Walking at night Penn Station to Mt Vernon/Bolton Hill; why does safety vary block to block? (Baltimore: crime, motel) - Maryland (MD) - City-Data Forum

Orange11 · 03-18-2009, 02:45 AM

Hi, I have been using this board and the Baltimore crime map to help choose a neighborhood to live in. We will have one family member attending JHU, and another commuting to DC. To be near Penn Station, I am thinking Mount Vernon or Bolton Hill, as close to the station as I can get. Are there any streets to rely upon or avoid when walking home from the train station at night and in the early morning? Any general thoughts on the safety of this plan? I'm accustomed to living in NW DC, staying aware of my surroundings, etc. and have never had any problems with crime. (That said, maybe I've just been lucky so far.)

Secondly, could someone explain to me why safety varies so much block to block? If a criminal really wants to mug someone, what is stopping him or her from just walking an extra block over? Is it a drug dealer thing with corners and territory? I'm genuinely curious how this sort of thing unfolds. People say Guilford Ave is dangerous -- but it's just one block from the Marc train...

Thanks for any input you might have.

sketchy · 03-18-2009, 04:04 AM

Calvert St., St. Paul St., and Mt. Royal Ave are highly trafficked, and I would feel safe walking there pretty much anytime, as long as I was south of North Ave. I'd also feel fairly safe most hours on the side streets in Bolton Hill east of Eutaw St., but would use vigilance after dark.

Guilford Ave has less traffic, more run down properties, and is on the edge of what used to be, and probably still is, gang turf. I also grew up in DC, and think an unsafe area is like what was said about pornography; hard to define, but I know it when I see it.

jonjj · 03-18-2009, 04:11 AM

I would add Charles Street as having lots of pedestrian/car traffic. But, in any city I would use caution late at night.

mrboltonman · 03-18-2009, 05:45 AM

I walk my dog in Bolton Hill in the early morning and at night. I run into a lot of people doing the same thing. It makes you feel safe but anything can happen.

Mount Vernon is always active when I go there.

I agree with jonjj and sketchy about using caution in any city when walking at night. When it's dark out then it's less likely that a criminal will get caught for a number of reasons.

Quote:

Secondly, could someone explain to me why safety varies so much block to block? If a criminal really wants to mug someone, what is stopping him or her from just walking an extra block over? Is it a drug dealer thing with corners and territory?

Where I live it seems to be the separation of neighborhoods (Bolton Hill and Marble Hill) that makes streets (Eutaw and Madison) completely different. I'm sure in certain parts of the city it is a drug dealer thing.

Orange11 · 03-18-2009, 05:57 AM

Thank you for the replies so far. I will keep these streets in mind when I am doing my apt. search. And by 'at night' I was mostly thinking 9, 10pm at the latest. I still don't really understand why a demarcation in neighborhoods would make such a big difference in crime, but I'll just try to stick with the preferred spots!

sketchy, mrboltonman, and others familiar with Bolton Hill -- so anything below North Ave is ok? I've seen listings for the 1700 block of Park Ave, which is close to the border. I looked at the Google map street view and it looked really lovely.

mrboltonman · 03-18-2009, 11:19 AM

Bolton Hill is below North Ave. More info about location: Live in Baltimore - Bolton Hill

I live on the 1700 block of Bolton St. which is a block over from Park Ave. I really like the area and my neighbors.

List of different neighborhoods:
Live in Baltimore - Neighborhood Profiles

The entire Baltimore City map of neighborhoods:
http://www.livebaltimore.com/Uploade..._June_2005.pdf

Mid-Town Belvedere is right above Mount Vernon and is a really nice area.

Woodlands · 03-18-2009, 12:32 PM

North Ave between Howard and Calvert is an interesting spot... all of the good and the bad of Baltimore seem to come together in this area for various reasons.. You see artists, college students, commuters (like myself), white collar workers, blue collar workers, prostitues,drug dealers, and homeless... All intereacting in relative harmony...Now at what time does this fragile alliance breakdown is anyones guess but as has been mentioned... use common sense and confidence and you should be ok...

Incidentally.. that motel near Howard and North..I am surprised that it is still open though I am sure its on the Baltimore Development Corp radar for "redevelopment".. Everytime I hike pass there heading over the North Ave Bridge I feel like I am in New Orleans and the people hanging around on the balcony will shower me with beads as they woop it up with their lady friends ...just throw on some jazz and viola....

jonjj · 03-18-2009, 01:50 PM

1700 block of Park is fine.

rudy_d · 03-18-2009, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orange11

I still don't really understand why a demarcation in neighborhoods would make such a big difference in crime, but I'll just try to stick with the preferred spots!

The same phenomenon occurs in DC, although probably less frequently as the city has become more gentrified. I haven't been there for an extended time for a while, but I remember walking into some streets within a couple of blocks of the tourist attractions that seemed quite sketchy.

Around Penn Station a lot of the crime issues do have to do with how heavily traveled the streets are. The neighborhoods to the south and west are nice, the north is transitional until you get closer to JHU, and the area to the east rapidly deteriorates.

rudy_d · 03-18-2009, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woodlands

North Ave between Howard and Calvert is an interesting spot... all of the good and the bad of Baltimore seem to come together in this area for various reasons.. You see artists, college students, commuters (like myself), white collar workers, blue collar workers, prostitues,drug dealers, and homeless... All intereacting in relative harmony...Now at what time does this fragile alliance breakdown is anyones guess but as has been mentioned... use common sense and confidence and you should be ok...

It is an interesting area. The food column in the Sun reported today that the owner of Joe Squared is opening up a Mexican BBQ place across the street from its current location. I've also observed that the dilapidated building on the NW corner of North and Charles appears to be in the process of being slowly demolished. Good news for the area if something eventually goes up in its place.