Tag: Southwest Baltimore

Learn to combine tax credits & weatherization with workshops in Mt. Washington and Union Square

We’re excited for Baltimore Green Fest this Saturday but we also have two more workshops with Retrofit Baltimore coming up in February and March. Our free one-hour workshops explain how to combine a home energy retrofit and city and state historic tax credits. These programs can help you save money on your heating bills and receive a tax credit on the cost of your upcoming home maintenance and rehabilitation projects!

Many neighborhoods both in north Baltimore – Roland Park, Mt. Washington, Guilford, Hamden – and in southwest Baltimore – Union Square, Hollins Market, Pigtown, Ridgely’s Delight – are located within historic districts and are eligible for the state historic tax credit program. Learn more about historic tax credits in our comprehensive guide, check if you are in a historic district, then RSVP for a workshop today!

Weatherization & Historic Tax Credits Workshop on February 12

Tuesday, February 12, 6:30pm to 7:30pm
Baltimore Clayworks – Mt. Washington, 5707 Smith Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21209
RSVP today!

Free on-street is available in the Mt. Washington Village shopping area after 6:00pm. Please note this workshop will take place in the Baltimore Clayworks Gallery on the second floor – not in the Clayworks workshop. The Gallery is also located a short distance from the Mt. Washington Light Rail station.

Weatherization & Historic Tax Credits Workshop on March 14

Thursday, March 14, 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Neighborhood Design Center, 1401 Hollins Street, Baltimore, MD 21223
RSVP today!

Free on-street parking is available in the area and the Neighborhood Design Center is only a few blocks from the Charm City Circulator Orange Route stop 211 at Hollins Market.

Questions? Please contact Eli Pousson, Baltimore Heritage at pousson@baltimoreheritage.org or Whitney Graham, Retrofit Baltimore at wgraham@retrofitbaltimore.org.

See the city through H.L. Mencken’s eyes with Baltimore by Bike on November 11

Our last Baltimore by Bike ride of the year offers a chance to see the city through the eyes of Baltimore’s own H.L. Mencken – one of the most influential American writers of the 20th century. H.L. Mencken grew up and spent most of his life in a handsome brick rowhouse on Union Square but he never hesitated to explore the city he loved (and loved to skewer) as he walked, reported, and even rode a bike through Baltimore neighborhoods from Mount Vernon to Bolton Hill and beyond.

Mencken’s Baltimore by Bike

Sunday, November 11, 9:30am to 12:00pm
Meet at Union Square Park, Hollins Street and South Stricker Street
RSVP online today! $15 per person.

Photo courtesy the The Smart Set.

Join us for a easy fall ride through H.L. Mencken’s Baltimore. The eldest son of August Mencken, a successful local cigar manufacturer, Mencken grew from roaming the alleys and vacant lots with gangs of West Baltimore boys to become one of the youngest reporters at the Baltimore Herald, launching a career in journalism and writing that endured for nearly 50 years.

We’ll ride along the streets that Mencken knew best as we discover the site of Little Joe’s Bike Shop where Mencken learned to ride a bicycle in the 1890s, imagine the fine meals Mencken enjoyed with friends at Marconi’s on Cathedral Street, stop by F. Scott Fitzgerald’s home in Bolton Hill and stop by the Poe House, just around the corner from Mencken’s birthplace on Lexington Street. Our tour ends with a chance to tour the H.L. Mencken House and enjoy light refreshments.

This tour is presented in partnership with the Friends of the H.L. Mencken House and proceeds help to support their ongoing efforts to restore and re-open the H.L. Mencken House. Learn more about events around West Baltimore neighborhoods from the Friends of West Baltimore Squares.

Explore West Baltimore Squares with a Photo Walk & Tour on May 27

Union Square Park, 2011 Baltimore Heritage Awards Celebration Join Baltimore Heritage and the Baltimore Sun for our first photo walk and tour at the Sowebohemian Festival on Sunday, May 27! The utterly unique Sowebo Arts & Music Festival is a can’t miss neighborhood event in Hollins Market with music, dancing, great food, artwork, antiques and more. Of course, the festival alone offers a feast of photo opportunities for any photographer but it is also a great excuse for us to go out and explore the historic parks and neighborhoods of southwest Baltimore.

West Baltimore Squares Photo Walk & Tour

Sunday, May 27, 3:00 to 4:30pm
Meet at the west end of Hollins Market (South Carrollton Avenue and Hollins Street)
RSVP online today! Free.
Free street parking available in the surrounding area. Off-street parking available at the UM BioPark Garage (West Baltimore and Poppleton Streets). Transit – Take the free Charm City Circulator Orange Route to the Hollins Market stop at Arlington Street.

H.L. Mencken in his garden, July 28, 1955. Courtesy the Maryland Historical Society, B737(5)D.

Bring along your camera for a quick afternoon walk to see a few of West Baltimore unique parks and landmarks. Starting from the handsome brick Hollins Market, designed by Baltimore City Hall architect George Frederick, we’ll explore the Italianate rowhouses around Union Square and stop in at H.L. Mencken’s backyard. From Union Square, we’ll cross Baltimore street (one of the oldest commercial main streets in the city), check out historic Franklin Square, and take a look inside the grand Gothic Revival sanctuary at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. We’ll be joined by a Baltimore Sun photographer who’ll offer professional advice on getting the most out of your photos.

The Friends of West Baltimore Squares will also be raffling off a few chances to enter Baltimore City Parks Photo Competition for free! Even if you don’t win, you can enter the competition for $20 for adults and $10 for under 18.

Learn to restore historic wood windows with the “The Old House Doctor”

Wood Window Restoration WorkshopHome owners, contractors, architects, and anyone who loves their old house is invited to join Baltimore Heritage and Duffy Hoffman, “The Old House Doctor,” at Second Chance on March 24 for a one-day wood window rehabilitation workshop. Attendees will learn how to repair and preserve deteriorating and damaged wood building components and how to appropriately restore and weatherize historic wood windows. RSVP then pay online today! Learn about windows and more with our resources for homeowners.

Architects can receive 6 AIA/CES (HSW/SD) with registration.

Windows Restoration Workshop with Duffy Hoffman, “The Old House Doctor”

Saturday, March 24, 2012
9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Second Chance, 1700 Ridgely Street, 21230
RSVP Today!
$20.00 per person, payable online.

Space is limited so please register before March 17, 2012.

About Duffy Hoffman

Owner of Hoffman Preservation & Restoration, Duffy Hoffman is a third generation craftsman with more than 25 years experience in the preservation trades. He is also one of the five founders of the “Window Preservation Standards Collaborative” a group focused on setting the standard for window restoration and weatherization.

Hoffman has conducted countless classes nationwide, most notably at the International Preservation Trades Workshop and the Traditional Building Exhibition & Conference. He is a notable presenter and workshop leader at regional, statewide, and national events throughout the country including historical shows in the Northeast. In addition, he has also presented at the annual conferences of the Painting and Decorating Contractors Association. His expertise has been featured in numerous newspaper and magazine articles, and twice on the HGTV television show “Restore America”.

Workshop Schedule

Morning Session – 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

  • Examine the impact of site features and building design on exterior woodwork.
  • Get hands on experience using epoxy consolidants and wood fillers.
  • See demonstrations of appropriate Dutchman repairs.
  • Learn the importance of proper ventilation and coatings for wood features.
  • Learn how to avoid mistakes that can increase your project costs.

Lunch Break – 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

  • Pack a lunch, find a bite in the neighborhood or buy lunch at the Souper Freaks Lunch Truck (stopping at Second Chance for our workshop).

Afternoon Session – 1:00 pm – 3:30 pm

  • Review the different components of a window and how they function.
  • Learn about paint removal techniques, lead-based paint, and new federal guidelines for abatement.
  • Watch how to strip, repair and repaint a window.
  • Learn about techniques for weatherizing and improving the thermal efficiency of a window.
  • Learn about the benefits of repair and rehabilitation over complete replacement.

Question and Answer Session – 3:30 pm – 4:00 pm

Young Preservationist Happy Hour in Hollins Market on December 8

After months of exploring new neighborhoods and preservation issues — from redevelopment on the West Side at Alewife to discussing the future of heritage on Wikipedia at the Midtown Yacht Club — we’ve arrived at our last Happy Hour for the year at Amour Baltimore in the Hollins Market neighborhood. This month’s Young Preservationist Happy Hour is co-hosted by the Baltimore Red Line Community Liaisons and it’s a great opportunity to visit a fun corner of southwest Baltimore while learning about the future of transportation and revitalization in Baltimore.

Young Preservationist Happy Hour in Hollins Market

Thursday, December 8, 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm
Amour Baltimore, 1116 Hollins Street (near Hollins Market)
RSVP today!

Come out and enjoy an evening of jazz music and tasty drink specials at Amour Restaurant, formerly known as Cockey’s Tavern, on Hollins Street! You can meet the Red Line Liaisons, get the latest updates on the Red Line project and have any questions about the Red Line answered. If this is your first Baltimore Heritage event, we’ll give you a free membership with discounts on tours and a subscription to our quarterly newsletter. Please RSVP for a chance to win free Behind the Scenes tour tickets on December 8!