Diablita Cantina recently opened on the corner of Central Ave and Bank Street just north of Harbor East. They serve Mexican food in a bit more of an upscale atmosphere than your typical corner joint. I was able to make it over there for dinner tonight. I was pleasantly surprised by the $5.00 margarita special on Thursday nights…they are typically around 9 bucks. I had the chile margarita, which was made with chili infused tequila and had just the right amount of spice to add a good kick to it. For my meal, I had the habanero shrimp fajitas (around 14 bucks) which was delicious. Be careful, it’s a bit spicy. The space is remarkably like Red Star in Fells Point and it has the same owners (so that makes sense) and looks like it would be a cool place to hang out for drinks if not getting a meal. Definitely recommend.
Also, a new restaurant will be opening at the Can Company in Canton where Kiss Cafe used to be. Called Langermann’s it will supposedly have “Southern Cuisine” http://www.langermanns.com/
It’s do or die time for the Baltimore Red Line. Sides have been taken and battle lines have been drawn. Rumor has it that a decision will be made soon, perhaps by the end of the summer.
But let’s face the facts. The Red Line proposal that includes both a combination of tunneling and surface rail offers Baltimore best chance of getting state and federal funding for a transportation project in YEARS (see proposed routing map below). If we pass up on this, the likelihood of another public transit project coming this way is perhaps another 20 or 30 years off.
There is currently no reliable public transportation between Canton and downtown, so most people drive. It’s sameful that a city the size of Baltimore doesn’t have a reliable transportation system, so it’s about time we start.
I realize that there is a small, but vocal group of opponents, that don’t want a surface line running along Boston Street or Route 40. But let’s face it, Boston Street and Route 40 are already noisy and congested disasters. The new Red Line, along with some proposed nice streetscaping, will serve to reduce and calm traffic. The tunneling through downtown will keep the train from getting bogged down in traffic lights (one of my chief complaints about the existing north/south light rail).
The Red Line is necessary for the continued growth of Baltimore City, and would increase the property values of those nearby (just try to get a cheap apartment near a DC Metro stop).
If you support the Red Line, make sure your voice is heard. Things you can do to help:
With the economy the way it is, urban “container gardening” has really taken off, especially for those that want to save a few bucks by growing their own herbs, peppers, tomatoes, strawberries, etc.
Fortunately, with the opening of a couple of new shops, those of us near downtown Baltimore won’t have go very far to get the necessary tools.
“Baltimore Contained” (2400 Fleet Street) at the corner of Montford and Fleet Street in Canton recently opened in the former Dangerously Delicious Pie Shop (Dangerously Delicious has since moved to Federal Hill). Instead of pies, the racks are now filled with flowers, herbs, pots, and other gardening tools. Visit http://baltimorecontained.com/
Also recently opened is the second location of “The Dutch Connection” http://www.thedutchconnection.us in the Bagby Building in Harbor East (1008 Fleet St). Their original location is in Belvedere Square. While the Dutch Connection focuses more on cut flower arrangements, they also have a significant amount of plants and small shrubs perfect for an urban garden.
What might be the first project already underway that has been scaled back due to the economic downturn, the condominium portion of the Four Seasons/Legg Mason towers in Harbor East has been delayed. The 256 room/18 story hotel portion of the project will still be constructed along with the neighboring 24 story Legg Mason Tower.
Although rumors of the delay have been circulated for the past few weeks, the news came to a major blow to many who wanted to see the 44 story tower rise at the waters edge. The building would have been the city’s tallest, exceeding the existing Legg Mason tower by 4 stories. According to the article, the condos will be built atop the hotel when the market improves.
When you look at the big picture, this news is really not a surprise considering similar situations in other cities across the country. According to The Sun, only 14 buyers out of the 113 contracts for Ritz Carlton condos across the harbor have gone to settlement. This is remarkable, considering the hefty deposits that are typically required to reserve these condos…meaning a lot of people walked away with a lot of money on the table. The Four Seasons would be similar development to the Ritz. On the bright side, Baltimore’s existing condos may have a better chance of holding their value, since the condo market is not as overbuilt as in other cities (think Miami and Houston). Let’s hope the market improves more quickly in Baltimore as well!
Despite the nation’s economic woes, there still seem to be some new restaurants coming to Baltimore.
The Baltimore Sun reported that the Bagby Building (along Fleet Street in Fells Point) will be the new home to a brick oven pizzeria and a new American fusion bistro. A Verizon Wireless store recently opened in the same building which also has room for two more restaurants. There’s an area available for outdoor seating as well.
The Sun also reported that while Tsunami, the sushi restaurant on Central Avenue north of Harbor east, has closed, the owners plan to open a new restaurant in its place. Supposedly the new restaurant will either be an Australian gastropub or a Mexican-Latino theme. Tsunami’s sushi will now be available at its sister restaurant, Lemongrass, next door.
And the Baltimore Business Journal reported that an “upscale casual” eatery is planned for the Zenith Apartment building on the city’s West Side. The publication also noted that the upscale italian chain “Vapiano” is scouting locations in Baltimore City. Vapiano’s only other US locations are in the Washington DC area and Ft. Meyers Florida.
This week, the Greater Baltimore Committee and the Baltimore Sun both endorsed a Red Line Transit Project which is fiscally responsible and responsive to community concerns along the corridor. The alignment, known as Alternative 4c, would be a Light Rail train beginning along I-70 near the Social Security Administration, tunnel under Cooks Lane, emerging on and following Edmondson Avenue and the old “Highway to Nowhere” to Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. At MLK, the alignment would tunnel under downtown along Lombard Street, connecting directly to the Metro at Charles Center, then continue in tunnel under Fleet/Aliceanna Streets through Fells Point. The Red Line would emerge at Boston and Aliceanna and travel in the median of Boston Street to Brewer’s Hill/Canton Crossing, then follow old railroad right-of-way to Greektown/Highlandtown at Eastern Avenue and then to the Bayview Campus where it would meet a new MARC Station. The proposal is estimated at $1.3 billion and is projected to carry 42,000 riders per day.
The Maryland Transit Administration will hold a series of hearings on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement beginning on November 6th through November 14th. Strong public support for this alternative is needed to propel the project into the engineering and construction phases. Click here to comment on the Red Line DEIS.
You can also get project updates, view pictures of the recent transit tours to Phoenix, LA, Portland and Seattle, and following along on Twitter by visiting the City’s Red Line website www.gobaltimoreredline.com
The Ritz-Carlton Residences in Baltimore, Maryland recently began welcoming the first homeowners. The project is being developed by New York based RexCorp, after changing hands because of some legal troubles during the construction process. The Baltimore project is the first ever condo project with no hotel component that will be branded and operated by the Ritz-Carlton.
“Baltimore has never seen anything like this,” said Kurt Hornig, sales consultant at the upscale development. “It’s like living in a Ritz-Carlton Hotel without all the guests.”
View of Ritz-Carlton Residences from Harbor East neighborhood
Recently I was asked what the best hotel in Baltimore was.Having not stayed in many hotels in the city, I didn’t really have a good answer.I know which ones look nice from the outside, are in a good location, or perhaps have nice lobbies, but that’s about it.So to better answer the question I directed them to the first place I always go when looking for a hotel – www.tripadvisor.com.The site allows users to rate hotels and post photos and videos.The rankings below are based on Trip Advisor ratings.FYI – some hotels are ranked lower when they don’t have many reviews.
Best Baltimore Hotels
Henderson’s Wharf Inn (5 out of 5)
Hampton Inn Baltimore – Camden Yards (4.5 out of 5)
Residence Inn Baltimore Downtown / Inner Harbor (4.5 out of 5)
Homewood Suites by Hilton Baltimore (4.5 out of 5)
Renaissance Harborplace Hotel (4 out of 5)
Baltimore Marriott Waterfront (4 out of 5)
Courtyard by Marriott Baltimore Downtown / Inner Harbor (4 out of 5)
Hilton Baltimore (4.5 out of 5) *
Hampton Inn & Suites Baltimore Inner Harbor (4 out of 5)
SpringHill Suites Baltimore Downtown/Inner Harbor (4 out of 5)
Best 4 and 5 Star Baltimore Hotels
InterContinental Harbor Court Baltimore (4.5 out of 5)
Renaissance Harborplace Hotel (4 out of 5)
Baltimore Marriott Waterfront (4 out of 5)
Sheraton Baltimore North Hotel (4 out of 5)
Hyatt Regency Baltimore (3.5 out of 5)
Baltimore Marriott Inner Harbor at Camden Yards (3.5 out of 5)
Radisson Plaza Lord Baltimore (3 out of 5)
Sheraton Inner Harbor Hotel (3 out of 5)
Doubletree Inn at The Colonnade (3 out of 5)
Best Baltimore B&Bs and Inns
Scarborough Fair Bed and Breakfast ( 5 out of 5)
Inn at 2920 (4.5 out of 5)
Blue Door on Baltimore (4.5 out of 5)
Aunt Rebecca’s Bed & Breakfast(4 out of 5)
Wilson House Bed and Breakfast (4 out of 5)
1840s Carrollton Inn (4.5 out of 5)
Celie’s Waterfront Bed and Breakfast ( 3 out of 5)
Grabbed this from the MD Daily Record article about the Promenade being nearly complete. Although on a bike I guess you would have to walk 1/3 of the way – through Harborplace.
John Paterakis’ plans to relocate H&S Bakery seem to be coming closer to fruition, signaling that smells of freshly baked bread wafting over Fells Point may cease as the area is turned over to redevelopment. The company has purchased land in both Cecil and Anne Arundel counties and plans to build distribution centers there. Whether either of these locations would be a replacement for the current location is unclear. The area currently occupied by H&S Bakery, along Fleet and Aliceanna Streets, is one of the last remaining industrial sites in the area. It’s seen as a key link between Little Italy, Fells Point, and the new development in Harbor East. Whether the land will be developed is not the question, but how soon. Due to its location, the land has to be worth a fortune.
A bit of bad news associated with this story: The Whole Foods plans to build a larger market on another empty parcel in Harbor East seem to have been halted due to the company’s struggles in the current economy. Sounds like we’ll have to put up with the cramped and crowded aisles of the current store for a while longer.
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