Prepping the Westport Neighborhood

Although Patrick Turner's Westport Development is in lingo, it will eventually happen. Turner might not be able to call all the shots but as waterfront land becomes more and more of a rarity it WILL happen. That being said, I feel obligated to turn your attention to the Neighborhood of Westport. Westport is currently in a blighted state and has been that way for quite some time. Residents have been waiting for Patrick Turner's Development to commence so that they may benefit from the redevelopment. My question to the Westport Neighborhood is; Why Wait? Lets prep the Westport Neighborhood now.

Westport's Waterfront began as a heavy industrial zone with its most famous uses being the BG&E Plant and the Lowry Glass Factory. The Row Homes located in the Westport Neighborhood were built as housing for the workers in the industrial waterfront. As the 20th Century wore on the Neighborhood began to decline as factories in the area began scaling back their workforce in favor of cheap overseas labor and the advent of computers.

As the 20th century drew to a close the Westport Waterfront was almost completely vacant. Not surprisingly, the Westport Neighborhood was suffering from high unemployment, blight, and population loss. The disinvestment continues to this day despite the promise of waterfront redevelopment. I've always believed that in order for new development to be truly successful, the existing Neighborhood has to already be a draw for people. That's why it's crucial to make the Westport Neighborhood just that; a draw.

First lets look at Annapolis Road, the Community's Main St. Though mostly Residential, there are some commercial uses spread throughout. Other Neighborhoods with defined Main Streets such as this have applied for the City's Main Street Program which allows for beautification grants to improve building facades as well as streetscape enhancements. There are also banners that say; "Main Street Where Baltimore Happens." I think this is a perfect for Annapolis Road in Westport. That will up the excitement level and allow for the road and its buildings to be improved.

Now how should we establish these streetscape enhancements? Well first the roads in Westport are long over due for new pavement. Next, the sidewalks are due for fresh cement as and erosion issues caused by water leaks should be fixed. Traffic Lights, way finding signs, A Community Gateway Signs, street lights, benches, and trees will all be overhauled in favor of new fresh ones. This will show potential home and business owners that the City is committed to the Westport Neighborhood not just the waterfront. 

Next, we should establish a small Commercial District. I see that the largest concentration of Commercial Businesses is located at Annapolis Road and Wenburn St. I think a plan to move Commercial Business here to act as a Retail Hub would be beneficial. Given that Wenburn St. begins as exit ramps from the BW Parkway, it acts as a Gateway to Westport. It should also receive streetscape enhancements across Annapolis Road to make it one of the visual connecting points between the existing Westport Neighborhood and the new Waterfront. This should be true for streets that parallel Wenburn St. as a well but given Wenburn's status of "Retail Hub" it gets top priority.

The backbone to prepping the Westport Neighborhood is growth. Westport has experienced more than its fair share of population loss and it has the boarded up row homes to prove it. Something has to motivate people to invest in Westport other than the promise of a redeveloped waterfront. The low housing prices are a start but the high cost of rehabbing a house that's been vacant for as long it has is a major drawback. But suppose that house you buy is at a cost of $1? The dollar row house program has been a vocal part of gentrifying almost every waterfront Community in the City, so why should Westport be any different? There should stipulations to the $1 row house program such as the owner must qualify for a loan that will cover the costs of a full rehab, the owner must occupy the house, the owner can not buy and rehab the house for flipping purposes.

One big goal of the Westport Neighborhood should be (and probably is) would be to seamlessly integrate itself within the new waterfront development. The fact that I have to distinguish between the two as I write this post shows that this hasn't happened. A big contributor to this is the obstructive Light Rail and CSX Tracks. I think while in Westport (and other parts of the City as well but Westporrt especially) the Light Rail tracks need to be tunneled. Right now if the tracks aren't moved and the Waterfront is built, there will be a right side of the tracks and the wrong side of the tracks. This doesn't scream integration does it? In addition the Light Rail tracks, the CSX tracks should also be tunneled between Waterview Avenue and Manokin St. Unfortunately, the overhead power lines will have to stay above ground.

Even as the promise for a redeveloped waterfront is showing signs of movement, it's time to prep the Westport Neighborhood and integrate it into one thriving Community.

The Green Standard

When rehabbing or redeveloping old Neighborhoods in Baltimore, it's important to take a look to see how energy efficient the homes were, and how energy efficient they can be. With advances in all types of Green Technology coupled with rising energy prices, home builders and buyers alike have become more energy cautious. It's time to establish a standard in which new homes and rehabbed homes can be built to. This will save home owners money on energy and if the State allows it, a reduction or exemption from the controversial Rain Tax. I give you the Green Standard.

Lets start with my favorite Green Feature; The Green Roof. With so many Baltimore Row Homes that have flat roofs, this makes them perfect candidates for Green Roofs. A lot of Row Homes have rooftop gardens which are great additions but do they reduce cooling bills? Green Roofs do. That's not the best part either, they reduce storm water runoff. Storm water runoff, when mixed with pavement and oils that leak on to the road, through the sewer and pollute the bay. This is why the Rain Tax was implemented. If the rain can be stopped at the rooftop and water the garden instead, that will reduce the amount of tainted water polluting the bay.

 For the next Green device we remain on the roof for all the important solar panels. What better way to save on your energy bills and reduce your carbon footprint than harnessing the Sun's free natural energy source? These days it's never been more affordable to have Solar Panels installed. Coupled with a green roof your home's energy bills will plummet.

Next we go underground to harness still more free energy from Mother Earth. This time we will use the natural heat of the underground. This temperature remains the same regardless of what time of year it is and what the above ground temperature is. This can be harnessed through "Geothermal Wells." These are usually fields a few feet away from the house and there are coils that hook up to the HVAC system. In Baltimore there are tons of under utilized alleyways that can be converted into Geothermal Wells with grass covering them instead of concrete. This reduction in concrete will help the City's Urban Heat Island as will Green Roofs. The Urban Heat Island is when the temperature in the City is higher than in greener areas because of the lack of trees and excess of tar and concrete. If no cars park in these converted alleyways, they can be used as Pocket Parks and Gardens.

Next we go inside the house to look at water consumption. Let me blunt, we as a society waste too much water. It isn't always our fault though, it's just the way that water based appliances have been built up until recently. That's why New Home Builders and Rehabbers alike should listen carefully. First there's the obvious; Hot Water Heaters. Just look at the size of those things. To heat water that massive tank must be filled with water. Sounds efficient right? I didn't think so either. That's why new homes and rehabs should be fitted with tankless water heaters. It heats the water being used and that's it. No massive tank and no excess water. 

When showering there's that time where you're applying soap and shampoo and you're not standing where the water is. Yet, the water is still running and you're wasting said water as well as upping your water bill. New homes should be outfitted with a shut off valve in each shower so that when you're applying soap and shampoo the water isn't running thus saving water and money. When it's time to rinse off, simply turn the water back on and feel good about the water and money you have saved.

Last but not least we have the high efficiency Washing Machine. I lived in a house that had one for a few months and watching how little water it used was mesmerizing. The same holds true with Dishwashers newer models are built to save on water and electricity. New homes and rehabs that are outfitted with these energy savers should be given a tax credit for saving a valuable natural recourse.

Now lets imagine all of these energy saving measures done on a grand scale. With all of the new and rehabbed housing coming down the pipeline with all of them having these things the amount of pollution, urban heat island, and will save vast amounts of natural resources and tax payer money. We must truly hold Baltimore up to the Green Standard.

Please note that post will have future links to it because when redeveloping Neighborhoods I will reference the Green Standard a lot in the future and this is what I mean by it.

Crescent Pie & Sausage Co. - Mid-City - New Orleans, LA

A place that makes their own sausage and I am in the area and hungry, lunch at Crescent Pie and Sausage is it.

The restaurant is located in the middle of a residential neighborhood. The decor is pretty simple but along with the look of the staff gave me the hipster vibe. However, it is not that kind of restaurant and all types of people from old to young were dining here.

Our server was a really nice guy, but it seemed to be his first day and he struggled a bit (forgetting to offer specials, etc) but he went out of his way to create a good experience. 

I ordered the special for the day, Red Beans and Rice with andouille and cornbread. The house-made andouille was exceptional! The red beans and rice, on the other hand were lukewarm; it needed more flavor. The cornbread was a little dry for me, but flavorwise was good.

Besides their sausages, the other thing they are known for are their pies. My dining companion ordered the Mid City Slammer Pizza (Andouille, Grilled Chicken, House-Smoked Coppa, Cheddar, Mozzarella and Red Sauce). Again the andouille stood out and was the star. The pizza overall was good. The crust was thin and crispy. I also liked that the toppings were the focus and it wasn't just another slice loaded with lots of cheese.

Yummy sausages and an awesome atmosphere is what I found in Crescent Pie & Sausage Co.


Crescent Pie & Sausage Co.
4400 Banks St New Orleans, LA 70119
(504) 482-2426
www.crescentpieandsausage.com

Charcoal's Gourmet Burger Bar - Irish Channel - New Orleans, LA

The first thing I noticed walking into Charcoal's Gourmet Burger Bar is that the restaurant is separated into two parts: downstairs for counter pickup and upstairs for full service dining. 

The decor of the restaurant is very rustic and embodied what one would expect a burger bar to be (woods, metals and a huge bar). I would also envision it as the perfect place to watch a game but there really wasn't enough TVs and the one that they did have were oddly placed.

Our server was nice or at least she tried to be. Some of the other reviews I read about the restaurant had complaints about the service being extremely slow but I did not encounter that. After ordering, there was maybe a 20 minute wait for the food but it tasted fresh so commonsense in my mind is that does it takes some time to cook to food.

With various burger choices from veggie to elk to bison, my boyfriend (the safe eater) selected the House Burger made of beef. This is obviously not a unique choice but he still exclaimed that is was one of the best burgers he has had in a while.

He paired the burger with Onion Rings. I would never order onion rings but I liked these. The batter was light yet crunchy.

I wasn't very adventurous in my burger choice either but the sprouts, basil aioli, jalapenos, red onion, guacamole, Abita caramelized onions, and white cheddar cheese on the Turkey Burger sold me. Turkey can be dry and bland, but this was spicy, flavorful, juiciness!

I had my burger with Sweet Potato Tater Tots that were top two I have ever had. My boyfriend doesn't like sweet potatoes fries or anything of that nature and liked these a lot.

My boyfriend also got a Chocolate Milkshake and he liked it. It was the thick kind that you need two straws drink but not so thick you need a spoon and definitely not the gross watery kind.

I wanted my sweet finish too and ordered an Ice Cream Sandwich but it was a huge disappointment. The cookies were so hard that it took me sometime struggling with it before I could even get a bite. I was going to give up but finally I broke through. The cookies tasted stale and the ice cream was the icy kind that I do not like. I took about two bites and didn't finish the rest.

Besides the disappointment in the dessert, overall we were happy with the food. Seeing bison and elk burgers on the menu, I would come back and try something a little more adventurous and at the end of the day this is a burger bar and they make good burgers.


Charcoal's Gourmet Burger Bar

2200 Magazine St New Orleans, LA 70130 (504) 644-4311 www.charcoalgourmetburgerbar.com

Byblos Market - Metairie, LA

Byblos Market is the grocery/restaurant hybrid of the chain of Mediterranean restaurants in the the New Orleans area of the same name. I figured this location would be a grocery store with a small counter in the back for take-out, but there was quite a few tables of seating.

As a first timer, I was a little taken aback when I walked up to the counter and was not acknowledged. Luckily, I spotted the menu taped to the counter and was able to look over it. I realized that orders were being placed at the register and as I was walking away, it was at that point, the guy at the food counter finally asked me what I was ordering. Towards the end, they warmed up a little bit but unless you speak their language, you will feel ignore because they barely look up and talk in native tongue amongst themselves.

Ultimately, I took the Chicken Shawarma entree I ordered to go. The dish came with a Salad, Rice Pilaf, Hummus and Pita Bread. The price may have swayed me opinion a little bit, but I was pleased by the quality of the chicken which was flavorful and very tender all white meat. The salad was good but I wish it had olives, the Rice Pilaf was so-so (it was like eating plain white rice) but the quality was good and the hummus was delicious and creamy smooth.

If you don't want to take my word, I will say that the place was pretty full during lunch and with people of Mediterranean decent so that speaks for something.

Byblos Market
2020 Veterans Memorial Blvd Metairie, LA 70001
(504) 837-9777
www.byblosrestaurants.com

North Baltimore: A Food Monsoon

It's hard to believe that in Baltimore, a City plagued with food deserts that a food monsoon exits within the very City Limits of Baltimore. It's true though and that food monsoon is located in none other than North Baltimore. North Baltimore has always had suburban characteristics to it with the exception of Hampden so it's not surprising that Grocers would flock to that area verses say East Baltimore where (if you're lucky) the blocks are filled with tightly packed high density row homes.

Now let me take this opportunity to tell you about what I mean by Food Deserts and Food Monsoons. A Food Dessert is a part of the City that is barren of quality Supermarkets. Examples of this may include Wilkens Avenue, Park Heights, and Cherry Hill. In the middle are what's called a Food Oasis where there are Supermarkets but not an over abundance of them, this includes Fredrick Avenue, Canton, Inner Harbor East, Federal Hill, and South Baltimore. Finally there's North Baltimore which falls under the category of Food Monsoon where there's an over abundance of Super Markets, with more to come.

So this begs the question; what Supermarkets are in North Baltimore that earn it the title of "Food Oasis?" Well there's the Target & Shoppers at Mondawmin (pictured above), the Whole Foods in Mount Washington, the Giant in Hampden, the Safeway in Charles North, Eddies of Charles Village, Eddies of Roland Park, the Belvedere Market, the Giant in Waverly, and the Safeway in Lauraville. That's not including Farmers Markets, Drug Stores, Convenience Stores, or Corner Stores. North Baltimore despite pockets of low density, is quite walk-able which allows for Residents to shop at a multitude of Supermarkets without driving to them even if on a map of the City, it appears further away. Despite the walk -ability of North Baltimore, the vast majority of Residents have at least one vehicle at their disposal.    

Now with a multitude of Supermarkets at the disposal of North Baltimore Residents, it would be safe to say Grocers would look elsewhere in the City given how stiff the competition is North Baltimore right? Wrong! There are three proposed new Supermarkets in North Baltimore. This begs the question; Can North Baltimore support all these Supermarkets? And where are they slated to go?

First there's the obvious, the Rotunda. The Giant leaving left a big hole especially for Residents of Roland Park Place who find that the new Giant at Greenspring Tower Shopping Center is too far for them. Whatever store "replaces" the Rotunda Giant won't actually "replace" it by occupying the same 41 year old 33,000 square foot space. As I'm sure you're aware, there have been plans to redevelop the Rotunda for years now and this is where and when the replacement Grocer comes in. Usually when redeveloping a Grocery anchored Shopping Center bigger is better so it seems easy to assume that a larger Grocer would replace it.

Well if you assume that you're wrong because the developers of the Rotunda would like a 10,000 Square Foot Grocer. This had made contenders for the coveted title of the Rotunda's nervous because that's simply too small at least according to Graul's who is neck and neck with MOMs and the Fresh Market to replace Giant post redevelopment. Graul's, if given a lease would like 20,000 square feet. The Fresh Market agrees that that's just too small. MOMs appears more at ease with the idea of 10,000 square feet although having been to the one in Jessup, I feel that it's larger than that. 

Although a "Boutique Grocer" has been what Residents have wanted for the Rotunda, it begs the question even at 10,000 square feet; Aren't there already enough Boutique Grocers in the area? Already there's the Mount Washington Whole Foods, Eddies of Roland Park and Charles Village, and the Belvedere Market. How much of a hit would these Grocers take? To be honest, the Rotunda's VERY small Supermarket which ever it ends up being probably won't be a real threat to any of the existing Grocers for the mere fact that it's just so small and that North Baltimore is the most well to do area in the City, in fact if the Grocer were to double to a whopping 20,000 Square Feet I wouldn't bat an eye.

Meanwhile in Remington, there's a large redevelopment project that has people on both sides of the isle up in arms. The project, known as 25th St. Station is to be located at the former Andersen Auto Group site after their move to the suburbs. They sold their land to the developer but have since asked that the sale be nullified. 25th St. Station was originally supposed to have a Lowes, Wal Mart, Staples, Ana's Linens as well smaller tenants as well as Residences making it a Mixed Use Project. Lowes and Wal Mart would be multi level and built around a parking garage.  

25th St. Station however is hanging on by a thread. Lowes has pulled out of the project, no word on whether this has effected Staples and Ana's Linens, attempts to lure another tenant in place of Lowes have been unsuccessful, Wal Mart is committed to staying on but its attempt to be a purchaser of the land with the developer has sent the Sellers (Andersen Automotive Group) into a tailspin of law suits and attempts to annul the sale of the land. Although I like the concept of 25th St. Station I'm not too keen on having a Wal Mart suck up all the business from Supermarkets throughout North Baltimore. Wal Mart Super Centers go soar way past 100,000 Square Feet and carry everything known to man. Unlike the Rotunda Grocer I think Wal Mart is a huge threat to the area. 

Last but not least there's Charles Village. I have written about the ill fated Olmstead at Charles Village and how its proposed $700,000 condos were hit by the economy and the site across St. Paul St. from Eddie's remains vacant. What I haven't written about (because I just found about it) is that the site is finally going to be developed. It will either be Apartments, Condos, or Student Housing. I seriously doubt that if it's Condos that they will cost $700,000. Olmstead, surrounded by all the Retail along St. Paul and being less than a block away needed no anchor. That being   said neither should new development. So why then, is this project slated to be anchored by none other than a Grocery Store? 

Luckily this new project is in its infancy and the Retail aspect of it is subject to change. Eddie's, which does a widely successful business is worried that another Supermarket will put them out of business. Given Eddie's super star status in North Baltimore I highly doubt that another Supermarket will put them out of business. That being said, I don't think it's wise to add another one in Charles Village. I think the new Supermarket doesn't stand a chance against Eddie's. Eddie's may lose some business but nothing too drastic. I also don't know how large the proposed space is for the new Grocer. Shoppers at Eddie's when interviewed for The Baltimore Sun were in favor of a Pharmacy going there stating that's a niche in the area they feel is unfilled. Personally I could see a Pharmacy co-anchoring the St. Paul St. Retail Strip with Eddie's in Charles Village. The two would complement each other quite well.

In North Baltimore, the status of the Supermarket scene is that of a Food Monsoon. If all these new Supermarkets do in fact open the monsoon could flood the competition and turn the area into a Food Desert. It will take some careful and diligent planning to keep all stores open for business and successful.

Ogden Museum of Southern Art - Central Business District - New Orleans, LA

The Ogden Museum of Southern Art is five floors. That many floors makes the museum sound big, but art is actually displayed on only three of the floors. 

The museum has a good variety of art, and although I personally didn't see anything wowing, the various art pieces are very representative Southern art and life and frankly that is what the museum is all about.

Ogden Museum of Southern Art
925 Camp St New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 539-9600
www.ogdenmuseum.org