Baltimore Development News

[Darryl]

Sorry ya'll. My posts have never been well received on this Baltimore forum. Heaven forbid I want something bigger for Baltimore. Just giving my opinion. Like I said I love Baltimore and was raised and been here for 30 years. I'd just like us to crawl out of our "The Wire" image and go up a tier or two. Excuse me.

It seems people on here resent very infrequent posters like myself coming from seemingly nowhere and out of the blue criticizing Baltimore's development. Is that it? Did I hit it on the head? You want me to follow the "if you don't have anything nice to say" credo?

[House3780]

Originally Posted by Darryl

I guess what I'm talking about are the so called "prestige projects". I don't know, like for example Milwaukee (which is on a much lesser tier than us in my opinion) has that art museum designed by Santiago Calatrava that looks like a bird taking flight on the waterfront. Or Bilbao, Spain (which is no first tier city either) has the Guggenheim by Frank Gehry and those cool subway entrances by Sir Norman Foster. Even Demolition Dave's Barcelona park. It's inventive with the interesting sculptures and water features. Baltimore would put down some sod, and a few benches and lighting and call it a day. "There's your park folks" lol Ok, now some of this is a little tongue in cheek and I'm just having a little fun, but you catch my drift. Like compare Baltimore's new park between the Science Center and the Visitor Center to Chicago's Grant Park with that crazy mirrored metal bean sculpture and the awesome looking outdoor performance space. Wow! Why can't we do wild stuff like that?

Another thing that comes to mind when thinking of this subject is this dumb idea that everything has to fit a certain look or theme. I'm tired of all these brick boxes! I mean, even our really nice stuff like the Ritz Carlton and all the waterfront condo projects are just brick boxes with lots of balconies. I mean yeah they might have granite countertops in the kitchens with stainless steel refrigerators, but from the outside they're just more of the same. With that said, yes something positive , thank God for the all glass Four Seasons!! We need more of that! More glass and metal. Nice project.

Do you think Paris would put that Baltimore Hilton hotel next to the Eiffel Tower? Would New York put it at Ground Zero? Why would we put that thing next to our pride and joy, Camden Yards, on one of the most prime locations in the city? Hope that explains my thinking on this topic a little better.

I agree 100%. With your earlier post too. Between baltimores lo self esteem self degrading underachievers and its NIMBYs, I dont know what to do. I wish theyd all move to havre de grace.

[StevenW]

Great news about the Harbor View.
Thanks, Jeff.

[Darryl]

Originally Posted by House3780

I agree 100%. With your earlier post too.

Nice to hear it. I don't hear that much here. I usually either get ignored or attacked.

[MasonsInquiries]

Originally Posted by Darryl

Sorry ya'll. My posts have never been well received on this Baltimore forum. Heaven forbid I want something bigger for Baltimore. Just giving my opinion. Like I said I love Baltimore and was raised and been here for 30 years. I'd just like us to crawl out of our "The Wire" image and go up a tier or two. Excuse me.

It seems people on here resent very infrequent posters like myself coming from seemingly nowhere and out of the blue criticizing Baltimore's development. Is that it? Did I hit it on the head? You want me to follow the "if you don't have anything nice to say" credo?

if you ask me, it's not WHAT you've said, but HOW you've said it.

[MasonsInquiries]

Originally Posted by StevenW

Great news about the Harbor View.
Thanks, Jeff.

yeah, great news indeed. the sooner it starts, the better.

[DemolitionDave]

Daryl,
You can't have thin skin around here. Not everybody thinks the same way and that's what makes this a good forum.

[Darryl]

Originally Posted by MasonsInquiries

if you ask me, it's not WHAT you've said, but HOW you've said it.

I think there's that problem of written word being interpreted by the reader in a way that was not intended by the writer. I'm very sarcastic, but I'm a really nice guy I promise! Sorry for any offense taken. I didn't mean it. Just wanted to vent some frustration I had with Baltimore not thinking big with other Baltimore lovers that's all. I never expect the chilly response I inevitably get on here.

[SoBoChris]

Here's the Examiner article on the passage of the Harborview bill...

http://www.examiner.com/x-284-Baltim...itics-Examiner

[SoBoChris]

Also, did anyone take notice to the article in the Examiner about Baltimore dropping to 3rd in terms of most violent city? Here's the whole article, but I wanted to point out a little snippet that had me a little perturbed.

Only Detroit, with 19,683 violent crimes in a population of 861,000, and Memphis, Tenn., which racked up 13,052 violent crimes in a city with 669,000 people, had a higher rate of violent crime than Baltimore, which tracked 10,182 crimes of violence in a population of 624,000.

This is the lowest number I've ever seen! I sincerely hope it's a mistake!

http://www.examiner.com/a-1433516~FB..._big_city.html

[k25150]

Originally Posted by Darryl

I think there's that problem of written word being interpreted by the reader in a way that was not intended by the writer. I'm very sarcastic, but I'm a really nice guy I promise! Sorry for any offense taken. I didn't mean it. Just wanted to vent some frustration I had with Baltimore not thinking big with other Baltimore lovers that's all. I never expect the chilly response I inevitably get on here.

Relax man. It's just a forum. There are some on here who think they are anointed and how dare anyone disagree with them. They are wide open for attack. But you made good points as did everyone else regarding the city's image problem.

[SoBoChris]

By the way, I don't recall if anyone mentioned this before, but emporis now has the Four Seasons listed as under construction.

[SoBoChris]

Just a reminder: The documentary on the redevelopment of the Inner Harbor starts in less than 10 mins!

[SoBoRez]

Originally Posted by House3780

I agree 100%. With your earlier post too. Between baltimores lo self esteem self degrading underachievers and its NIMBYs, I dont know what to do. I wish theyd all move to havre de grace.

Fortunately some of those NIMBY's prevented the state's highway construction thru the middle of the harbor which would have made this whole site moot.

[scando]

What with all the bad press NIMBYs get around here, you'd think it was a disease or moral failing. They are among the people who care enough about a place to express an opinion. I don't understand the bile.

[Hood]

Originally Posted by StevenW

Great news about the Harbor View.
Thanks, Jeff.

Good news for the developer

[Nameless in Balto]

..

[thrill]

Couldn't respond to earlier posts because of work. Anyway, Baltimore may or may NOT be always regarded as second or third tier with regard to cities. Completely irrelevant. If you believe that the Hilton (in it's location) with a lack of street level activity (contrary to what the CITY ITSELF DEEMED IMPORTANT) is appropriate and/ or acceptable, please leave Baltimore now so that second rate, small minded sheep can find a new place to flock.


Doesn't matter Baltimore's "status" in the thought of things, there's NO excuse to use tax payer's money to achieve mediocrity. Even those that believe Baltimore's place IS mediocrity (shame on you) there's no reason to lay back and accept that that is OK. There's a reason that Cincinnati (POS) is still courting exemplary architecture.... and it's not because they think they live in the 'upper echelon' of experience, it's because they understand that the citizens deserve better than garbage.

After 23 years in Charm City, I moved to Seattle (for work) and I read everyone's accolades for what they see here. I've got news for you.... this town is LIGHT years behind Baltimore, the only difference is, no one here accepts mediocrity as the norm. Period. For those people who will (inevitably) ask me for varification of Seattle OR Cincinnati with regard to my reasoning, heres my opinion: if you don't know ALREADY, lose the short sighted opinion you already have.

Take it or leave it; I'm not here to argue, just to shed a little truth.

[Maudibjr]

Originally Posted by scando

What with all the bad press NIMBYs get around here, you'd think it was a disease or moral failing. They are among the people who care enough about a place to express an opinion. I don't understand the bile.

As with most things the status of nimby's depends on the context of whatever they are perturbed about. I would never silence someone of there opinion but some people whine just to hear themselves whine.

I actually agreed with the Nimby's about the Icon. While I thought the building was beautiful, it didn't really fit into the area and would of made traffic go from from bad to worse.

OTOH, Look what Nimby's got with a harbor view, a long flat wall and no view instead of slim towers and a view.

Or look at the proposed LNG port. In this case the closest NIMBY's are over 2 miles away! The former shipyard is a perfect site and will bring in good jobs. The land is already very compromised from the beth steel days, its not like they are building on pristine wetlands. Additionally there is a LNG plant in Calvert Co that has been operating without incident since the 70's (albiet with a log period of mothball in there).

[StevenW]

"OTOH, Look what Nimby's got with a harbor view, a long flat wall and no view instead of slim towers and a view."

Great point. If it would have been the other way around both the people and the developer would have won. If they would have thought "outside the box" then they wouldn't be trapped "inside the box" now.