Federal Hillsider

FederalHillsider

The Monthly Newsletter of the Federal Hill Neighborhood Association November 2013

Federal Hill Thinking Green Wins “One Park” Award

By Eric Costello

On Wednesday, October 23rd, Federal Hill Thinking Green (FHTG) was awarded the Parks & People Foundations most prestigious honor, the One Park Award. The award is presented annually to one exceptional community-based group that proposed and recently completed a neighborhood greening project that has made a significantly positive impact on Baltimore’s environment, neighborhoods, and residents.

A special thanks goes out to FHTG’s partners at the Federal Hill Business Association, Federal Hill Hospitality Association, Federal Hill Main Street, Baltimore Gas & Electric, and Parks & People for their generous donations and support. Rich Polan has done an extraordinary amount of work over the past two decades and his passion for trees has put us in a position to get this program off the ground and running. We would be remiss not to mention the amazing financial, administrative, and marketing support from Gayle McClure and Scotti Offutt. In addition, Peg McCarthy and the Federal Hill Neighborhood Association Grants Committee members were instrumental in securing a grant from BGE. Over the past 20 months we have raised over $34,000, which is truly a testament to the commitment of our community partners and volunteers.

When we first started talking about FHTG, from an FHNA perspective, we sought to cultivate relationships among our groups that had been neglected and to bridge the gap between residents and local businesses in a meaningful way. I believe we have made great strides in both of these areas and will continue to do so. These efforts have dramatically improved our tree canopy to everyone's benefit. Further, this recognition indicates that we have set the standard for working together to green a community in Baltimore City.

We are looking forward to continuing to enhance this program under Rich's leadership and with the support of our community partners and elected leaders. Please stay tuned! Remember, this is one of the many reasons we can proudly say Federal Hill is the best our City has to offer.

Federal Hill Thinking Green Awarded the Parks & People One Park Award (pictured from left to right: Jacqueline Carrera, President of Parks & People; Eric Costello; Rich Polan; and Delegate Pete Hammen)

Covington St. Parking Free 9 pm to 8 am for Vehicles with Area 9 Decals Only

Residents holding Area 9 decals now have 75 new on-street parking spaces available to them. New signage added to Covington St., between Key Highway and Grindall St., specifies that vehicles with Area 9 decals do not have to pay for metered parking between 9 pm and 8 am. Free parking is available 7 nights a week.

Cars with Area 9 visitor passes are not eligible for free parking. The 24-hour meters on this block of Covington will be in force during these night-time hours except for vehicles showing an Area 9 decal.

Councilman Bill Cole, who worked hard to make this change possible, says that Covington St. is the only street with metered parking in Baltimore city that offers a conversion to residential usage.

November 2013 Federalhillbaltimore.org Federal Hillsider

Federal Hill Neighborhood AssociationBoard of Directors

OfficersPresident: Eric Costello 410.528.1514Vice President: Jody Martin 410.332.0539Treasurer: Gayle McClure 410.230.9419 Secretary: Kelly Sheehan 410.962.1096

Board Members at Large

Board Member: Bob O’Donoghue 443.366.5736Board Member: Ginny Gerhart 443.271.3218Board Member: Joe Halperin 410.332.4170Board Member: Bob Merbler 443.629.0162Board Member Claire Bogdanski 410.625.0392

Recycling and Trash Schedule:Set out by 6 a.m.

Trash on Wednesday (in cans with tight-fitting lids)Recycling on Friday

REMINDER!! Please put your recyclable materials in paper bags, cardboard boxes, City recycle bins or any container clearly marked “recycle”; at the same location as your regular trash. DO NOT USE PLASTIC BAGS. With single stream recycling, we send our materials to a processing facility which uses an automated system to sort and bale recyclables.

INFORMATION PAGE

FHNA CommitteesConsider Getting Involved

Please contact any of the Board members listed nearby and express your interest. You will be welcomed.

Beautification/Green: Walt SaxonBlock Captains: OpenGrants: Peg McCarthy

Hillsider: Jeannie Malkiewicz Bob O’Donoghue Ginny Gerhart

Liquor Advisory: Diana Sugg

Membership: Eric Costello Bob Merbler

Parking: Eric Costello Ginny Gerhart

Preservation/Design: John ThompsonPublic Safety: Lynn HalperinSchools Liaison: Jessica DamenSocial: OpenSouth Harbor Renaissance Liaison: Claire JohnsonTechnology: Jennifer NelsonTrees: Rich Polan

Bulk Item Pick UpYou may place up to three items out for collection. One day per month is set aside for this collection. All citizens have to do is call 311 and give the following information:

Your addressYour telephone #

What 3 itemsCall 3 or more working days before your scheduled date. If you do not know your day, please call 311. You may also schedule a collection at 311 Online.

To Request City ServicesCall 311 6am to 10pm or Online 24 hours at

www.baltimore.customerservicerequest.org


Healthy Smile, Happy Holiday Season

Denise M. Markoff, DDS, FAGD 835 Light Street, Baltimore, MD 21230

410.561.6483 BaltimoreSedation.com

Don’t let a busy schedule this time of year stop you from taking the time to take care of yourself! Federal Hill Smiles offers an array of dental services with or without Sedation Dentistry. Dr. Markoff and her team cater to each and every patients’ needs and want you to have a smile you’re proud of!

Sedation Dentistry Cosmetic Dentistry Dental Implants Orthodontics General Dentistry

Dr. Denise Markoff is licensed as a General Dentist in the state of MD.

$100 OFF Comprehensive New Patient Visit

FREE Sedation Consultation

New patients only. New patient visit value: $417. Exp. 12/31/2013. Not valid with other discounts. Used in conjunction with dental insurance.

Federal Hill Smiles.

New patients only. Value $110. Exp. 12/31/2013. Not valid with other discounts. Used in conjunction with dental insurance. Does not include

exam and x-rays. Federal Hill Smiles.

State Farm, Bloomington, IL

State Farm® has a long tradition of being there. That’s one reason why I’m proud to support The Federal Hill Community.

Get to a better State®

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Family.Friends.Community.

We’re all in this together.

1211007

Eve Hamper, Agent

1118 Light Street Ste A

Baltimore, MD 21230

Bus: 410-528-8900

Fax: 410-528-7733

[email protected]

Office Hours:

Mon-Fri 9:00am to 5:00pm

Saturday 10:00am to 2:00pm

Evenings by Appointment

Pictured here is the new signage installed along

Covington Street between Key Highway and

Grindall Street

Area 9 parkers with residential

stickers who are searching for a space in

the late evening now have 75

additional spots available


Upcoming Events

FHNA General Membership Meeting

Tuesday November 19th 7 pm

Christ Lutheran Church

Monthly C.O.P. WalkWednesday, November 20th,

7 p.m.Meet in front of Porter’s at the corner of Riverside Avenue

and Cross Street

Walkwithyourneighborsandpoliceofficers

Moonlight Madness and Tree Lighting

will take place Friday, December

13th The evening kicks off with a tree lighting ceremony, complete with carolers and cookies, at the corner of Cross and Charles Street. This event is sponsored by Federal Hill Main Street and the Federal Hill Neighborhood Association. Attendees are encouraged to bring an ornament to decorate the tree. If everyone is good, the festivities should end with a visit from the jolly man in red!

The holiday spirit continues well into the evening with Moonlight Madness, our annual Federal Hill shopping event. From 8pm until midnight, stores will be open and offering progressive discounts and refreshments. There will be free gift wrapping at the Main Street Office (42 East Cross Street), as well as additional activities to add to the holiday fun.

For more details, check out our website, www.historicfederalhill.org, or like us on Facebook (Federal Hill Main Street).

Holiday Decorating Contest Begins

December 1By Clark Griswold

The Third Annual Federal Hill HolidayDecorating Contest is setto begin December 1st, with anAwards Ceremony on Tuesday the 17th. What time of year is better than the holidays for getting outside and making friends with your neighbors? It's a great excuse and the cheer is contagious! Creativity is encouraged. The awards committee does not compete, so you might stand a better chance than you think. For more information or to enter, email Clark at [email protected] and check out http://www.federalhillholiday.com/. Thewebsite offers great tips for putting up lighting.


THAI YUM

“Baltimore’s Best Thai Restaurant”

Baltimore Sun, Oct., 2010

www.thaiyum.com1006 Light St., Federal Hill

410.528.2146

“Every step gets you closer to your dream home”

[email protected]


TheU.S.FoodandDrugAdministration(FDA)recentlyannounced they have received approximately 3,000 reports of pet illness, including 580 deaths, related to pet jerkytreats importedfromChina.TheFDAstartedreceivingreportsofpetillnessin2007.Despiteextensiveinvestigation and testing, a cause has yet to be identified. Reports of illness have occurred predominantly in dogs, though 10 cats have been reported as being affected as well. Pet jerky treats containing chicken, duck, sweet potato, dried fruit, or combinations of those ingredients have been associated with illness.

Symptoms of illness associated with consumption of jerky treats have included gastrointestinal signs in 60 percent of cases, symptoms of urinary or kidney disease in 30 percent of cases, and symptoms such as hives, skin irritation, tremors, or convulsions in the other 10 percent. Some of the pets exhibiting signs related to the urinary tract and kidneys developed a specific type of kidney disease called Fanconi syndrome. Fanconi syndrome affects the ability of the proximal tubules in the kidney to properly absorb certain nutrients. As a result some nutrients can be lost and excreted into the urine instead

of being resorbed back into the body. Symptoms pet ownersshouldwatchforaredecreasedappetite,lethargy/decreased activity, vomiting, diarrhea, increased drinking, and increased urination.

Some brands of jerky treats were removed from the market in January of 2013 due to low levels of antibiotic residue being detected. The number of reports of illness related to jerky treats has decreased, though it is most likely due to fewer brands being available. At this time FDAofficialsdonotbelievetheantibioticresiduewasthecause of illness in pets, as new cases of illness continue to be reported. It is believed that some type of toxin is causing illness, though to date none has been identified.

Without a definitive cause of illness the FDA has notissuedarecall.However,theFDAhasdevelopeda“factsheet” for concerned pet owners. The link is listed below. Please contact your veterinarian if your pet is exhibiting any signs of illness.http://www.fda.gov/downloads/NewsEvents/Newsroom/FactSheets/UCM371715.pdf

Pet Jerky Treats Related to Pet IllnessJill Shook, DVM, CityPets Veterinary Care & Wellness

We are new to the neighborhood!

Ready to change the way you shop and eat?

Our weekly grocery baskets are now available for pick up at CrossFit Federal Hill every �ursday evening from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm.

Our subscription-based baskets include meat, seafood, dairy, bread, fresh fruits and vegetables, all sourced from regional farms and producers. Our grocery baskets are customizable: we offer different sizes, vegetarian, paleo, lactose-free & gluten-free options. All of this and we are priced to compete with the grocery store right around the corner. Not ready to commit to a subscription? �at’s ok; we offer sample baskets, too.

If you want to put high quality food on your table, all while supporting our regional farms, look no further than Friends & Farms. Our partner, CrossFit Federal Hill, is ready to assist you in achieving your fitness goals. Don’t forget to tour their top-notch fitness facility while you are there.Visit www.friendsandfarms.com or give us a call at 240.842.9121 to see what is planned for upcoming baskets, to order a sample basket, or sign up for weekly baskets.


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Adoptable AARFie of the Month – Mousse! Hi, I'm Mousse. That's not to be confused with Mouse, of course. What I'm still trying to figure out is who leaves a cat by the side of the road, in a cat carrier, all by its lonesome? Thank goodness, I got scooped up, unharmed, and taken to the local animal shelter just in the nick of time. Okay, you can put your Kleenex away. I'm living the good life these days. After you read this, it's going to get even better!

Let's swiftly cover the histrionics. I was previously guesstimated to be around 2 years old. But, I'm more likely a mere 1 year old. I'm a domestic shorthair mix with a svelte, around four pounds, figure. My coat is my crowning glory. It's a bravura amalgamation of black and white. In layman's terms, I'm one foxy tuxedo babe!

Other quick highlights to mention are:• 100%littertrained• Fitasafiddle• Notapickyeater• Lovescarridesinthecatcarrier• Superduperfriendlywithcatsand,especially,dogs• Aficionadaofhumansbigandsmall.

That's it folks! I'm a sweet, loving, gentle, cuddly, little girl. So, let me capture your heartandclaimyourlap.Don'tfightit.Yep,I'myourkittycatdreamcometrue!

Oops, I almost forgot! Please visit www.animalalliesrescue.org right away. My adoption fee is $150, which covers my routine vetting, spaying, vaccinations, microchip, and even 30 days of FREE pet insurance!


Sharon Johnson, owner of Cheese Galore and More at the Cross Street Market, is celebrating the start of her third full year with a contest for foodies. One of the biggest selling items at Cheese Galore and More is the Asiago Spread. While the spread is marketed as “FederalHillCrack,” it’s grown “legs.” It’s traveledfromtheCrossStreetMarkettoNewOrleans,Delaware,the New Jersey and Maryland shore, Buffalo, and even NEW YORK CITY!

Now is a chance to earn your chops as a Federal Hill Foodie! Ms. Johnson is holding a contest to see who can create the tastiest dish using Asiago Spread. The spread is already know to have been mixed into mashed potatoes and spread on top of steaks, besides being spread on all sorts of crackers, toasts, and breads. The contest will come just in time to add a special recipe to the treats you take to holiday parties.

Pick up your entry form from the Cheese Galore and More stall at the Cross Street Market. The contest judging will be held on Saturday, November 9, at 3 PM, at the Cheese Galore and More stall in the middle of the Cross Street Market. Bring your completed application form to the contest along with at least three servings of your special recipe. The completed form will be your admission to the contest. Judges will include Bob

Merbler of Prudential Homesale YWGC Reality on Light St., Connie Crabtree of Catering by Crabtree on W. Montgomery St., and Crystal Moll, Federal Hill’s most noted plein air painter, of Crystal Moll Gallery on S. Charles St. First prize will be a $50 gift certificate to Cheese Galore and More. Second prize will be a $25 gift certificate, and third prize will be a $10 gift certificate or a pound of Asiago Spread!

Cheese Galore and More offers more than 100 different cheeses, each hand cut while you watch to give you the amount you request. Sharon has over 30 years experience in the food service business, and it shows in both her friendly customer service and her knowledge of the cheeses she sells. And what is a good cheese without crackers or a piece of crusty bread? Sharon bakes her own baguettes from dough provided by Tribeca Bakery. And if the smell of freshly baked bread is not enough, it’s often combined with the aroma of freshly ground and brewed Zeke’s Coffee, which you can buy by the cup or the pound, either whole beans or ground. A wide selection of nuts, olives, olive oil, jams, local honey, and crostini made in-house are the perfect accompaniments whether you’re tailgating, making appetizers, or filling a picnic basket.

Cheese Galore and More Foodie Contest to Feature Asiago Spread

New Regulations for Vehicles with Handicap

License or Hang TagVehicles with a handicap license or hang tag now must have an Area 9 decal for parking in Federal Hill during restricted hours. This regulation took effect October 1.

As of January 27, streets in Baltimore with metered parking will have spaces designated for vehicles with handicap licenses or tags. Individuals parking in HC spaces will be required to pay at the meters.

Reminder - Do Not Put Household Goods in or Next to Public Trash Cans

An official from Baltimore’s Department of PublicWorks hasasked us to pass along a request to the neighborhood: “Please donot put out household trash by public trash cans.” He said that the City has asked the trash collectors to start opening bags that seem to come from households and reporting any addresses they find so that the City can fine the property owners.


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Patronize Our Advertisers

The Federal Hillsider is created and distributed completely by volunteers. The advertisers you see on these pages provide nearly all of the revenue for the neighborhood association. In addition, every dollar in excess of printing and distribution expenses goes back into your community.

Previous HillsidersEvery issue from the past year is available online (in color too).

Just go to FederalHillBaltimore.org

and click on “The Hillsider.”

© 2012 PrimeLending, A PlainsCapital Company. Trade/service marks are the property of PlainsCapital Corporation, PlainsCapital Bank, or their respective affiliates and/or subsidiaries. Some products may not be available in all states. This is not a commitment to lend. Restrictions apply. All rights reserved. PrimeLending, A PlainsCapital Company (NMLS no: 13649) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of a state-chartered bank. MD Dept. of Labor, Licensing & Regulation- lender lic no. 11058. 1954 Greenspring Drive, Suite 625, Timonium, Maryland 21093.

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The Hill Street News by Jane Wehrle

ALEX HORTIS, a resident of Grindall Street, moved to Federal Hill from New York in 2006. A corporate lawyer by training, he has written a book that, among other things, focuses on the formative era of the Mafia in the United States and challenges some myths about the modern Mafia and certain historical events. I cannot wait to read it. The Mob and the City tries to answer how Italian gangsters rose so dramatically in the 1910s, becoming the strongest organized crime syndicate in New York City. I love what Amazon has to say about the book: “Forgetwhat you thinkyou know about the Mafia. After reading this book, even life-long mob aficionados will have a new perspective on organized crime. Drawing on an unprecedentedarray of primary sources, The Mob in the City is the most thorough and authentic history of the Mafia’s rise to power in the early-to-mid twentieth century.”

When Alex is not writing about organized crime, his more peaceful pastimes include walking his best friend, his dog BEAN, in Federal Hill Park and enjoying the beautiful rowhouses in the area. He credits reference librarians at the Enoch Pratt Library as terrific aids to his research and told me that he was first inspired to write about the mob by New York University Law Professor James B. Jacobs, the country’s leading academic expert on the modern Mafia. SHARON JOHNSON has really made a name for herself as a savvy businesswoman and a purveyor of what “everybodywants.”A native ofDelaware, shehas lived in Federal Hill for a long time and has lots of friends, but when she opened her business in the CROSS STREET MARKET, she showed us all why she has been so successful in the food industry for the past 20 years.

CHEESEGALOREANDMOREhasbeenahitfromthe very beginning, and if you have not found it yet, you are one of the few. The products themselves are remarkable. But the customer service, product knowledge, and special additions perfectly suited to our area are the great extras that keep bringing folks

continued next page

Every neighborhood has remarkable people, but conversations with numerous residents and business owners this month reinforced my belief that our area is second to none. MAURICE McCRAY has been fashioning custom upholstery for over 30 years and has had a business in Federal Hill for 25 of those. He began his journey to Master Craftsman by walking into the business of STEVEN PACE in Reisterstown and asking if he could have a job and learn. Pace took him on and soon had him working as an apprentice, paying half his salary while another group paid the rest. What a success story this has been.

MAURICE’s HOUSE of ART at 908 S. Charles Street is indeed a house of art, doing a thriving business extending throughout the city, Baltimore County, DC,andintoVirginiaandbeyond.Fatheroffiveandgrandfather of four, this family guy has many loyal, beloved customers in Federal Hill-Sobo and says he loves the feeling of cooperation and support he gets from his fellow business owners in the area and from residents. He knows so many people and feels bonded to them in a hard-to-describe way.

I asked him about the number one item for his shop, and he quickly responded that in the past his answer would have been wing chairs. These days, however, every piece is something different. I’ll share with you what I believe to be the most beautiful, unique masterpiece that I’ve ever seen him create: an antique lounge sofa he didforSANDISEWARDwithsilkfabricswatchesshebrought home from a trip to India. I was and remain in awe of this masterpiece, his workmanship, and Sandi’s vision in imagining it.


back and have them spreading the word to more and more people.

Here’s an example. If the neighborhood gets enthused about movie nights at Federal Hill Park, Sharon comes upwith“justright”specialtytraysmadeforyourpick-up before the event. If the tailgating blitz is on, Cheese Galore is your place for food items and the accessories for toting them. I was particularly interested in finding out what the hot sellers are these days besides the now famous Asiago spread. The leaders include seven-year aged Quebec cheddar, Gunpowder Blue, made in Wisconsin and aged in Baltimore, Triple Cream (Brie) DeliceBourgogne,Marconaalmonds,andlocalhoney.Somehow, Sharon knew bread baked fresh daily would be an instant hit. It continues to be! I’m certain that ThanksgivingandDecemberwillseeevenmorenewand special items offered there. ARIKA PEVENSTEIN is another remarkable talent in our area, and I’m mentioning her even though she and husband SCOTT have been known to root for that football team from Washington, DC. A long-time business consultant, Arika loves animals and got involved in animal rescue efforts. This passion led to working side by side with BARCs and eventually to a close relationship with former Federal Hill resident SALLY JENKINS. That friendship later led to Arika’s becoming the founder and president of ANIMAL ALLIES RESCUE FOUNDATION (AARF),a rescue group very active throughout the area today. Her collaborative efforts continue with BARCs, numerous businesses, and other animal rescue groups.

Recently, working with new Federal Hill resident KELLY STEGMAN, AARF was part of a special event withWHOLEFOODS.AARFalsohadanimpressivebooth at BARCSTOBERFEST on October 26. Visit www.animalalliesrescue.org to see adoptable pets, to get more information on upcoming events, and to donate to this terrific group. Help save a life and bring joy into your own.

IalsoheardfromDigitalHarborHighstudentCODYDORSEYthismonth.HeandIhavebeenfriendsforalmost two years now, and I am hoping for great things for him in life. Cody sent me word that he is a member of the Board of School Commissioners for Baltimore City Public Schools. I asked him to explain his duties and that of the commission.

“TheBoard”hereported,“istaskedwithhiringanewCEO for city schools. I am a student voice behind the scenes—recording robocalls, meeting with the hiring firm, and giving my opinions at public board meetings.” He is proud to be the first student from DigitalHarborHighto become Student Commissioner and will serve until June 30, 2014. He sees his first priorities as going to school everyday and striving for academic success. He remarked with great candor, “AlthoughI represent 85,000 students, I try not to be a symbol for them since we are all uniquely different. I am just a student who happens to be on the board, who has dreams, who has disappointments, and who often struggles academically.” He cited Assistant Principal Dr. Newsome as a leading supporter and source ofencouragement.

I am going to mention a long-time friend to conclude this article that highlights just a few of the fascinating people in our neighborhood. GAYLE McCLURE’s work as a businesswoman, community volunteer and activist, interior decorator, and elegant entertainer place her easily in this category. But reflection on a recent conversation with her brought into focus the fact that her extended family has in many ways become the face of patriotic service to our nation for me.

Gayle and I were discussing a trip she and husband RON PATES, who serves in the Air Force, made earlier this year to Philadelphia and how both of our families had had similar intellectual and emotional responses to our latest visits to the historic landmarks there. Gayle’s husband and her son TONY are both in

continued next page


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Phone: 410.539.5505tedmaherlaw.com [email protected]

the Air Force, and though Kenny has been home for a few months, he is being deployed again to Afghanistan in November. His deployments overseas have been numerous, and he is often in harm’s way. I do not think I need elaborate on why I think this service warrants a special nod for character, bravery, and caring on multiple levels. Gayle’s entire family deserves the respect and a salute from us all, especially as we head toward VeteransDayinearlyNovember.

901 S. Charles 410-539-7757


Tuesday November 19th 7 pm

Christ Lutheran Church


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817 S Charles St – $395,000Stunning 3 BR, 2 BA home in the heart of Federal Hill! Features hardwood floors, exposed brick, wood burning fireplace in living room & gourmet kitchen w/ granite counters, SS appliances, built in wine rack & breakfast bar. Lower suite w/ BR full BA & custom cedar closet. Also w/ private rear patio, balcony off BR & top level family room w/ wet bar & large roof deck! Perfect for entertaining!

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Lic. No. 136An Old Geezer and two Princesses at the Riverside Halloween Bash October 27th


di · [s]sec′ · ting the Baltimore Rowhouse(and exploring its impact on life in the City)

by Jim Hall

continued next page

Part 10 - Renovating the Baltimore Rowhouse (part two)

rowhouse owner’s reality: Don’t fix up your house before selling it to a renovator. When I arrived on Grindall Street I met a nice young man and his family who lived across the street. He saw the coming change to the street as an opportunity to sell his house in the inner-city slums and buy a nice house in the City’s southern suburb of Brooklyn. He also decided that he could get more money for the house if he finished the low-ceilinged and really dingy cellar. He could create a family room out of the mess. Throughout that summer, he brought home 2x4s and 4x8 sheets of paneling tied to the roof of his car with ropes strung through the open windows. And then he would hammer all night. He was incredibly industrious. Finally, he fastened the for sale sign to the front wall. Later that month, the for sale sign disappeared and a huge green dumpster appeared in front of the house. And then one day in the following week, I came home from work, looked across the street, and saw the smashed sheets and slivers of all of that paneling sticking out of the top of the dumpster like a bunch of cracked, restaurant style, corn chips stuck into the top of a giant, rectangular, frosted cupcake.

rowhouse owner’s reality: When is a fireplace not a fireplace? After I had lived in lived Baltimore for a couple of years, a friend of mine from graduate school called and told me that he had married a classmate and that they had both found jobs and moved to Baltimore – and, that they had purchased a porch-front rowhouse in Charles Village. They invited me over to visit and together we could check out their new house. We spent the afternoon enjoying the elaborate, though somewhat funky, dark brown details and the generous scale of the rooms. Just before dinner, we ended up in the living room (oops, parlor)staringatitsgloriousfireplace. But the fireplace had a plain, rectangular panelunder themantel, covering up the part where the firewould be. Almost in the same instant, all three of us

thought: Why don’t we open up the fireplace; we could buy andirons; and then we could enjoy a real fire. My friend didn’t have a crowbar, but he found a hammer. We attacked the panel with vigor. But after we pulled its shattered remains from the opening, we all gasped in horror.Therewasnofireplacebackthere– just a dark, irregular space, bounded by the back side of sections of walls with plaster oozing through the slots between the stripsof lath, and someoldyellowed timbers.Didwefeel stupid?Didwe feel stupid?Do I, after all of theyears that have since passed, still feel stupid?

renovator’s mantra: Today every thing is so flimsy: it’s not like the old days when they built houses so carefully.

Well this mantra is only partially true. In the old days, structural and material decisions were based on tradition, not engineering calculations. For the most part the older houses were overbuilt, but sometimes, because the builders really didn’t understand engineering principles, certain structural elements were woefully undersized.

In truth however, houses for the middle class and wealthy were built as carefully as the builder knew how; but houses for the working-class and the poor were built as quickly and cheaply as possible, and not that carefully. In my houses, Mr. Grindall (a bricklayer who married the daughter of the rich man who lived in the big house on Montgomery Street, became a developer and builder, and named the new street after himself) utilized used lumber (you can still see the remains of earlier mortise and tenon joints in the middle of some of the beams) for framing and studs. Another one of my houses is 4 inches wider in the back than in the front. In renovating a working-class rowhouse you sometimes wonder whether the builder even owned a level or a ruler.

renovator’s mantra: Renovators can never know how much work will be involved until they open up the walls.


continued next page

Actually, this one is almost always true.

renovator’s mantra: Never sandblast a brick wall. Absolutely true! Sandblasting destroys the dense outermost layer of the bricks in the wall. This allows water to be sucked into the pores of each brick every time it rains, which eventually causes the outer surfaces of the brick to separate and slough-off.

And the damage is really accelerated during a winter freeze-thaw cycle, when the water inside the brick expands as it freezes. There is no way to save these damaged bricks; coating them with a sealer just makes everything worse. You can replace individual damaged bricks withmatchingbricksifyoucanfindthemorcarefullyextract some damaged bricks and turn them around. But most of the time, you just have to live with the damaged bricks wall. In the worst cases however, you just might have to rebuild the entire wall with new bricks.

renovator’s mantra: When repointing a rowhouse front wall, the mortar really counts

Before the 1900’s, the mortar of Baltimore rowhouses was made with bank (from stream banks) sand (tan) and lime cement (virtually colorless when hardened). The mortar was always a medium to light tan in color: it was never white; it was never ever gray. And the mortar was soft enough to crumble a little bit during the freeze-thaw cycles in the winter. This softness prevented the transfer of pressure from the expanding freezing water in the mortar joints to the adjacent bricks, which would have caused the brick faces to deteriorate and slough-off. This softness was on purpose, it was functional and is still important today: you repoint the mortarjointeverythirtytofiftyyearsandthebrickswilllast for hundreds and hundreds.

Be careful; don’t mess with these historical and physical realities: the mortar you use on your front wall really makes a difference.

renovator’s dilemma: Is it ok to expose those interior brick walls?

Exposing the, unfinished brick guts of interiorrowhouse walls for decorative purposes is a totally modern idea. Although today, we might describe the resultant exposed brick wall as a beautiful rectangular panel with a colorful, rich texture that also pays homage to the past; the original rowhouse builders and residents

would have been appalled. They couldn’t conceive of anyone wanting to show off that crumbly mess. Their rowhouse was a proper place, a place to be proud of: it was not a rustic barn, or dirty old log cabin. I do believe that it is an obligation of the renovator to be very thoughtful in renovating the exterior of the rowhouse because this work has a major impact on the visual and historical integrity of the row, the rest of the neighborhood, and the City as a whole. But for me, maintaining all of the original surfaces and details in the interior of every rowhouse in Baltimore is a somewhat different issue. After all, every rowhouse is not a House Museum. And what if some of the original rooms are too convoluted and small to be useful? What if most, or even some, of the existing surfaces and decorative elements are badly damaged or already gone? Surely, one of the true wonders of Baltimore rowhouses is how well they have managed to handle change and survive.

Thoughtfully resolving this dilemma is sometimes reallydifficult. Idobelieve that itwouldbe justplainirresponsible to disregard or discard the most beautiful, intact elements of the original interior architecture. My take on this issue is that if original, high quality, interior elements of the house are not destroyed; it is sometimes (probably) ok to expose that brick wall.

In any case, if you plan to renovate a rowhouse in a Historic District within the City, make sure to share your plans with your Historic District neighborhoodrepresentatives and get them approved by the Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation (CHAP) staff and, if necessary, the CHAP Commission itself. That is the law. And if you live anywhere within the City and plan to carefully renovate the exterior of your rowhouse and not destroy any significant historical orarchitectural details inside, contact and work with CHAP before you begin any work. If your plans are approved, you will be eligible for Historic Tax Credits, which will saveyouasignificantamountofCitytaxesforyearsandyears to come.

renovator’s treasurer boxEvery renovator I have met has a box of sacred

treasures they have found while working on their house and grounds. I have three (and am still working on two) adjacent 1888 working-class rowhouses on the backside of Federal Hill in South Baltimore. Here are some of the contents of my box:

• marbles, lots of marbles


an action • comic book that illustrates with drawings and dialog how those nasty, evil Japanese are killing our innocent American boys

a tiny, black, early electrical fuse box, slathered •with pale green house paint and equipped with two 15 amp fuses

a 4 square inch shard of a porcelain trade-ware •plate from China (The deep blue etched drawing is sumptuous.) afistsizedchunkofpure,white,potteryquality•

clay (This came out of the deep trench that I was digging under my end party wall for its new, and firsteverfooting.(Mr.Grindallhadjustscrapedashallow trench in the dirt and began laying brick)). Just before the footing was poured, I crawled under the party wall into the crawl space inside and survived.) (Oh, and my soils engineer said that this type of clay was called slip-and-slide. It came sandwiched in layers between sand lenses. When

wet, the layers can suddenly slip out from under any load from above. He also said that if this clay was discovered under a highway during construction, all of it had to be removed and replaced with good soil before the construction could continue. I said, “Ohmygosh!”andasked,“Will thenewfootingwork?”He replied, “Itmight, but sometimes theadditional weight of the footing itself causes the ground to slide.”) aflatwarespoon• rusty bicycle parts • a rusty, two-man saw blade without the handles •

(thistreasuredoesnotfitinthebox)some Canadian change •and a large, bent, railroad spike.•

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Join with Friends December 10 for Main Street’s Festive Flavors

Festive Flavors, Federal Hill's night of progressive holiday fun, will take place on Tuesday,December10th.Joinusasgroupsof revelers visit neighborhood businesses, bars, and restaurants for an evening of good cheer. Attendees are part of smaller groups who visit a scheduled set of spots for food and drinks.

Festive Flavors is a great opportunity to kick off the holiday season with friends and neighbors. Come out and discover some new neighborhood spots and also visit some of your Federal Hill favorites.

Tickets are $55 and include food and beverages (gratuities not included). They will be available in November by visiting www.historicfederalhill.org or stopping by the Main Street Office at 42 East Cross Street.

Monthly C.O.P. WalkWednesday, November 20th,

7 p.m.Meet in front of Porter’s at the corner of Riverside Avenue

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Tuesday November 19th, 7 pmChrist Lutheran Church

Baltimore Rally for Digital Harbor!

Give Youth Scholarships to Baltimore MakerCamp!

By Andrew Coy, Executive Director Digital Harbor Foundation

When the South Baltimore Rec Center was slated to close down in 2012, a group of educators and technologists came together united by a vision of transforming the Rec Center into a Tech Center. In January 2013, three months after the Rec Center's doors closed, the DigitalHarborFoundationreopenedthespaceastheDHFTechCenter,ayouth-centered makerspace.

Our first summer of programs, MakerCamp 2013, served more than 90 unique students who put in a total of over 5,600 hours of making! More than 80 percent of youths received full or partial scholarships, and everyone benefited from breakfast and lunch served for free at the Tech Center. This was only possible due to ongoingsupportfromDHF'sBoardof Trustees, generous donations from foundations and individuals, numerous volunteers, Baltimore City Public Schools, corporate supporters (such as Elevated Elements, Cynergy, and others), and a generous grant from the Maker Education Initiative (http://makered.org).

Now we need your help! Please support youth in need of scholarships to attend next year's MakerCamp at theDigitalHarborFoundationTechCenter. Contribute by funding a youth scholarship for a day, a week, or whole summer of programs at MakerCamp (http://digitalharbor.org/makercamp)!

For questions or comments, please contact Andrew Coy ([email protected]/410.402.4189)


My neighborhood is within walking distance to a Major League Baseball stadium. Even better, the home team has come out of the decade-long doldrums and now competes toe-to-toe with the overpaid teams.

Unfortunately, ticket prices have soared. Even without worrying about parking and traffic, a night at the Yard requires careful budgeting. Nevertheless, when the local team is this exciting, you just have to go once in a while.

I guess that’s what prompted my neighbor, the Wizard Awry, to catch my attention in his subtle way. By that I mean a note came literally flying through the door, written in blazing letters (really—they set off my smokedetector):“Teachmeaboutbaseball.Ihavethebest seats!”

So one hot summer night I knocked on his door. When it opened I had one of those holy cow moments. One word: Orange.

Orange wizard hat. Orange cloak. Orange shorts. Orange socks. Orange jogging shoes. His face glowed orange. His eyes glowed orange. Even his skinny, knobby knees and ankles glowed orange. I mean glowed, as in casting shadows all around.

“What?”hesaid,seeingthelookonmyface.“Isthisnot our team’s color? I read where fans wear the team’s colors.”

Recovering,Isaid,“Sure.Butmaybeyoucouldtoneit down some.”

He frowned but the shadows receded.

Off we went. It’s about a 15-minute walk, during which the wizard insisted on loading up on peanuts, half smokes, french fries, beef jerky, water bottles, tee shirts, bobble heads, and more. The wizard paid for all these things with gold coins and when I looked at him hesaid,“What?Theysaywecantaketheseinside.”

We could but it wasn’t easy and we made no friends with the people waiting behind us as the guards went through everything.

The Wizard Awry was not kidding about having the best seats. Two golden, upholstered thrones were perched on the catwalk next to the TV camera guy on the third

base side, complete with cold beer in a cooler. Nobody looked twice at us as we settled down into the thrones, stowing our stuff around us somehow. Nobody looked at us at all, in fact, as if we weren’t really there.

Thegamestarted.“Howcomeallthosepeoplearejuststanding out there on the grass?” the wizard asked.

“They’rewaitingforthebattertohittheball.”

“Well,that’sboring.I’llgetthemmoving.”Hestoodupto wave his hands to do something, I don’t know what, but I grabbed him before anything weird happened.

“Youhavetoletthemplay.It’sbaseball.”

Sure enough, the batter hit a curving scorcher to the third baseman who backhanded it halfway to the stands, then fired it to first, getting the runner out by an inch.

“Wow!”saidthewizard,andhemeantit.

It was a tight match, evenly played. Great play after play; pinpoint pitching; stolen bases; double plays; clutch hitting; everything that makes for a really exciting game. The wizard was mesmerized. Once in a while he asked a question but mostly he sat riveted, inning after inning. All the while, though, regardless of the endless beer and perfect seats, I fretted that he’d somehow impose his wizardry on the game and break the sacred rule of baseball: Fans just don’t interfere with play on the field.

Bottom of the ninth. Two to two. Two outs. Home run hitter at bat. Count goes to three and two. Then, wham! A high arc to center field. The fielder goes to the warning track. It looks like he has a bead on it. The glove goes up—the ball hits the tip of his glove! It bounces over the fence! Walk-off home run! The crowd goes nuts!

I looked at the Wizard Awry sternly.

He looked back, all innocent.

“What?Itwasn’tme.Itwasbaseballmagic.”

The Wizard Goes to a Ball GameBy John Ginovsky


E. Wheeling Street residents and friends from neighboring streets spent a lot of time this summer cooling off under the refreshing spray of a delightful sprinkler whose droplets poured down from a white pipe in an overhead shower several feet long. How was this possible? Residents were taking advantage of just one of the amazing contraptions created by super dad and upcycler STEPHAN VIGUES.

His wife, Celine Plachez, explains her husband’s tendencies by saying, “You should know thatStephan is very creative. His brain does not stop after work, and he just loves doing this stuff. I think both the kids and the parents have been enjoying his inventions, and it is nice to create something with your children. Even if they make a few mistakes while they are working, it shows that people do make mistakes when they try to create things and it teaches them that nobody is perfect.” Both Stephan and Celine are researchers at the University of Maryland. They have two sons, PIERRE and BASTIEN.

Stephan has a fantastic, subtle sense of humor and a constant twinkle in his eye. That playfulness comes through in the magical toys he makes or helps son Pierre create. The PVC rocket launcher has been a big hit on our street. At age 4 Pierre asked Santa for a real rocket ship that could fly, and his dad decided to make his dream come true by making a launcher with PVC pipes. Later, the emboldened duo transformed it into a double rocket launcher. I’ve even seen SALLY DWORAK-FISHERand JONPAULMATHIEUoutthere giving that baby a try. It is very tempting to see how high those rockets will go. I think there are a few

displayed like badges of honor on Wheeling, Henrietta, and Hamburg Street rooftops.

Stephan says it is important for him to teach his children that“evenifweliveinaworldwherekidsuseaniPadwhen they are two, like BASTIEN, there are other cool

things to do in the real world, and they do not have to cost a lot of money to be a lot of fun. I want them to know that the best toys are not necessarily the ones you buy but the ones you build and, even better, the ones you build with your parents.” Another of the favorites so far for the entire street has been the giant bubble machine, made with two prune sticks and a string. The newest creation is a scooter for Bastien. Its main components are PVC pipe and wheels.

Recycling and upcycling are also important in this scheme of things. Stephan explained his desire to teachPierreandBastienthat“peoplecancreateevenbetter things with stuff that was supposed to go in the trash. That’s why we made planes out of soda cans for Pierre’s bedroom and a Halloween buzz costume from FedEx envelopes. The balance bike came from pipes left over from the shower. We did have to buy the wheels. In all these creations we are trying to include some science, so they can learn and have fun at the same time—from the compressed air that becomes hot and wants to expand, to the chemistry of the bubbles and the increased surface tension brought by the soap and the glycerin to the water. We all know learning is really easy when you play, but as parents, we have to find time to play with our children.”

Playing with Science By Jane Wehrle


REV offers a range of cycling classes in a new, state-of-the-art theater style studio located at McHenry Row. Treat yourself to a yoga class or a variety of mind/body workouts as well.

Follow us on Facebook and sign up forour newsletters at www.revuup.com to get all the latest information on our grand opening date and specials!

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Every month I get a couple of flyers through my door advertising home improvement and handyman services. You’ll find hundreds of ads for such services on Craigslist. Many people advertising this way are unlicensed contractors.

These advertisers are probably good guys just trying to get some work. Some have been recently laid off. They’re handy and willing to come by to fix a door or change a light switch. Many have had years of experience in the construction trades. You might think these guys will work cheaply. And you may be right. But you should know a few things before you hire someone who’s unlicensed.

1. If you hire an unlicensed contractor, you may have no recourse if he or she damages your home. Maryland law is quirky when it comes to unlicensed contractors. It doesn’t protect the worker or the homeowner. Nonperformance of work, shoddy workmanship, or damage to your home is very hard to prove if it involves someone who’s unlicensed.

2. Being unlicensed doesn’t automatically mean the

Why Hire a Licensed Contractor?By Jon Klapper

contractor works for less money. It only costs about $2,000 and a little time to go legitimate. Most of that cost is for liability insurance and licensing fees, which cover the cost of the Maryland Home Improvement Guaranty fund. This fund can compensate homeowners ifaLICENSEDcontractorfailstoperformcontractedwork. If the contractor is unlicensed, you’re on your own. No compensation.

3. Worker injuries may become the responsibility of you, the homeowner, if you use an unlicensed contractor. Workers’ compensation laws require all contractors to carry insurance to protect their workers in case of injury. Most unlicensed contractors flout this regulation.

4. All licensed contractors are required to carry liability insurance to protect the homeowner’s property. Accidents happen. Fires, structural collapses, and broken water and sewer lines can damage or even destroy a home. If your contractor is unlicensed, he’s probably uninsured, too. Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover damages caused by unlicensed contractors.

Unsure if a contractor is licensed? All advertising by contractors in the State of Maryland is required to have the contractor’s license number on it. To see ifthecontractorislicensed,gotohttps://www.dllr.state.md.us/pq/.

Another great resource for information on contractors: https://www.dllr.state.md.us/license/mhic/mhiccon.shtml.

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