Baltimore Citys Topography - Research Paper Example

? Baltimore Evaluation November 07, Introduction Baltimore is a with a rich history filled with Museums, Historical sites, sports and concert venues, a Maryland Zoo and National Aquarium. Baltimore city is located in Northern Maryland in the County of Baltimore. In 2011 the United States Census Bureau estimated Baltimore City to have a population of 619,493, with the State of Maryland’s population 5,828,289 (United States Census Bureau, 2012). It is estimated that there are 7,500 people per square mile. Baltimore’s location was in part determined by the geology of the Potapsco River and conditions made the establishment perfect for mills that were water driven. Climate was perfect for agriculture, forest area was large and spacious and the Countryside proved to be very fertile. Baltimore County was first gifted in 1632 by England’s King to George Calvert and the name Baltimore County was adopted in 1639 (City-Data, 2009). The town of Baltimore became established in 1656, primarily due to the booming tobacco industry and the dependence of local economy of tobacco. Baltimore’s has had its share of ups and downs, milling flour and grain, which was affected greatly by the revolutionary war. Being the site of the first public railroad in 1828 Baltimore became connected to the rest of the country, remaining impartial for the most part during the civil war acting as a military depot ;despite Maryland belonging to the Union. The city was able to remain prosperous in World War II as well, being a military supply center and escaped World War I unscathed. Physical Site Baltimore city’s topography is characterized primarily by streams and capes, though there are 7 bays, an island, lake, summit and spring (Maryland Hometown Locator, 2012). Baltimore city is actually lies within the coastal plain of the Atlantic and the Piedmont Plateau. Stream valleys run through the almost level uplands (Baltimore Ecosystem Study, 2012). Surrounded nearly completely by the County of Baltimore, waterfront property is available with regional choice property being waterfront and the more distressed property being located further away from the waterfront. Baltimore’s down town area consists of City Center, Inner Harbor, west Side and Camden yards. Inner Harbor allows you easy access to the National Museum and Camden Yards is home to the architecturally acclaimed stadium of the Baltimore Orioles, while the Baltimore Ravens play at M and T Bank Stadium, which is down town with a mile of Inner Harbor. Though not considered downtown Curtis Bay allows the distinct opportunity to experience the feel of historical military sites as Fort Armistead and Battery Irons (Maryland Hometown Locator, 2012). Other recreational opportunities the city provides are multiple shopping venues, fine dining and unique restaurants such as the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, and multiple parks and natural settings are almost always in close distance (City of Baltimore, 2012). Because Baltimore has a variety of unique entertainment opportunities, allows those who enjoy the water easy access in many locations and is home to many historical sites I rated Baltimore’s physical characteristics an 8. This was primarily due to the fact that Baltimore seems heavily focused on Adult with fewer attractions geared towards children. Street Morphology Downtown Baltimore’s streets follow a grid pattern though their development is suited to the organic nature of the surroundings, located around Inner Harbor. Breaks or deviations in the grid are found around the Harbor as well as numerous parks and natural greenery is located surrounding much of the Harbor. Inlets disrupt the grid and Harbor Bridge walk connects these busy areas which contain the Baltimore World Center and the national Aquarium (Visit Baltimore, 2012). The streets attempt at a Baroque pattern is evidenced around Camden Yards Oriole Park and M and T Bank Stadium though their concepts remain grid in nature major streets do intersect around these large attractions, though design is more heavily influenced by transport needs. Both Key Highway and Light Street serve as focal points for downtown and are intersected by smaller streets. Key Highway and Battery Avenue both intersect at Federal Hill Park. Waterfront property that is residential is condominiums and fit with the architecture of the surrounding city. Downtown is also the location of the Stadium and the start of Interstate 395. Streets that are intersecting are non-residential in nature and city blocks are well planned, with commercial buildings un-crowded in appearance though blocks in close proximity which are residential appear to be closely packed together apartment complexes with little distance in between, suggestive of an overcrowding due to the desirability of the downtown area (Google Maps, 2012). Street morphology, though well planned and visibly easy access to major points of interest would score higher were it not for the near proximity of the overcrowded residential areas, street morphology received an 8.5. Civic Space The Clarence Mitchell Courthouse, City Hall, and the State Attorney’s Office are prominent downtown government offices accessible from Fayetteville Street. The District Court of Maryland along with the Baltimore police Department is also located in this area which is a concentrated area downtown where many government offices are based. City Hall was built with brick and in a baroque revival style though the exterior marble has shown signs of deterioration. Other government offices were built in the same fashion; ‘predominately marble exteriors and baroque revival style (Google2, 2012)’.The Baltimore Police department has a mirrored glass exterior with windows surrounding the exterior. War Memorial Plaza is located central in the midst of the government offices located down town. Fayeteville and I83 Parke are accessible from Fayeteville Street. Downtown is a large area of Baltimore and Holocaust Memorial Parke, Columbus Park, and Gateway Park are each downtown in different sections. Public art is displayed in the design of many of the buildings, some with dome shaped roofs and glass exterior such as the Baltimore World Trade Center. Residential property features a colonial style that blends well with the down town architecture (Google2, 2012). Baltimore City College is located next to the Police Department and the University of Maryland is located in the Camden section of downtown. Camden includes a School of Nursing, Dentistry, and a school of medicine within blocks of The University of Maryland Medical center. Camden area has a higher concentration of education institutions. Civic space was scored a 10 due to the diversity of building styles, the convenience of government buildings in a concentrated area as well as education and health care concentrated in another downtown area (Google2, 2012). Skyline/ Office Space The downtown Baltimore skyline is beautifully punctuated by buildings of all sizes, (See appendix 1, 2). The tallest building is 40 stories with the second tallest building being the Bank of America. The majority of the buildings are between 20 and 30 stories high making for a gorgeous view at night. Condominiums and apartments join the high rise business buildings along the Harbor (Google2, 2012). The view of areas further away from downtown is less impressive with many row houses crowded closely together in an old colonial style. The Transamerica Tower, being 40 stories tall is the tallest building in Baltimore. Transamerica is an insurance giant and decided to consolidate its business in Baltimore choosing the property owned by Lexington Realty Trust (Goldreich, 2010). Located at 100 Light Street the building uses a modern architectural style constructed in 1970 for commercial business use, (Appendix 3). This building is the corporate headquarters of Transamerica. Bank of America also has its corporate headquarters located in downtown Boston. City Center is considered down town Baltimore’s financial district. City Center has a large impact on Baltimore’s economics with 30% of downtown Baltimore’s employment being in city center. City Center is filled with businesses, retail and hospitality, finance and legal services (City Center, 2012). Baltimore’s skyline and availability of office space was scored a 9 as it is diverse with a skyline featuring buildings of several architectural styles from 20 to 40 stories, with some being zoned residential such as condominiums while others are in non-residential areas. Retail Anchors Downtown Baltimore’s’ Harbor Place features premium shopping venues with food courts, medium and upscale dining opportunities in the midst of the mall. With four levels of retail outlets and dining establishments, Harbor Place serves as a strong anchor and draw for downtown Baltimore (Directory, 2012). There is also a Light Street Pavilion and food court, (Appendix 4). Harbor Place seems to cater to upper middle class consumers. City Center is home to Coach’s, a major brand name that is semi-upscale as well as Swarovski. There is a diverse mix of retail outlets in City Center on or off of Pratt Street. Godiva, Gap, Footlocker along with Brook’s Brothers are in City Center though they are scattered and less likely to serve as an anchor point for shoppers in downtown Baltimore (Downtown…2012). City Center seems to cater more to locals while Harbor Place being more focused on attracting the tourist, located closer to premium hotels and condominiums. Stores that serve the basic needs of downtown residents are located in various places such as grocery and drug stores along with convenience stores. Those living downtown are disadvantaged in that much of downtown is commercial businesses aside from retails outlets and government offices. Downtown residents likely spend more of their shopping dollars outside of down town for their basic needs. Because of this retail anchors were scored a 6. Convention Facilities/ Hotels Downtown Baltimore has many convention facilities and hotels that fill the needs of these facilities which draw a large amount of visitors, business and pleasure travelers. The Baltimore Convention Center is on Pratt Street and has 50 meeting rooms and boasts the largest ballroom in Maryland (Visit Baltimore, 2012). Within ten miles from the airport, the Convention Center is in the midst of Inner Harbor and Oriole Park. Hotels, restaurants, and shopping outlets are all within walking distance. Hotels down town include the Marriot Brand, Hilton, Holiday Inn and Radisson. Luxury accommodations are available with water views at Baltimore’s Four Seasons. Hotel Monaco and Pier 5 are also upscale hotels. Many of the hotels are moderately priced and designed to attract the business traveler rather than the tourist. Historic hotels are often chosen by tourists wanting to explore the history of Baltimore, the Wyndham Baltimore Peabody Court and the Inn at Henderson’s Wharf are geared more towards the tourist (Visit Maryland 2, 2012). Because of the variety of hotels available all with a reasonable distance to Baltimore’s Convention Center convention facilities and hotels were scored a 10. Major Attractions Major attractions for visitors aside from business travelers and convention attendees are Baltimore’s two major sports teams, the Baltimore Orioles and the Baltimore Raven’s. With both stadiums being located downtown these visitors contribute to the economy of the entire city. Other major attractions include historical sites dating from the civil war and the seasonal beauty of Maryland during certain times of the year. Baltimore Museum of Industry and the Baltimore National Heritage Area Trails & Tours are both down town and though they alone are not likely to draw in tourists they will likely be on their itinerary while they are visiting (Visit Baltimore 3, 2012) There are museums, the aquarium and Ripley’s Believe it or Not to attract Baltimore residents who may be looking for entertainment. There are also movie theatres down town and restaurants of every kind. Ottobar features live music from well-known bands for locals to enjoy and Rams Head Live and Sonar are also music venues that host national and local musicians (CBS Baltimore, 2012). Major attractions received a 9, and would have received a 10 except for the fact that many of the major attractions are focused to attract the visitor rather than the local residents. Historic/Ethnic Districts Downtown Baltimore has several historic districts. Seton Hill is a neighborhood that is one of Baltimore’s oldest Row house neighborhoods still intact. This neighborhood is considered rich in architectural as well as African American history (Seton Hill, 2012). Union Square is an urban setting of row houses also demonstrating federal, ‘Greek revival, and Italianate architecture, (Union Square, 2012)’. Art galleries and studios are also popular in Union Square. Union Square was ‘designated as a Historic district in 1967, (Union Square, 2012)’. A seasonal farmers market is within several blocks of City Hall, open from April to December; the Baltimore Farmers’ Market and Bizarre. This market is a cultural blend of produce stands and food vendors. Cuisine is offered from many cultures and craftspeople are of diverse ethnicities and backgrounds with unique and custom items (Local Harvest, 2012). Baltimore is easily distinguishable as having numerous historic sites with the popularity of the remaining row houses and was given a score of 10. Residential Options There are many residential options for those wanting to live downtown. Apartment complexes are spread and easy to find in Camden, where most of the education institutions are located. For those who can afford it luxury condominiums with waterfront views of the Harbor are also available. Rental property is commonly older than apartments and individuals who go south for the winter will often rent out their property while they are gone. There are also housing vouchers and space down town that the Housing Authority of Baltimore uses to meet the needs of lower income residents (Housing Authority, 2012). West side Baltimore is the preferred area of down town for residential options. West side is known also as Market Center and Howard Street runs through the center of West side; one of Baltimore’s oldest streets (Bruton, Lindquist, Jania, Varner, and Weinberger, 2012). Redevelopment in this area in continuous and began in 1977 with the Market Center Urban Renewal Plan. The 26 blocks surrounding Howard Street are now involved in renovation efforts targeting old building and stores for use as apartment buildings rather than demolition. This areas previous attempt to lure new residents proved unsuccessful; Lexington Pedestrian mall and a light rail system down the middle of Howard Street. Over 200 businesses’ are in this area and the business environment is seen as stable though the neighborhood is viewed as a low income shopping destination. Many residents express concern over safety with this neighborhood having a higher percentage of homeless and drug addicted individuals. Despite these factors the area remains overpopulated and residents see it as a fair trade off being located closer to employment opportunities and overlook factors that affect the overall quality of life (Bruton, Lindquist, Jania, Varner, and Weinberger, 2012). Residential options only score a 6; primarily because of this tradeoff in down town’s most available residential option for the average citizen. Transit Options Down town Baltimore transit and walkways were very well organized by the City of Baltimore Transportation Authority. Transit options include bus’s which run on a schedule with many stops down town. The Metro Subway, Marc train and Light Rail Lines indicate that transportation is an easy process. Down town has walkways over the Harbor for pedestrians and sidewalks line the streets as well for those who walk or bicycle (Hop Stop, 2012). Harbor Bridge walk is available and wide enough for bicyclists to comfortably use and begins near the Port of Baltimore, going all the way to the Baltimore Lighthouse and circling around to Pier 5 where Ruth Chris’s Steakhouse is located (Google, 2012). Transit options are various and priced from very low for bus passage to more expensive for the convenience of a taxi. Walkways are well maintained and established. Transit earns an 8 because in some areas it is difficult to actually drive yourself without having to park quite a distance away from where you are going. Conclusion Overall down town Baltimore rated an 84.5. West side Baltimore’s failure to provide higher quality of life living factors contribute to this score. To improve the score affordable housing options should be available while the area also successfully attracts lower to upper middle class populations with the increase in safety, choice shopping destinations and attractions and entertainment. Attractions such as museums and sports should be priced lower for local residents, encouraging them to put money back into the local economy and sections such as Harbor Place and City Center must continue to provide strong economic contributions to down town with employment opportunities for local citizens. Retail outlets do not serve as anchors in some areas, such as West side and improvements should be made to meet the basic needs of a person and improve their quality of life. Appendix 1. 2. (The Baltimore Skyline, 2012) 3. (Legg-Mason Building, 2010) 4. (Directory, 2012) References "City Center Baltimore, MD." City Center Baltimore, MD. 2012. Accessed November 12, 2012. http://www.citycenterbaltimore.com/. "Directory." Harborplace Mall. 2012. Accessed November 12, 2012. http://www.harborplace.com/directory. "Legg Mason Building, View from the Southeast | Images | EMPORIS." Legg Mason Building, View from the Southeast | Images | EMPORIS. 2010. Accessed November 12, 2012. http://www.emporis.com/images/details/356499. "The Baltimore Skyline (photos) (hotel, New Home, Moving To) - City-Data Forum." The Baltimore Skyline (photos). 2012. Accessed November 12, 2012. http://www.city-data.com/forum/baltimore/140993-baltimore-skyline-photos.html Baltimore Ecosystem Study. "Baltimore Ecosystem Study." Baltimore Ecosystem Study. 2012. Accessed November 11, 2012. http://www.beslter.org/frame4-page_3a_06.html. Bruton, Anna, Adam Lindquist, Ksenic Jania, Cari Varner, and Michael Weinberger. "Baltimore S Downtown West." University of Maryland. 2010. Accessed November 12, 2012. http://arch.umd.edu/images/student-work/documents/Baltimore's%20Downtown%20West%20Final%20Report1.pdf. CBS Baltimore. "Latest." Baltimorea??s Best Live Music Venues A« CBS Baltimore. 2012. Accessed November 12, 2012. http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/top-lists/baltimores-best-live-music-venues/. City of Baltimore. "Baltimore City Visitor's Directory." Baltimore City Visitor's Directory. 2012. Accessed November 11, 2012. http://visitors.baltimorecity.gov/. City-Data. (2009). Baltimore: History. - City Founded on Tobacco-Centered Economy, Radical Politics Gain Popularity. Retrieved November 7, 2012, from http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-South/Baltimore-History.html Down town Partnership Boston. "Downtown Baltimore Economic Development Housing." Downtown Baltimore Economic Development Housing. 2012. Accessed November 12, 2012. http://www.godowntownbaltimore.com/Entertainment/Shopping.aspx. Goldreich, Sonny. "More News." Commercial Real Estate: Transamerica Puts Name on Baltimore Building. 2010. Accessed November 12, 2012. http://ww2.gazette.net/stories/10012010/businew173020_32537.php. Google 2. "Google Maps." Google Maps. 2012. Accessed November 12, 2012. https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en. Google. "Google Maps." Google Maps. November 11, 2012. Accessed November 11, 2012. https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en. Hop Stop. "Baltimore Transit Maps - Dowtown Baltimore." HopStop. 2012. Accessed November 12, 2012. http://baltimore.hopstop.com/transit_map?tmid=719049284. Housing Authority of Baltimore City. "Public Housing." Baltimore Housing -. 2012. Accessed November 12, 2012. http://www.baltimorehousing.org/public_housing.asp. Live Baltimore. "Downtown." Live in Baltimore -. 2012. Accessed November 11, 2012. http://www.livebaltimore.com/neighborhoods/list/downtown/. Local Harvest, Inc. "Baltimore Farmers' Market & Bazaar." LocalHarvest. 2012. Accessed November 15, 2012. http://www.localharvest.org/baltimore-farmers-market-bazaar-M2403?p=2 Maryland Hometown Locator. "Baltimore (city) County Physical, Cultural & Historical Features." Maryland Hometown Locator. 2012. Accessed November 10, 2012. http://maryland.hometownlocator.com/features/countyfeatures,scfips,24510,c,baltimore%20%28city%29.cfm. Seton Hill. "Seton Hill Historic District Downtown Baltimore." Seton Hill Historic District Downtown Baltimore. 2012. Accessed November 12, 2012. http://www.setonhill.org/. Union Square. "Discover Baltimore." Union Square. 2012. Accessed November 12, 2012. http://www.union-square.us/. United States Census Bureau. (2012). Baltimore city QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau. Baltimore City QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau. Retrieved November 7, 2012, from http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/24/24510.html Visit Baltimore 3. "Attractions." Baltimore. 2012. Accessed November 12, 2012. http://baltimore.org/attractions/. Visit Baltimore. "Convention Facilities." Baltimore Restaurants, Museums, Inner Harbor, Ravens Football, Orioles Baseball and More. 2012. Accessed November 12, 2012. http://baltimore.org/about-baltimore/convention-facilities. Visit Baltimore. "Interactive Map of Baltimore." Baltimore Maps. 2012. Accessed November 11, 2012. http://baltimore.org/maps. Visit Maryland 2. "Baltimore Hotel, Accommodation and Vacation Packages." Baltimore.Org. 2012. Accessed November 12, 2012. http://baltimore.org/hotels-and-accommodations/downtown-hotels. Read More