Old CVS on Fort Ave.
The bars of Baltimore found a way to milk three weekends out of St. Patrick’s Day, which I’m hoping has finally ended. I don’t mind the festive atmosphere of living in SoBo, but having worked each of the last three Saturdays, I was reminded just how tough parking is getting on the South Peninsula – even on a Saturday afternoon.
This area has possibly become the number one entertainment destination around. That being said, we need to quit pretending like it’s a neighborhood currently built to handle that distinction. Power Plant, Inner Harbor and the stadiums all have the parking to handle large crowds, but Federal Hill is just a a neighborhood in the middle of the action. The bars, festivals and events in this area all do very well, and rightfully so, but for every person that those bring in it takes away a parking spot from a resident just trying to get home from work.
I don’t want this area to change its identity. There is a reason I live here and never want to leave, but we have to make changes to support our current and future situation. Any day with an event, any day with a Ravens game and any night any day of the week, the parking is gone. With that said, there are some major developments about to arrive that are only going to make things worse. Something needs to do done before it is too late.
In the southern portions of South Baltimore we are bracing for a large new brewery pub, several other new bars and a 193-unit apartment building. There are several other plots of land that are also being eyed for apartments. So even though all new developments will have to meet building code parking standards, they will all undoubtedly bring more people to the area than there are parking spots. People in many parts of the South Peninsula use the Wells St. area for last resort parking and with the new developments even this will soon become a highly active area.
Old McCall Warehouse on Wells St.
It’s easy to take a super progressively urban stance and say people just need to start using more zip cars and bicycles and take more trips on the Charm City Circulator, but let’s get real. In my 10 years of living in South Baltimore, I’ve only known two people who survived without a car. One was a girl who was from Illinois who worked downtown and the other hitched rides with friends to his job in Laurel everyday.
South Baltimore is filled with people who have demanding jobs and businesses that require getting around to a lot of different places to get the job done. Then of course there is the many people taking graduate school classes, many of which are in places like Columbia and Timonium. Another huge factor is the fact that many of us grew up within an hour of here and like to make frequent trips to see family members.
If everything was designed perfectly with the right amount of spaces for the right amount of housing units and bedrooms, the planners have missed a huge factor – all the visitors that come to this area! Bars and local attractions throughout the peninsula are thriving right now, bringing in visitors from all over the region. We’ve all seen people parking in our neighborhood because it’s cheaper than a downtown garage or Ravens lot. Plus when you live down here, you have a lot of visitors because this is the place to be. When the parking goes in Federal Hill, people park in Riverside and South Baltimore and then residents are out of luck when they get home and your guests have nowhere to go.
The only way we can effectively handle the future of parking is to find a way for at least one, if not two, more parking garages to be built in South Baltimore. If not, I fear people will stay away because they know parking is a losing battle. Houses with parking will soar in value and houses without will struggle.
Plumbing Warehouse on Wells St.
A local developer told SouthBMore.com that parking spots cost approximately $12-$15k per spot to build above grade (above ground.) If that is the case, a garage with 300 spots would cost around $4 million to build. Obviously the lot would have to be purchased, but just looking at some numbers, the payment on a 30-year loan on $4 million would be $21,473 per month. That would be a payment of $71.57 per spot per month. I’d say a spot is probably worth about $100-$150 per month to many people around here. There would also then be spots that people would purchase per day. If a spot was worth $10-$15 per day that would be $300-$450 per month. Not yet calculating taxes and insurance, it does seem a garage could potentially be profitable, but probably much less than an apartment building in monthly income and re-sale value.
Another added element to make this a dynamic project could be the ability to put an anchor store on the bottom floor of the garage. The store patrons always have parking and it adds a lot more monthly revenue to the developer. While we are at it, a small grocery store that South Baltimore and Federal Hill residents could easily walk to would also relieve parking concerns. I think we’ve all postponed trips to the grocery store from the fear we will not be able to park when we get home.
There would probably need to be help from the city to really make this a home run because developers will always favor the more profitable options. But a garage would be worth it because every property and business around here becomes more valuable and more profitable. The ease of living down here also becomes much less stressful to people with long hours, multiple responsibilities or busy and active lives. A South Peninsula with more off-street parking options becomes that much more dynamic and in a position for growth.
I scouted three spots that would be perfect for a garage. Here’s where and why:
-The first is the old CVS building on Fort Ave. and Patapsco. Yeah, yeah they are supposed to build new town homes there, but 10 years after it closed we are still calling the building “The Old CVS.” This would be a great spot because it is close to many businesses, a short walk to Cross St. and surrounded by homes in every direction possible. It also has the potential to go five stories high because it already has that height. Hey, maybe we even get a new CVS for the bottom floor.
-The second great choice is the old McCall warehouse across Wells St. from 1901 South Charles Street. This could be the perfect spot for a small grocery store with a garage above. This garage could also do well because it is surrounded by apartment buildings filled with people with friends and right near the new Pabst brew pub, as well as many new bars in the immediate area. The spot would also be surrounded by housing and in the alley of Charles St, Light St. and Barney St.
-The third great choice is the plumbing warehouse on Charles St. and Well St. This site would also be effective for all the reasons as the old McCall warehouse. It would be directly across the street from 1901 South Charles Street and the new brew pub. This is also an effective choice because it is not ideal for residential properties as it is on top I95, Rt. 2 and right in front of a city-owned construction area.
Convinced yet? I hope so, but most importantly I hope we can convince the city and a developer the need for this in our area. We are running out of time and real estate as the South Peninsula is seeing developments everywhere possible. Let’s get a new garage before it is too late!
Discussing Parking with Councilman Cole
