Congrats on being a homeowner! You made a smart move. I’d be interested in hearing more details of your deal- contact me off-list if you want. No two houses are alike; every deal is different.

I think University of Maryland will definitely be the best bet for the area, especially with the growth in hospital construction and biotech in the area. In addition to UMD buying properties and building, I would think you’ll see a lot more UMD employees looking to move into the area. Here’s a recent article on UMD’s biotech park expansion:

UMB BioPark takes step to add up to 10 acres

By Lorraine Mirabella | Sun reporter

Developers of the University of Maryland Baltimore’s biotechnology park took a preliminary step yesterday on a plan that will encompass up to 10 acres along West Baltimore Street on the city’s west side and develop up to 10 buildings dedicated to research.

The UMB BioPark has one fully leased building, which opened in 2005, and a garage. It’s also completing a second research building and plans a third, an 180,000-square-foot structure, to be developed by Wexford Science+Technology.

But the park’s original planned unit development (PUD) zoning, which allows for higher density development, only covers 4.7 acres on the north side of the 800 and 900 blocks of West Baltimore Street, at the edge of the University of Maryland’s downtown campus.

Yesterday, the BioPark’s developer showed a city design panel a preliminary concept for a master plan that would double the acreage by including land on the south side of those blocks.

“It’s a good scale and scope that makes for a very economically viable [project] with a critical mass of companies,” said Jane M. Shaab, senior director of business development for the university.

The university waited until it had acquired commercial property south of West Baltimore Street before requesting the expanded zoning, Shaab said. An expansion requires City Council approval. Yesterday’s meeting with city’s Urban Design and Architecture Review Panel is a first step in the process.

Design panel members reviewed the conceptual master plan yesterday, but were not shown the location and size of potential new buildings. The university plans to meet next week with community groups and return to the design panel with more detailed plans by the end of the month.

Design panel members stressed the need to keep the BioPark from becoming an isolated project that effectively turns its back on the nearby residential neighborhoods.

Several local residents and property owners who spoke during the panel presentation asked developers to keep future buildings in character with the neighborhood, which include historic properties.

You are pioneer and I admire that. I don’t know that area very well, but west of MLK, especailly that far west doesn’t have the best reputation. I know they mention bentalou often in the wire. In fact I think that Hamsterdam (from the wire) may be close to that neighborhod.

Congrats, on the new home, you are in a great area of development, UMB is doing alot to revitalize that area, also the development of The Hippodrome, and the Lexington Market. The Poppelton neighborhood is in the planning stage of development, W. Baltimore St. Lomabard (Union Sq), & Pratt St. are all seeing development. This should be a good investment fr you in the future.