Historic photo of the North Avenue Market as posted on the Load of Fun website. There's a good article in The Daily Record today (subscription required) summarizing the redevelopment of the old North Avenue Market and some of the other projects that are putting that area back on the map. (Here's an older article from Urbanite magazine about the SoHo effect - the delecate balance required to improve an area invigorated by lots of artists without pricing the creative class out of the neighborhood.)
Individual efforts, like Joe's Squared Pizza and the Load of Fun space, have quietly created a scene (see the previous post) on North Avenue over the past two years, but revving up the market space will go a long way toward connecting that energy with the popular theatres and restaurants around the corner on Charles Street.
Neglect and some bad architectural choices have given North Avenue a sort of strip mall feeling, but there are good bones there. It's a broad avenue with a wide median and lots of pedestrian room on both sides of the street. There are mixed building types, some of which offer large footprints that could easily accommodate retail, restaurants, and gallery or performance space. It's got good transit access and is convenient to the MICA, University of Baltimore, and Johns Hopkins Homewood campuses.
Standing at Charles and North, if you squint and use your imagination, you can picture what the avenue could be with a little more attention and some modest investment.
Visit the Station North A&E District website to find out more about the area and learn about upcoming events.
-mike
