[Chat] Harwood featured in the Sun

[WeinsteinM at aol.com]

Congratulations to Harwood on two great weekends in a row!  Last weekend was 
the Harwood Festival, which attracted hundreds of residents.  The festival's 
success was thanks to the efforts of Harwood Community Association President 
Edna McAbier and many community volunteers, with the support of the Benefits 
District, including Outreach Coordinator Amanda Morgan and Vista volunteer Liz 
Schuh, plus the sanitation and safety staff.  And now this weekend we have a 
great article in the Sun real estate section, which I'll paste in below.  Go 
Harwood!
-Matthew



Struggling Harwood 'believes' it's turning around
Baltimore's PR slogan has real meaning here 
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By Grace Snodgrass
Sun Staff
Originally published August 17, 2003


Like the city "believe" campaign designed to bolster pride in Baltimore, 
residents in the neighborhood of Harwood are optimistic about their future. 
So as the city's year-old campaign keeps pushing for a brighter future, the 
residents of Harwood are working to improve this community just north of 
downtown. 

Edna McAbier, president of the Harwood Community Association, knows how much 
optimism can mean to people who are fighting to make their neighborhood 
better. 
"Until you've lived in the neighborhoods, you don't know how important it is 
for people to have a ray of hope," she says of this small community within 
Charles Village. 
Police and residents say the area has suffered from an excess of vacant 
housing, drug activity and vandalism. But now, with a renewed spirit in residents 
and the help of the Charles Village Benefits District, which includes Harwood, 
many residents believe in a turnaround. 
Amanda Morgan, the outreach coordinator for the benefits district, says she 
has seen a definite increase in the residents' efforts to improve their 
community since she started her job nearly a year ago. 
"They're very determined to make their neighborhood a better place, and it's 
evident in what they do," she says. 
Jay Kramer, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Residential Broker, says community 
efforts can only mean positive things for residents, especially in property 
value. 
"You're probably going to be able to see an increase in value ... it has no 
other way to go," he says. 
Kramer believes the homes are suited to first-time buyers - prices averaged 
$70,300 during the past 12 months. He added that the area's central location 
would appeal to anyone who works in the city. 
Harwood originally was part of a 475-acre plot acquired by the Carnan family 
during the mid-18th century. Through the years, the land was subdivided into n
umerous communities, including the nearby Abell and Waverly neighborhoods, 
according to LiveBaltimore, a nonprofit group that promotes city living. 
Although it is unclear where the name "Harwood" originated, much is known 
about the area's historic ties to baseball. 
During the first half of the 20th century, several stadiums were built in the 
area to accommodate what eventually would be the Orioles of the International 
League. The community housed Oriole Park until July 4, 1944, when it was 
destroyed by fire. Barclay Elementary/Middle School was rebuilt on the site in 
1959, according to LiveBaltimore. 
A 1997 report by Morgan State University's Institute of Urban Research found 
that the neighborhood, which is bounded by Greenmount and Guilford avenues and 
25th and 29th streets, includes approximately 900 medium-sized townhouses, 
most of which were built during the early part of the 20th century. 
According to McAbier, residents in the community hold a variety of jobs, 
including nurses, carpenters, chefs, construction workers and correctional 
officers. 
In addition to the residential section of the neighborhood, the eastern 
section of Harwood is home to several commercial shops, a small restaurant and a 
gas station. 
Projects to revitalize the community have targeted residential and commercial 
properties alike. In efforts to beautify their neighborhood, residents have 
cleaned alleys, planted flowers, painted boarded-up houses and cleaned an empty 
corner lot. Last summer, community members repainted the 27th Street Park to 
make it more inviting for neighborhood children. 
McAbier dreams of one day building a "metropolis" in place of vacant houses a
nd where Harwood's children will have a community center to keep them safe and 
entertained. The community has painted and cleaned up some vacant properties 
in the area. 
"Our kids need things like that," she says. 
Doug Gibson, a police community relations officer in Harwood, says that, 
aside from finding ways to keep children occupied, vacant properties are one of 
the biggest challenges facing the neighborhood. He says he has been working with 
the neighborhood to encourage more people to rent or buy homes in the area. 
"That to me is just going to be one of the key factors that determines which 
direction the neighborhood goes," Gibson says. 
McAbier says residents will keep striving for a better Harwood: "There's 
great people here ... who want a good place for their children to grow up." 
Valerie Carpenter serves as liaison to the Mayor's Office of Neighborhoods 
for the north and northeast districts of the city. 
She refers to the motivation behind the revitalization projects as a spirit 
of community mobilization. "That's what changes neighborhoods," she says. 
Change is where McAbier and fellow Harwood residents are focusing their 
energy. 
And while swept alleys and fresh flowerbeds may not bring an instant Harwood 
revitalization, the citizens here believe it's a step in the right direction. 
Each project shows residents they can improve their community - which, in 
McAbier's mind, is the true meaning of the "believe" slogan. "People do have to 
believe that your neighborhood can change." 

Copyright © 2003, The Baltimore Sun 

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