Baltimore Development News 6

[Eerik]

I’ll throw in my two-cents worth:

Double-decker buses
Tourists. At the rates proposed to fund this venue, not one local Baltimorean will seriously use the buses as a means of mass transit. Too expensive!

Gondolas
Same thing. Aside from their aesthetic appeal, or lack thereof, they will be too expensive for the locals to use as transportation. If the tourists want to use them, fine; but I agree, tacky would be an understatement.

Canton Crossing
The height factor is a result of optical illusion. (Ever notice how the moon looks huge on the horizon?) There is nothing else nearly as tall as the tower in the immediate area, so it dwarfs the entire area. The site is what, not more than five feet above the water table? So it isn’t topography that makes it stand out. It’s the floor to ceiling ratio.

Jones Falls Expressway Demolition
South of Chase Street. Not this year, but next year, look for funding in the five-year development program the city publishes. Feasibility studies are being conducted, and the area targeted has not been renovated nor refurbished. All of that construction is north of Chase Street.

Pride of Baltimore II
I read in the BBC and saw it again in the Sun that the Pride of Baltimore II was in a bit of a mishap. Apparently a squall snapped the two masts of the ship during a race from England to Spain. The ship was severely damaged. Costs of repairs are in the $200-275,000 range.

[StevenW]

The price to ride the double-decker buses is way to expensive. They should cut the price in half, (at least), in order to fill to capacity relatively quicker than just waiting around and begging tourists to pay the exorbitant prices and waiting much much longer to fill.

As for the gondalas, well, strickly for tourism, I'd say go ahead a give it a try, (as long as they pick a decent route and design. I mean, really, you can't seriously believe that the gondalas could or should be used for a "mass transit" of any kind. I mean, it's a novel way for tourists, (or locals, every now and again), to get around the Harbor to take in some views and rest a while from all that walking through-out the Harbor area.

As for the Canton Tower, I agree it is an optical illusion. Nothing else there, (until the condo towers are built near it), is anywhere near as tall or massive as this newly constructed tower. AND the floor-to-ceiling ratio is a MAJOR factor too considering it's an office tower. But having said that, it still is a nice looking optical illusion.

[scando]

The Canton Crossing tower is getting close to topped out. Looking out my window from a couple miles away as I write, it appears that the steel being erected now will be the cap of the building that is seen in the pictures. In perspective, looking out at the landscape in that area, everything else is low and flat, mostly row houses. The other most conspicuous building on that part of the horizon is the Natty Boh building, which from my view, looks taller than CC (at least Mr Boh's wink is higher). Neither are all that tall in the great scheme of tall buildings but both tower over their 2 and 3 storey neighbors.

[NewBaltimore1980]

Originally Posted by Eerik

I’ll throw in my two-cents worth:

Double-decker buses
Tourists. At the rates proposed to fund this venue, not one local Baltimorean will seriously use the buses as a means of mass transit. Too expensive!

Gondolas
Same thing. Aside from their aesthetic appeal, or lack thereof, they will be too expensive for the locals to use as transportation. If the tourists want to use them, fine; but I agree, tacky would be an understatement.

Canton Crossing
The height factor is a result of optical illusion. (Ever notice how the moon looks huge on the horizon?) There is nothing else nearly as tall as the tower in the immediate area, so it dwarfs the entire area. The site is what, not more than five feet above the water table? So it isn’t topography that makes it stand out. It’s the floor to ceiling ratio.

Jones Falls Expressway Demolition
South of Chase Street. Not this year, but next year, look for funding in the five-year development program the city publishes. Feasibility studies are being conducted, and the area targeted has not been renovated nor refurbished. All of that construction is north of Chase Street.

Pride of Baltimore II
I read in the BBC and saw it again in the Sun that the Pride of Baltimore II was in a bit of a mishap. Apparently a squall snapped the two masts of the ship during a race from England to Spain. The ship was severely damaged. Costs of repairs are in the $200-275,000 range.

1. Double Decker Buses are not meant to be for mass transit, they are made for tourists to see parts of Baltimore that are not normally seen. They provide a safe means of transportation to go to some of the Baltimore attractions that normally are not accessible by tourists because of the crime in the area. I am actually amazed that Big Bus thinks Baltimore is a good location for this and hope it connects the zoo and JHU (art museum) to the Harbor. Tourists will pay $20 to get on this bus, I did it in London, New York, Washington, Paris. To be honest, I will probably do it in Baltimore because even as a resident, I have not seen all the tourist attractions in the city.

2. This is a tacky idea that these guys got money from because they must be friends with some congressman. No one is going to use this for mass transit (and that is not the purpose). It will turn the harbor into an amusement park. However, if its going to bring money into the city and additional tourist, then go ahead and build it.

[waj0527]

Yeah...the gondolas pretty much suck. Maybe for another city or even another section of this city, but not right next to City Center and over the Inner Harbor.

I'd be so pissed off if Baltimore approved this crap.

[Gsol]

I am getting ticked off at the city and state's wasting of limited monetary resources on projects of dubious benfit. The dedication, I believe, of $300k for an amusement park ride (gondolas) and, as I read today, 21mil bucks to bail out the racetrack industry are examples of such financial extravagances. Let the horses gallop out of town and put gondolas in ski resorts and canivals.

This city vitally needs to build public transit infrastructure so that residents and tourists alike can ciculate around the city. If Baltimore truly wants to attract more residents and workers in the CBD, then they better invest in a means to get people to their jobs. The streets are near capacity and enough space is dedicated to parking cars.

It's time to stop dancing around this issue. Politicos should get serious about public transportation for ALL uses and forget about carnivals rides and needless subsidies for passe industries, such as horse racing.

[waj0527]

I dont know if you guys know or not, but the DuBurns Center has been opened as an intake center for displaced residents of New Orleans.

[jaysonjaz]

Originally Posted by Gsol

I am getting ticked off at the city and state's wasting of limited monetary resources on projects of dubious benfit. The dedication, I believe, of $300k for an amusement park ride (gondolas) and, as I read today, 21mil bucks to bail out the racetrack industry are examples of such financial extravagances. Let the horses gallop out of town and put gondolas in ski resorts and canivals.

This city vitally needs to build public transit infrastructure so that residents and tourists alike can ciculate around the city. If Baltimore truly wants to attract more residents and workers in the CBD, then they better invest in a means to get people to their jobs. The streets are near capacity and enough space is dedicated to parking cars.

It's time to stop dancing around this issue. Politicos should get serious about public transportation for ALL uses and forget about carnivals rides and needless subsidies for passe industries, such as horse racing.

I agree that we need to work out our public transit issues, but $300K is an absolute bargain. The city is willing to spend $300 million on a city owned hotel, so that amount is just a teeny tiny drop in the bucket. If it solves any transit issues it will be worth it.

It really surprises me how many of you are against this. Am I the only one who is really for it?

[SoBoChris]

Originally Posted by jaysonjaz

I agree that we need to work out our public transit issues, but $300K is an absolute bargain. The city is willing to spend $300 million on a city owned hotel, so that amount is just a teeny tiny drop in the bucket. If it solves any transit issues it will be worth it.

It really surprises me how many of you are against this. Am I the only one who is really for it?

I think you must be! I hate it!! This is for tourist. It isn't in any way going to improve public transit. Those things just aren't equipped to handle the volume. I could see this sorta thing in Las Vegas where there's already an amusement park atmosphere, but not Baltimore. It would be an eyesore, and most certainly not amusing to the people who'd be forced to look at it everyday.

[SoBoChris]

ps. I say take the 300k and put it towards finally starting work on renovating Charles Center Plaza! That project has been on hold for years and years.

[jay130]

Originally Posted by Gsol

I am getting ticked off at the city and state's wasting of limited monetary resources on projects of dubious benfit. The dedication, I believe, of $300k for an amusement park ride (gondolas) and, as I read today, 21mil bucks to bail out the racetrack industry are examples of such financial extravagances. Let the horses gallop out of town and put gondolas in ski resorts and canivals.

This city vitally needs to build public transit infrastructure so that residents and tourists alike can ciculate around the city. If Baltimore truly wants to attract more residents and workers in the CBD, then they better invest in a means to get people to their jobs. The streets are near capacity and enough space is dedicated to parking cars.

It's time to stop dancing around this issue. Politicos should get serious about public transportation for ALL uses and forget about carnivals rides and needless subsidies for passe industries, such as horse racing.

I dont understand why this is such a hard concept for the city and the state to wrap their brains around. They should be looking at population projections and making the necessary developments necessary to make sure that Baltimore growth can be sustained...also that Baltimore workforce is moblized. I think these lifts are a horrible idea for that area and 300,000k could be the down payment on an impact study for another line of transit.

[NewBaltimore1980]

Originally Posted by waj0527

I dont know if you guys know or not, but the DuBurns Center has been opened as an intake center for displaced residents of New Orleans.

Oh boy!

I like how all of a sudden we can provide housing for everyone for New Orleans but we cannot provide housing for the homeless in Baltimore. Its such a double standard (even though I don't agree with ANY public housing).

How about instead of voucher and debit cards the displaced residents, we set up a system where we can help them establish in a new job that will provide them the means to start a new life. Don't just give handouts and create another welfare state.

I think the best option would be for the government to provide temporary housing and jobs to begin to rebuild New Orleans. Let the residents of New Orleans rebuild New Orleans themselves with temporary assistance until they can get back to their homes. Don't just open every stadium in the country and make these people think they can't do it themselves, THEY CAN!

[waj0527]

Originally Posted by jay130

I dont understand why this is such a hard concept for the city and the state to wrap their brains around. They should be looking at population projections and making the necessary developments necessary to make sure that Baltimore growth can be sustained...also that Baltimore workforce is moblized. I think these lifts are a horrible idea for that area and 300,000k could be the down payment on an impact study for another line of transit.

Whats your telephone ext. at the Maryland Population Control Research Center in College Park? I'd love to be further educated on the finer points of population projection and sustainablity by an expert.

[JAB323]

I was wondering if anyone would be up to taking new pics of canton crossing, and posting it, that would be great

[jay130]

Originally Posted by waj0527

Whats your telephone ext. at the Maryland Population Control Research Center in College Park? I'd love to be further educated on the finer points of population projection and sustainablity by an expert.

1-800-fuck-off

[StevenW]

Come on guys, play nice............

[StevenW]

BTW, wouldn't this project be better to discuss?






Thanks to Cirrus's www.beyonddc.com website.

[StevenW]

Oh yes, a couple renderings of Canton Tower and the other high-rises that'll be built AND some pix from "intitald" from SSP.

[Furiine]

Great pictures. This is my favorite.

[CU_rak]

Beautiful!! Thanks Steven!
Lockwood place looks good! (although I still can't understand why they didn't build a tower behind it) The westside is really coming along, I walked around there a few weeks ago, and it felt a lot safer than just a couple years earlier. As soon as the Abell building gets renovated, it will be a really desireable area. This has probably been asked before, but when is the Four Seasons scheduled to begin construction?
Here's a pic of the site with a welcome visitor! $$$