can chime in with my 2 cents. I'm 25, bought my first house last summer at Washington Blvd and Wyeth. For what I paid on a 3br 2ba 2 lot EOG townhouse, I could have bought a nice tent to put on a 10' by 10' lot in Federal Hill/Canton/Fells.

Where I have only once not been able to park either directly in front or behind my house in Pigtown, finding parking within 45 minutes of looking in Canton was considered a really good night.

However it has taken me awhile to get 'comfortable' here. I'm certainly not from the city and a lot of the residents either annoy the hell out of me or just made me nervous for my own well being.

For instance I built a deck on the second lot. While doing so, drug deals would happen several times an hour right in front of me. So much so that they needed to climb through my yard to get to the supplier (who has since been evicted). It finally took a verbal confrontation and a near physical one (had my work knife out- stupid decision I admit) to get it to end. Since though I've not had a single issue.

I really like my block though. The ones that own and have been here forever are great and look after my house if I have to travel for work.

Will this area ever become Fed Hill/Canton/Fells? The proximity to the IH, Raven's/O's and the others certainly would lend itself to it. Would it happen anytime soon? No way. The only real draw to living in the aforementioned are the bars and the waterfront, both of which don't currently exist in Pigtown.

And frankly I like that.

[carolott]

Originally Posted by dojinick

Quick question to the locals. Is the real estate market in Pigtown slowing to a crawl? I was looking at some potential homes to move into and there is a large number of rehabbed houses (many of which seem to be abandoned at about 70-90% finished).

Also, asking prices seem a bit unrealistic given the overall... demeanor of the current state of the neighborhood combined with the mounting national collapse of the housing market.

Just wondering if there is still development in the neighborhood or if things have all but shut down.

Thanks,
--Nick

I think real estate prices have slowed in almost all parts of the city -- I saw some listings for houses in Federal Hill that were pretty low. I don't know why homes are still priced sky-high here. Inexperienced investors, I guess. And yes, there's still development going on -- just not to the scale you would have seen a few years ago.

[TW776]

I love Washington Village, and yes Washington Village. I have no problem with criminals or any non-sense like that. But some of the kids seem to bother me. I settled on this house in Dec of 2008, and since my father is a Senior General Contractor I've watched everything get done to my place. I love the views, as I come out on my front to a clear look at M&T Bank Stadium, and the city skyline in my backyard. Considering, I am straddling the South edge of Washington Village. But as far as the kids, I have a few hott (In a fast way) little girls that never seem to do homework because there always outside. They run up and down the street, hollering, screaming,and driving me crazy lol. And sometimes there friends like to come over and play, which becomes very annoying. I think it drives me wild because they are the only noise on the block, without them this block would be perfect. And I am not the only concerned neighbor who feels as such. But what the hell - there kids, and I would take noisy kids over drug-dealing, knuckle head guys. But again, I think the neighborhood is great. I love the diversity, the history of pigtown, it's close proximity to downtown, and ofcourse the rising value of this area. It's transformation to the physical, social, and economic status of federal hill and the new 2011 Westport is fully underway.

[Be More]

What do you mean by Washington Village? The neighborhood is Pigtown.

[Tom Lennox 70]

I personally would not live there. Camden Crossing itself is not ghetto, it feels and looks like a piece of suburbia inside the city but the neighborhoods bordering it on the west, north, and south are very bad. There are crumbling houses everywhere, including houses that look like they should be in Mexico and not America. They are trying to revitalize the area but it is VERY run down with trash everywhere, lots of graffiti and broken glass and a lot of crimes. The police installed blue light cameras in the area but those are no longer being monitored.

I never understood why Camden Crossing was not built as a gated community, which is necessary to ensure safety in the inner-city, and often if you are not black you are targeted for crime, because you are perceived to have more money, whether that is true or not. Most of the west side of MLK Boulevard is very bad and I would not live there.

However Baltimore is a wonderful city that oftentimes feels more like a lot of small towns next to each other with none of the snobbiness and elitism of other East Coast cities like Washington DC, at least before teh droves of New Yorkers take us over. I would suggest Ridgely's Delight on the other side of MLK, it is closer to downtown and a lot of grad students and college students live there so you will be comfortable. It is also walkable to downtown shopping and nightlife as well as the statdiums. It is also the neighborhood that has Babe Ruth's birthplace.

You can live in Fed HIll or Fells Point or Canton but that is expensive. There are also a lot of students living in apartments downtown which personally is the most secure as most apartments if they are not in a gated complex at least have security on site at all times. I hope you enjoy Baltimore, I moved here from Montgomery County with a very pessimistic mindset but now will never go back to Montgomery County. Natives are very friendly and laid back both in the city and suburbs. Just like with Maryland, most of what is not to like about Baltimore is the result of outsiders and newcomers, such as the New York yuppies moving here and the expansion of ghettos. The real Baltimore and its native people are quite wonderful.

[Tom Lennox 70]

Also the Baltimore Sun sometimes has links to the "crime map" showing where exactly crimes occur in the city. Don't let it alarm you too much though, you just have to know what areas to stay in and you will be fine, most of the shootings are drug related and take place in their own neighborhoods that does not affect everyday like for regular people.

[Woodlands]

Has Camden Crossing stalled??? I still see quite a few home sites in there and not much construction.. so I was not sure... anyway here is some good news...


City selects developer for Pigtown project -- baltimoresun.com

[Be More]

I live in Camden Crossing. I agree it has a bit too much of a touch of suburbia right now. One of the main reasons we bought there was to have a place to park. If Baltimore had a good transit system that would not be much of an issue..as I would love to ditch my car. The price of the house was just as much as a smaller one in northern Canton..without a parking pad.

Most of us don't want a gated community. If I wanted that I should of just lived in the suburbs. I expect certain types of property crimes living anywhere in the city, although we have not had anything happen so far. Just gotta be smart. Pigtown is on the up and up..and Washington BLVD is where it will be starting. It has a ways to go, but it is exciting. Hollins Market/Union Sq. is also a great place to live just north of us with some very good restaurants that have gone in.

Also..despite being white...I have not been "targeted". Man..if you feel that way walking around Baltimore would be a nightmare.

Building has stalled for the time being..although they hope to pick up mid to late summer. We shall see.

[Woodlands]

Have petty crimes been an issue inside of the development?? I had looked into the area before and preferred a unit on the inside of the development as opposed to one that faced an exterior street. Now however, most of the existing housing around CC has been rehabbed or is in pretty good shape so I guess living on an exterior street with your door and window on street level may not be an issue??It seems like in some areas the preferred method of unlawful entry is a Matt Stover (remember that guy) kick to the deadbolt...which has prompted many residents in many areas to put on those iron gate storm doors.. I was told what areas have/had a rash of break ins by the number of iron gate doors and barred windows that you see...though I see many new residents to the city are having them removed........

[Be More]

Most of the crimes have been to cars. Just recently Roundhouse development..our quick neighbor to north had a bunch because people were leaving GPS systems in their cars.

OUr house faces the outside of the community to the east...which I am grateful.

I have heard of the front doors being kicked in, too. Not good.