62 replies to this topic

[BSLChrisStoner]

Baltimore Business Journal: Inner Harbor redevelopment plan shows vision for 'next 20-plus years'
http://www.bizjourna...ent-plan.html#!

[JeffLong]

Baltimore Business Journal: Inner Harbor redevelopment plan shows vision for 'next 20-plus years'
http://www.bizjourna...ent-plan.html#!

 

Baltimore Sun article: http://www.baltimore...0,1170992.story

 

My favorite quote:

 

 "Probably the biggest immediate opportunity that could have one of the greatest impacts is to redo the Rash Field areas," [city planning director Thomas] Stosur said. "Right now, that is a place that a lot of people kind of walk by to get somewhere else. It's not a place that, maybe unless you're a volleyball player, that really is something that stops and grabs you."

[DJ MC]

Baltimore Sun article: http://www.baltimore...0,1170992.story

 

My favorite quote:

 

When I was a kid I used to go to science classes at the Science Center on Saturdays, and my dad would walk me around Rash Field afterwards (I liked seeing the Pride of Baltimore memorial, among others). That was 25 years ago, and I'm pretty sure that entire area is exactly the same.

 

I find the footbridge idea interesting, although I don't know how practical it would be. Rerouting northbound Light Street back to the intersection with Pratt probably should have been done years ago, and I had heard that the city wanted to take down the fountain, so turning that into an open space connected to the harbor would make the whole area stronger.

[KRL224]

As someone who has played volleyball at Rash Field 2-3 days a week for the last 5 summers, I'm not sure I can adequately express my frustrations after reading that article. Not to say that improvements aren't necessary, but it often seems that they have gone out of their way to be unaccommodating to Baltimore Beach. Having access to those courts is the primary reason I have lived in the city for as long as I have.

[Oriole85]

Baltimore Sun: Outdoor ice skating rink planned for Baltimore's Inner Harbor

 

The city's spending panel approved a five-year agreement Wednesday with the Waterfront Partnership for the creation of the rink, but first the nonprofit must raise $450,000.

Laurie Schwartz, president of the Waterfront Partnership, said the organization is seeking sponsorships to establish the rink, which the organization sees as a major holiday attraction at the harbor, featuring seasonal decorations, skating lessons and a warming tent.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Balt Biz Journal: Harborplace owner Ashkenazy wants redesigned pavilions

http://www.bizjourna...ed.html?ana=fbk

 

Yes, a million times this.

And get rid of Ripley's... looks cheesy.

[NewMarketSean]

They can say what they want but until they lower the rent so local places can afford the space, they will continue to be occupied by chains.

 

How the old Capitol City Brewing Co. space has remained vacant for so long (is it still?) is beyond me with that view.

[PatrickDougherty]

The insides of the pavilions feel old and stale. I'm all for cleaning it up and making it worth going to, like a fancy Cross Street Market. I would love local places to house it, but I agree with Sean, the asking price is too high to get a DiPasquale's or the like in there. Best case scenario right now is you get a corporate-owned local name like Nick's.

[BSLChrisStoner]

No problem with chains. Just target better chains.  Ripley's being there is an embarrassment.

 

More National Harbor, less OC boardwalk.

[NewMarketSean]

No problem with chains. Just target better chains.  Ripley's being there is an embarrassment.

 

More National Harbor, less OC boardwalk.

Ripley's actually pays the rent. People obviously visit, or else it would be closed.

 

I agree, we should strive for better tenants but what they have right now is what they deserve based on the rent.

[mweb08]

No problem with chains. Just target better chains.  Ripley's being there is an embarrassment.

 

More National Harbor, less OC boardwalk.

 

I don't see why Ripley's is an embarrassment. Not that I'm advocating for it, I just don't see what the issue is.

 

Ultimately, for me, the goal should be to make the Inner Harbor more like the Fells waterfront area, so primarily good local places. Mix that with a few chains and the aquarium, museum, and ships, etc, and that's a good place for tourists and locals alike. 

[NewMarketSean]

I wonder how many of these tourists are actually locals, from Baltimore County, Carroll County, AA County and others.

 

Sure, you get some out of towners there too, but I bet tourists are a mix of locals and legit tourists. I post on the Trip Advisor forum for Baltimore and a lot of people do come in from out of town, and they're actually the ones who want recommendations for real, local flavor so I also wonder how many of them hang at Harborplace more than a walk-through. It's basically our Times Square -- a place to see once and then never return to.

 

So they are right to try to change that line of thinking. But since it is a prime spot, it will always be expensive, crowded and touristy. But it would be nice to give tourists more local flavor than the generic crap they have there now.

[mweb08]

I wonder how many of these tourists are actually locals, from Baltimore County, Carroll County, AA County and others.

 

Sure, you get some out of towners there too, but I bet tourists are a mix of locals and legit tourists. I post on the Trip Advisor forum for Baltimore and a lot of people do come in from out of town, and they're actually the ones who want recommendations for real, local flavor so I also wonder how many of them hang at Harborplace more than a walk-through. It's basically our Times Square -- a place to see once and then never return to.

 

So they are right to try to change that line of thinking. But since it is a prime spot, it will always be expensive, crowded and touristy. But it would be nice to give tourists more local flavor than the generic crap they have there now.

 

Fells on and near Thames Street is also a prime spot that sees a lot of people visit from out of the city, yet it has much more of a local flavor.

 

I would like to see more of a hybrid. Have some of the chains like the ones on the other side of Pratt (Shake Shack, P.F. Changs, Fogo, etc) and a few others like Chipotle and maybe Cheesecake Factory since it's very popular, but get some more local places in there like we've seen with Family Meal for instance.

[BSLChrisStoner]

I don't see why Ripley's is an embarrassment. Not that I'm advocating for it, I just don't see what the issue is.

 

Ultimately, for me, the goal should be to make the Inner Harbor more like the Fells waterfront area, so primarily good local places. Mix that with a few chains and the aquarium, museum, and ships, etc, and that's a good place for tourists and locals alike. 

 

My take is that it's trashy, and just not a good look.

 

Not sure if you've been to the National Harbor, but imo that should be the goal.

 

To Sean's point.... Ripley's paying rent... and obviously there is something to be said for that. However, as a tourist destination and first-impression point for many for the city... you want Harborplace (and the Gallery) to give off a more sophisticated vibe. Something that gives a good impression... higher end shops and restaurants. So Ashkenazy needs to effectively give space away to help entice those shops and restaurants to come. Then you feed off each other.

(And build off further by making it easier for people to move from Fed Hill, to downtown, to Harbor East, to Fells, to Canton.)

 

Ultimately you want a place that shows wells for tourists, but also entices the surrounding metro to make more day trips and visit that much more often. So I think your goals make sense there.

 

I just get annoyed with the people of Baltimore who are satisfied with Baltimore being a John Waters kitschy narrative. For me, Ripley's is an example of that.

 

[SportsGuy]

National Harbor is nice but I'm not impressed with the restaurants there.

So, I agree that it should LOOK better but I would want better stores/restaurants there.

To me, the IH isn't much of a draw anymore. Yes, the aquarium is nice but it's been the same for years, save for a few exhibits here and there. There are some decent places to eat but the better restaurants in the are elsewhere.

So, if you want that to be a draw(and by that I mean the people who live in and around the area), improve it, make it nicer, heighten security and more people will want to go.

[mweb08]

National Harbor is nice but I'm not impressed with the restaurants there.

So, I agree that it should LOOK better but I would want better stores/restaurants there.

To me, the IH isn't much of a draw anymore. Yes, the aquarium is nice but it's been the same for years, save for a few exhibits here and there. There are some decent places to eat but the better restaurants in the are elsewhere.

So, if you want that to be a draw(and by that I mean the people who live in and around the area), improve it, make it nicer, heighten security and more people will want to go.

 

FYI: There's a new touch tank exhibit at the aquarium. And the main tank underwent a renovation recently.

 

The Science Center is nice. You should take your son when he gets older.

 

I personally don't think security is an issue.

[SportsGuy]

FYI: There's a new touch tank exhibit at the aquarium.

The Science Center is nice. You should take your son when he gets older.

I personally don't think security is an issue.

Yea I know...in your world, everything is great in terms of security.

In all seriousness, the IH has a stereotype....and any stereotype that exists, exists for a reason.

So, how do you fix that? You provide a better police presence and give people the impression it's safer.

For me, in my experiences down there, what you see in some areas is much better than the IH. The city should want that and they should want a better look, on every way and that look will keep the people coming.

[mweb08]

Yea I know...in your world, everything is great in terms of security.

In all seriousness, the IH has a stereotype....and any stereotype that exists, exists for a reason.

So, how do you fix that? You provide a better police presence and give people the impression it's safer.

For me, in my experiences down there, what you see in some areas is much better than the IH. The city should want that and they should want a better look, on every way and that look will keep the people coming.

 

It exists because there's pansies like you.

 

I really don't see why there would be much of a security concern at the harbor. 

 

I get why people that live in their suburban or country bubbles would potentially be concerned, but that doesn't mean they have a legit concern.

[SportsGuy]

It exists because there's pansies like you.
 
I really don't see why there would be much of a security concern at the harbor. 
 
I get why people that live in their suburban or country bubbles would potentially be concerned, but that doesn't mean they have a legit concern.

Well, plenty of the city is a shit hole. That being said, I would agree that at the harbor, it's more perception than reality. But that doesn't really matter. How someone perceives something is enough to keep them away.

Personally, I don't really go to th Harbor because I think it's a shit hole with garbage restaurants. I wouldn't mind going during the day more often to paddle boat and shit like that but if I go out in the city, I'm going to harbor east or some of the better restaurants down there.

Just no need to go to harbor place unless you want to drastically overpay for mediocre food and retail items.

[mweb08]

Well, plenty of the city is a shit hole. That being said, I would agree that at the harbor, it's more perception than reality. But that doesn't really matter. How someone perceives something is enough to keep them away.

Personally, I don't really go to th Harbor because I think it's a shit hole with garbage restaurants. I wouldn't mind going during the day more often to paddle boat and shit like that but if I go out in the city, I'm going to harbor east or some of the better restaurants down there.

Just no need to go to harbor place unless you want to drastically overpay for mediocre food and retail items.

 

Well a few extra cops isn't going to change the perception much IMO. The perception has a lot more to do with other parts of the city and the types of people that have that perception than it does with the harbor itself.

 

I wouldn't call the harbor a shit hole, but it's not generally a destination for me. It's nice to walk through when walking to the East Side though.