FEDERAL HILL: Federal Hill, a showcase neighborhood for the city that is truly a paradox. It is among the most historic of neighborhoods in a very historic city. The architecture and cobblestoned streetscapes appear much as they did over the last two centuries. Lovely brick rowhouses line quiet narrow streets away from the main thoroughfares. Its namesake landmark park was once a fort protecting the Inner Harbor, affording it a remarkable iconic view of the city. Its bustling business district has a hometown feel in spite of the shadows from Downtown skyscrapers. (My Brooklyn reference might be Boerum Hill) Yet this is far from a museum. It is one of the hottest communities in the city with some of its best nightlife, if you are of a certain age that is. Federal Hill could also be called Millennial Hill. Hence the paradox- That 21st century coming of age generation dominates life here. Historic Cross Street Market has just been reinvented to cater to their sensibilities. On Saturday afternoons all the watering holes, including the Millennial must-have biergarten, are filled with young people nominally watching college sports but really just having a fun time socializing and playing games with friends. The community’s proximity to Camden Yards makes it a really popular place for Baltimore Orioles & Ravens fans to celebrate, or commiserate about, their team (depends on which season it is). At this point I am reminded of one of my early experiences in this neighborhood. Many years ago two Yankee fan friends & I attended a Yankees vs. Orioles game (which turned out to be Iron Man Oriole Cal Ripken’s last consecutive game). Afterwards my buddies wanted to go for drinks. Instead of hitting one of the numerous sports bars in nearby Ridgely’s Delight or the Inner Harbor I took them to Fed Hill (as it’s referred to) to hit one of the bars there. We found one that looked like fun, and as my Orioles lost, I bought the first round. As I was heading back to my gloating friends balancing 3 pints, I bumped into a human wall of a man, apologized and continued on to my friends, who were now glaring at me speechless and wide-eyed. When I asked why, I looked back and immediately knew. At the time the Yankees had a pitcher named David Wells who was built more like a WWE wrestler than a baseball player. He had previously played with the O’s so he knew the good local haunts. That giant wall of a man I spilled beer on was him. He was with some Australian teammate of his, Graeme Lloyd. I think my friends thought he would beat the living daylights out of me. I figured Wells was definitely a beer guy and Lloyd an Aussie so they both knew beer spillage was part of the game. Both players were really cool about it, and after my starstruck friends in Yankees gear made fools of themselves, he even bought us a round. As the artist Bob Ross used to say “happy little accidents”. I wonder how many Millennials know who David Wells or Bob Ross is? Anyway, Federal Hill was and still is a good time, and a great place to live, especially for people in their late 20s!
RIVERSIDE: Like Remington, before I moved to Baltimore I had never heard of Riverside. However, unlike Remington, I had actually been there before, several times actually. I just thought it was a quiet part of renowned Federal Hill. I am sure I am not the only one to make that mistake. Both communities feature small, sometimes historic homes on atmospheric streets that look like they have been there decades upon decades. Therefore there is no hard delineation between the two. Railroad tracks, a shopping center, and Key Highway provide a visible eastern physical boundary with Locust Point, but that does not exist to the west. There are a few things though the make Riverside distinct on the South Baltimore peninsula. First, one will notice that the streets are much quieter than those of its more famous neighbor. Few drunken revelers here. While still substantially a Millennial neighborhood, these people seem to have kids, and while popular Federal Hill Park is nearby, many families utilize sizable Riverside Park with its pool, large green space, and ballfields, but without the tourists. The park also illustrates something else about this neighborhood, it is not focused on the Inner Harbor. While Federal Hill Park is a well known vantage point for lovely post card pictures of the Inner Harbor & Downtown Baltimore, Riverside Park affords a lovely view of Interstate 95! If an asphalt ribbon is your thing, bring your camera, this is the place for you. But this is fine, it keeps the park for its residents. Another difference separating Fed Hill & Riverside is something that you can only find when looking at real estate ads. Housing prices in Riverside are considerably lower than those in neighboring Fed Hill, for pretty much the same home but a slightly less historic vibe. I guess you pay for the panache that notoriety brings. As it is a small community one can get all the benefits of living in Fed Hill and proximity to the shopping centers in Locust Point,without the cost! I am constantly surprised at how affordable it is. Riverside might just be the best kept open secret in Baltimore! Maybe I shouldn’t post this blog entry until I buy a house there, if I don’t buy one in Mount Vernon that is.
You captured ‘my’ neighborhood well. I look forward to seeing future posts.