Station North - Charles Street - North Avenue (real estate, buyer)

[btsilver]

Originally Posted by ToneGrail

It really depends on where you're coming from. If you're coming from the Northwest (Charles Village, Bolton Hill or beyond) you should be relatively ok. However, don't be surprised if your bike has been stolen when you're ready to leave at 2am. I would recommend a Krytonite U shaped lock and locking it securely to a parking meter.

However, if you're thinking about biking from Canton or Patterson Park, don't do it. You would have to negotiate your way via the worst parts of East Baltimore and probably wouldn't make it without getting shot, stabbed, mugged, and/or raped.

Raped really? Exaggerating a bit are we?

[jonjj]

Originally Posted by ToneGrail

It really depends on where you're coming from. If you're coming from the Northwest (Charles Village, Bolton Hill or beyond) you should be relatively ok. However, don't be surprised if your bike has been stolen when you're ready to leave at 2am. I would recommend a Krytonite U shaped lock and locking it securely to a parking meter.

However, if you're thinking about biking from Canton or Patterson Park, don't do it. You would have to negotiate your way via the worst parts of East Baltimore and probably wouldn't make it without getting shot, stabbed, mugged, and/or raped.

Good grief. Ignorance is bliss. I walk Baltimore Street almost on a daily basis from Patterson Park to downtown and have never had an issue other than dealing with cars trying to cut by me while walking across an intersection.
If coming from Canton, east side hoods, just ride the bike west to downtown and then up Charles.

[quaintpancake]

Ok, I went ahead and biked to Station North from where I live (Fells Point).

Glad I did it.

Fleet -> President -> Lombard -> Charles

(Took St Paul for the ride back)

That was the first time I crossed the bridge without a car. There's definitely been an effort to revitalize the area, St Paul was nice the whole way back.

All of the negative media deludes us. Sometimes those reports get the better of me, or make me second guess myself, but reality always seems tamer.

[ToneGrail]

Originally Posted by jonjj

Good grief. Ignorance is bliss. I walk Baltimore Street almost on a daily basis from Patterson Park to downtown and have never had an issue other than dealing with cars trying to cut by me while walking across an intersection.
If coming from Canton, east side hoods, just ride the bike west to downtown and then up Charles.

Works for Canton, but if you're all the way up by Patterson Park, you gotta dip down to get all the way to Eastern.

Taking Baltimore St to downtown takes you right through Jonetown and Perkins Homes, some of the worst areas in the city. You would have to detour south to Eastern Ave to avoid these areas.

[jonjj]

Originally Posted by ToneGrail

Works for Canton, but if you're all the way up by Patterson Park, you gotta dip down to get all the way to Eastern.

Taking Baltimore St to downtown takes you right through Jonetown and Perkins Homes, some of the worst areas in the city. You would have to detour south to Eastern Ave to avoid these areas.

Not true at all. The Perkins Homes are actually closer to Eastern than Baltimore. Baltimore Street is perfectly fine to walk. I'm not making this stuff up--I do it daily and have been doing so for quite awhile along with a number of other people whom I see on my walks. It's Jonestown--not Jonetown and Jonestown is perfectly fine to walk. Also, these areas are nowhere near "the worst in the city".
But don't take it from someone who does it daily. Believe what you want.

[Woodlands]

Originally Posted by jonjj

Not true at all. The Perkins Homes are actually closer to Eastern than Baltimore. Baltimore Street is perfectly fine to walk. I'm not making this stuff up--I do it daily and have been doing so for quite awhile along with a number of other people whom I see on my walks. It's Jonestown--not Jonetown and Jonestown is perfectly fine to walk. Also, these areas are nowhere near "the worst in the city".
But don't take it from someone who does it daily. Believe what you want.

Hasnt Jonestown been redeveloped? I believe its that area with some of the newer townhomes just off of President's Street near Little Italy/Reginald Lewis? I think that area is one example of how the City had done mixed income neighborhoods that seem to work.. with a mix of rental, homeownership, and senior housing. The location is ideal.

[jonjj]

The stretch of Jonestown that Baltimore Street runs through is interesting. There are a few places there that serve the homeless but two or three of them have been completely rehabbed and are in excellent shape down to the landscaping. I have never had any kind of negative incident with the homeless that use their facilities. Some of them are rough around the edges but harmless. The area immediately south of Jonestown and north of Little Italy is mixed-income residential with new homes, landscaping, etc. It leans more toward the high end. Jim Palmer, former Oriole, has a home located there. Also worth mentioning, there is a little hole-in-the-wall Chinese take-out located on Baltimore Street in that location named Spring Garden that has the best Chinese food I've found in the area: not much to look at but great food especially their poo-poo platter. Also, can't forget the French Bakery on Baltimore near President, along with a new candy-sweets shop in the same block.

[bookiebby2010]

Okay North Avenue isnt as bad as yall are making it seem. Yeah it has drugs, gangs and things of that nature but as a resident who lives along north ave it isnt that bad. These things dont happen everyday and the most that people will do is mugg you. The raping and the murders do not hapen on a day to day basis so if you want to bike ride along north ave its totally fine. People make it seem like something can actually happen just by riding your bike. So what you ride into a gang affiliated town..its completly safe. they are not gonna harm you unless you say something to them.

[mellowde]

It's ironic how things go in cycles. That area was quite the spot in it's day prior to the mid 60's when all hell broke loose in Bmore. There was even a live theatre in the area (Center Stage). I'm not sure if it still exists as I have been away from that town for many years. It sounds like there's a move to revive the entire area. It was always a vital area of town with the expressway, train station, the old Poly-technic high and many other venues. Years ago I watched this area decay and wondered if it would ever be a hot spot again. I'm glad to hear that society has deemed it worthy again. Bmore has such a rich history with so many wonderful neighborhoods it only makes sense for happy people to come together in this area.

[HandsUpThumbsDown]

Originally Posted by mellowde

There was even a live theatre in the area (Center Stage). .

Still there, now at 700 N Calvert (Mt Vernon)

Originally Posted by mellowde

I'm not sure if it still exists as I have been away from that town for many years. It sounds like there's a move to revive the entire area. It was always a vital area of town with the expressway, train station, the old Poly-technic high and many other venues. .

What was Poly is now the city schools administration building.

Originally Posted by mellowde

Years ago I watched this area decay and wondered if it would ever be a hot spot again. I'm glad to hear that society has deemed it worthy again. Bmore has such a rich history with so many wonderful neighborhoods it only makes sense for happy people to come together in this area.

Still a work in progress, but the trajectory is good.