Return to North Avenue

As I'm writing my blog today, I've got a lot of thoughts and feelings, but I'm not sure how to put them down.  As Baltimore City is placed under a State of Emergency with National Guard on standby, I've talked a lot to my parents about the events leading up to and following the death of Freddie Gray.

My dad was the one who first brought up the riots to me tonight saying, "your mom and I were both growing up in the city when they happened."  I had never spoken to my parents about the events in Baltimore in 1968.  Of course they had been around, growing up in Highlandtown, but it wasn't something that we had ever talked about or really I had begun to really understand until this year.

My mom later told me, "I was only 8 when the riots happened and I was terrified.  That's the only time I ever really remember being terrified.  There were National Guard helicopters landing across the street.  My father was coming home in full riot gear.  We had an escape plan.  I didn't understand what was happening, or why people were acting this way, it treating people in such a way based off the color of their skin was something I was never taught."

I'm suddenly more confident and appreciative of my decision to take this class than ever before.   Because I've come to know the history, or at least some of it, and can begin to understand more of what happened during the 1968 riots in Baltimore and how they relate to the events taking place in Baltimore now.  Last week part of my small assignment #3 was listening to an interview with Penny and Don Freeman.  Penny was a restaurateur during the times of the riots and said the following during his interview:

“The riots came across North Avenue and so that night I’ll never forget when they came across. We had a predominately black kitchen because we just growing up with it that way and that’s the way all our people grew up with us and we kept moving them up so it stayed we had some whites, but it was predominately black and who were the people most scared when that started happening? That kitchen.  It I walked back in that kitchen and it was like this and I remember getting them all together I got up on a milk crate and I got them all gathered around me and I said, I’d already been in touch with the police and was like what’s going on what should we do and I said to them ‘Fellas, I want you to take a deep breath and relax because nothing’s going to happen to you.  I know you’re worried about going home and getting out on the street, but when the time comes we’re gonna get you transportation home and if necessary, police protection, I’ve already been in touch with the police and they’ve insured me that they’ll see that our people get home alright’ and you could just feel the air come back into that room.”

It's crazy that today just like in 1968, there's unheard voices making their way up North Avenue.  I haven't been able to make up my mind how I feel about everything.  With my new knowledge comes new hesitations and worries about what will come of the protests, or riots, whatever you want to call them based off of what the news broadcasts are focusing on this hour.  My blog this week isn't about my feelings of who is right or wrong, if anyone group or person's actions are better or worse than the others--because that's not my call.  Everyone's perspectives should be valued and taken into consideration.  My blog this week is just that it's funny how you read about something one week and it pops back up into your life the next week.

A Switch in Focus

I feel like the last week has been the most stressful in class thus far, because what we were worried about happening has kind of happened.  On Tuesday we shared short group presentations of our progress so far.  I think our group is coming along really well!  The map looks awesome and the research behind the points on the map will be a great way to integrate the work from our class thus far.

The one critique we got from the other group was about making our short descriptions shorter.  I understand the need for brevity to keep readers interested, but I'm not sure how we will do that at this point because part of our group had already shortened histories.  There was also an idea to add to the neighborhoods as layers so it would be possible to visualize who the actual neighborhoods that make up the district which I feel like would be really beneficial.  Being able to look at Korea Town, Greenmount West, and Charles North in spacial terms could help in placing Station North on the map in a more residential way.

There was also a transition of the mapping group into working with the voices.  While the voices had a lot of interviews scheduled or conducted, they hadn't really done anything with the audio.  I listened to the Kate Ewald interview and through it learned a lot about the places she visited, being comforted by the fact that we had already identified most of them on our map.  Something we could potentially add is green space--different gardens which she had spoken about during her interview.

While a little stressful having to do the work of the voices group, I think it will add cohesion to our projects.  I'm a little bummed that I'm picking up more work now, but I think it will add to the final project.

New Points on the Map

In the last week, we added a new aspect to our project.  To integrate the research and work of the entire class, we have tasked every student with uploading their small assignment #2 onto their class blog.  We will then be hyperlinking to their blog on the map by placing a "more info" link in the pop up for every location we completed for small assignment #2.  This will make the map more interactive and thorough in explaining the history of these places in Station North.

Additionally, Rachel is going to be looking at artwork in Station North, specifically murals and other larger public art pieces, and we will be placing them on the map.

In terms of our mapping project, I feel like we're right on track.  Things are finishing up and I am finishing my missing place, locations are being put on the map, pictures are being taken, everything seems to be going smoothly.  I almost feel like I need to be suspicious that things are going too smoothly- maybe something is lost and we have to start all over or the voices group will expect something of us that we don't have and we have to cram that into our project at the last minute.  I almost feel like posting this is putting these bad ideas out there in the world and now one of them will happen.

I am eager to hear what the voices project has put together so far and to really begin to look at the time parts coming together.

I also have been enjoying the smaller pieces we have been reading about gentrification, especially D. Watkin's piece and the response by Brandon Soderberg.  I think it's interesting to read these sorts of conversations occurring in the form of writings and responses, and then additionally hearing about the public opinion on the pieces.  It's interesting for people to kind of attack a writer's work when it is coming from his own experiences because if you think about it empirically, the lived experiences of Watkins and Soderberg are true for them, they're allowed to have these opinions, just as others are allowed to differ from them.  Yeah there could be other motives behind their writings, but that doesn't make their opinions any less valid.  I still don't think I know what my opinion on gentrification is, especially in Baltimore, and at this point I don't know when I will--however I'm glad for people that have their opinions and ideas figured out.

More missing spaces

This week my mapping involvement has been heavily focused on logistics and research, and a little bit of confusion.  I have begun researching my missing places assigned last week, Liam Flynn's Ale House.  I haven't gotten very far, instead I've spent lots of time looking at the schedule and other missing places to add to the list, especially the Korean restaurants Aletheia told us about last class.

I really enjoyed hearing Aletheia's talk last week and learning about the Korean community in Station North.  I am going to try and visit her Pop Up Korea Town because I think that it is an amazing way to showcase an aspect of the Station North community and I would love to learn more about it.  I think that kind of community involvement is really inspiring and I would love to learn more about projects like that.

My worries with the project right now is that our piece, the historical part, won't really match up with what the voices group is doing.  I feel like we are going to have a very detailed map of places to go and visit in Station North and then the voices project will just kind of fit in--not really be cohesive.  However, that could completely change after we meet tomorrow.  I'm excited to see what they have decided to focus on and if we can incorporate their focus into the places we highlight.  While we are focusing on community as a space, I think they have a cool opportunity to focus on community as an abstract idea as well as a space, so I hope they do that!

Our project is slowly coming together, I really like doing logistical stuff and making sure the schedule is working out, I hope everyone is on track!

Putting Station North on the Map (literally)

I like the idea of visualizing things.  Being able to hear a concept or have someone mention a place and really be able to grasp the idea of where it is and what it is.  I think to really be able to respect the voices of the residents and others involved in the Station North Arts and Entertainment District, it is important to be able to really grasp and understand the history and place these people and locations into context.  Because of how important I feel it is to present this information, I chose to join group of students that would be creating the interactive map of Station North.

Since beginning the project, I have taken the task of kind being the secretary of sorts- of keeping everything organized in a Google Drive, updating our timeline, and making sure everyone understands the task at hand.  With this position, I've also taken on the task of kind of filling in with whatever else is needed.

As of right now, I am going to be researching two businesses within Station North that we feel should be identified and mapped, but not completed by the class during Small Assignment #2:

• Liam Flynn’s Ale House

• Bell Foundry

As the interviewing group begins talking to residents and other members of the Station North community, we will add to our list of missing places.

I like that we are focusing on Station North as a community in terms of boundaries, but I am excited to begin to hear the themes of what it really means to be a part of the Station North community in a psychological and more abstract sense. I would like to find a way to bring this into our project--but that involves first waiting to hear from the interviewing group.

Overall, I'm excited to be working closer with the members of our group, and while a little nervous, I'm very excited to see the project come together!

I can't wait to be able to hear someone mention a place or a street and be able to click on the map and pull up the information of the area and easily show others the community that we have spent all semester getting to know.

Charles Theater Research Beginnings

Charles Theater

1711 N. Charles Street Baltimore, Maryland

also: 1711-1715 N. Charles Street

Designed 1892 by Jackson C. Gott (Baltimore Traction Company)

1939- Times Theater opens

**”first moving picture house in Baltimore” (New Movie)

c. 1959- Renamed Charles

http://thecharles.com/theatre-info/

“Car crash closes Charles Theater for at least seven days”

http://search.proquest.com/hnpbaltimoresun/docview/1477580545/ADFD85AB0CBF40F5PQ/2?accountid=14577

“New Movie House For Newsreels: Time Theater Will Open October 6 On North Avenue”

http://search.proquest.com/hnpbaltimoresun/docview/543055683/1258338F88D74B00PQ/4?accountid=14577

Search terms to look into:

Beaux-Arts buildings, Jackson C. Gott, Charles Theater, Times Theater, newsreel theaters

The Support to Save the City

To save the City of Baltimore seems like an awfully large task for the people and neighborhoods that make up the Station North Arts and Entertainment District.

For years, the conversation has been had about Station North's part in the revitalization of the city.  A large factor of this revitalization involves bringing in new members and investments into the community.

In 2003, a Cork Factory resident and community activist, Dennis Livingston, remarked on how officials could go about changing the Station North community saying that really there are two options: "one way is to get rid of the poverty.  The other is to get rid of the people."

Ten years later, this idea still stood.  A caller on the Marc Steiner show remarked that "as Station North Grows, so will square footage prices."  With the increase in property prices and values, certain people are pushed in and out of the city.

No matter the year, what seems to echo through all that comment on the revitalization of Station North, and of Baltimore City overall, is the community connections and support needed for neighborhoods like Station North to survive.

It is up to the community whether or not the City projects can survive and become what they are intended to be.  Support of the projects and planning and ideas of City officials by residents is needed for these sorts of projects to actually work and succeed.  Station North locals need to play into what planners, developers, and executives are trying to create of the area.  Station North as a space can continue to grow into a successful and engaging community for both residents and visitors, that could also encourage people to stay and explore the rest of the city.

I don't think that Station North can necessarily save the city of Baltimore-- one neighborhood alone cannot reverse decades of population decreases all while supporting poor residents and ushering in richer ones.  But Station North is in a unique place in which there is a strong momentum built up to continue to support the residents within the community while revitalizing the area that is promising.

The history of the people and the space of Station North is one that can be promising in providing a success story in the revitalization of the City of Baltimore, but the support of its residents is what will help save the City.



Questions for Ben Stone:
1. Two years later, what sort of changes have you seen in Station North as an Arts District?
2.  In 2013, there was a lot of conversation and critic around the lack of African American developers with the projects, has there been any progress in diversifying the people involved in the projects of developing Station North?
3. A caller to the Marc Steiner show mentioned how as square footage prices grow, certain people would be pushed in and out of the community, how do you react to people crying wolf and saying that gentrification is destroying the community.