A Historic Neighborhood in Baltimore, MD
This November, City residents will have a chance to vote on a number of ballot initiatives. Last Tuesday during our General Meeting, Nathan Ferrell, a member of the “Baltimore City Not for Sale” coalition came to talk about the “Renew Baltimore” ballot initiative, and why he and others are advising residents to vote “No.”
If you’d like more information, here’s some background information and resources:
ATF-Maryland press release
Advocacy from Jews United for Justice
The Renew Baltimore website
NOTICE: For 2016, we have had to cancel the French Fair. If you are interested in helping out for next year’s, please contact us at board@setonhill.org.
Additionally, a French themed event is being contemplated so if you’re interested in planning please send your contact info to the board@setonhill.org.
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Every year, the Seton Hill Association hosts the annual French Fair in our St. Mary’s park. We’re forming a committee to help plan this year’s fair, the 7th Annual French Fair!
Planning meetings meet monthly, starting in June.
Location: St Mary’s Spiritual Center and Historic Site, 602 N Paca.
For details about the fair itself, check out our page on the 7th Annual French Fair.
Here’s what the City Paper had to say about our fair in their 2014 Best of Baltimore edition:
“We love Mount Vernon, home of City Paper HQ, and like every other year, we are tempted to give it the nod here. But one of the great things about Baltimore is the cheap rent, which allows interesting people to do interesting things without working all the time. Seton Hill is sort of like Mount Vernon West, except instead of Mount Vernon’s four little parks, you have the big, brick-walled St. Mary’s Park, and you know you can’t afford one of the big MV mansions, but you can get one of the small little alley houses in Seton Hill. The neighborhood was once Baltimore’s French Quarter—betcha didn’t know we had one of those— founded by refugees from the Haitian and French revolutions, and has the classic architecture and annual French Festival (Oct. 19 this year, with rounds of Petanque and a toddler tour de France) to prove it.”
Please contact us at president@setonhill.org.
This article is from the Baltimore Heritage and is being re-posted here.
Click here for the original article.
Tucked away on a narrow street, 404 George Street has had our attention since concerned neighbors first contacted us in 2012 about this three-story rowhouse in Seton Hill. Next Thursday, January 7, the building is up for auction—offering a unique opportunity to buy a historic house just steps away from the famed Mother Seton House.
In July 2012, local residents pushed Baltimore Housing to file a receivership case against the owner who held the building since 1986. Receivership is a process where a municipality or a qualified non-profit applies for a court to appoint them as the receiver of the property and move to restore the property to use.
Unfortunately, years of neglect took a toll on the structure. At the first auction in October 2014, the 404 George Street received no bids from interested buyers. Thankfully, Baltimore Housing quickly responded and stabilized the building to make the property more attractive to prospective developers. Stabilizing distressed vacant houses is a key strategy for encouraging private reinvestment and is often more cost-effective than demolition.
On Thursday, January 7 at 1:00 pm, 404 George Street is up for auction again. If you are a local builder, developer or an enthusiastic home rehabber, we invite you to come out next Thursday and invest in this beautiful community. If you are a neighbor, we need you to help spread the word!
Built in the 19th century, 404 George Street is less than a block away from the Mother Seton House and St. Mary’s Seminary Chapel—an 1808 landmark designed by architect Maximilian Godefroy. St. Mary’s Park boasts a recently restored fountain and won recognition from Baltimore City Paper as the city’s best park in 2014. The 2012 master plan for Seton Hill has much more information on the neighborhood. Of course, the property is eligible for city and state historic tax credits—review our historic tax credit guide for more details.
Please help make 2016 the year that the vacant house at 404 George Street turns back into a home.
Learn more about 404 George Street and the auction process from the Ashland Auction Group. For questions or more information, contact auctioneer Adam Shpritz by phone at 410-365-3595 (cell) or 410-488-3124 (office) or by email at adam@ashlandauction.com. Bids start at $30,000. Pre-bid offers are accepted by phone at 410-488-3124 or by email to adam@ashlandauction.com.