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Business is slow: Nate James, at his sidewalk stand, said traffic is slack because the light rail is not operating. (Sun photo by Jed Kirschbaum / July 29, 2001) |
Pity poor Howard Street. Baltimore's once-proud commercial center has suffered all manner of indignity since the 1970s.
Jilted by a California developer promising a rebirth. Abandoned by department stores for the suburbs. Violated by road crews that ripped it up, then ripped it up again a few years later for light rail tracks. Duped by the city's unrealized plan for an "Avenue of the Arts."
There was even a time in 1999 when street lights went out - and stayed out for months.
And this month? A chemical-laden freight train burned out of control for days in a tunnel directly beneath the street, and a 40-inch water main erupted like a geyser at its southern gateway on West Lombard Street.
"Oh, my God, what's the future?" thought Sharon Grinnell, the Baltimore Development Corp. official guiding the latest attempt to revive downtown's west side. Howard Street is crucial, with new construction and renovations expected to create hundreds of apartments and numerous shops.
Grinnell is calmer now. The train did not blow up, and there is no sign of damage to the tunnel or buildings above. The incident did not, she said, derail the west side project: "It's not going to stop the momentum."
The tunnel accident July 18 offered a potent reminder that, whatever takes hold at street level, the underground is already abuzz. Not only is it a key East Coast artery for freight trains, but it has fiber-optic cables that help feed the Web and e-mail.
That vitality contrasts with the lackluster scene above ground, especially now. Some merchants say business dropped 80 percent in the five days that Howard Street and east-west streets were closed to cars, buses and light rail.
And while CSX is reimbursing businesses for losses - 100 claims have been called in to its hot line, 800-382-9988 - the burst pipe will keep light rail out of service for weeks.
That, merchants say, is cutting foot traffic at a time when many stores have left to make way for developments such as the blocklong Centerpoint project bordering Howard.
"We've all been saying to each other [that] with everything happening here, it's like another nail in our coffin," said Mark Devine, owner of Devine Seafood on Eutaw Street outside Lexington Market.
Devine said he had to throw away steak fish and flounder last week because of a lack of business, a rare occurrence. Talking in his empty shop Thursday, he said he couldn't tally the losses because he still feels the effects.
Some relief could be in sight. On Friday night, MTA officials said a free shuttle bus service would start at 6 a.m. tomorrow, running north and south on Howard Street between the North Avenue light rail stop and Camden Station, with a detour around construction at Howard and Lombard.
Fighting the gloomy mood is the preternaturally optimistic Alvin J. Levi, who owns Howard Street Jewelers and is president of Market Center Merchants Association. Levi's family business opened in the 1950s, and he has remained hopeful through it all. He is bullish about the current renewal program.
"You would have to be foolish not to realize this is like a very bad skinned knee before an athlete runs to the finish line and wins the race," he said. "In two years, you and I are going to be standing on Howard Street saying the dream is real, it's been great."
Contrary to some perceptions, Howard Street is not usually desolate. Boarded-up buildings exist, but steady commerce occurs at clothing shops, beeper stores and the like. The street's clientele, once middle class, tends toward lower income.
On Thursday, more than a week after the freight train derailed and caught fire, life had yet to return to normal. The street was eerily silent and empty, with no light rail and few people.
At Marshall Mays discount shoes and clothing store at Howard and Lexington, manager Ahmed Rahimi looked gloomily at the handful of customers browsing.
"It's basically dead in here," he said.
Jilted by a California developer promising a rebirth. Abandoned by department stores for the suburbs. Violated by road crews that ripped it up, then ripped it up again a few years later for light rail tracks. Duped by the city's unrealized plan for an "Avenue of the Arts."
There was even a time in 1999 when street lights went out - and stayed out for months.
And this month? A chemical-laden freight train burned out of control for days in a tunnel directly beneath the street, and a 40-inch water main erupted like a geyser at its southern gateway on West Lombard Street.
"Oh, my God, what's the future?" thought Sharon Grinnell, the Baltimore Development Corp. official guiding the latest attempt to revive downtown's west side. Howard Street is crucial, with new construction and renovations expected to create hundreds of apartments and numerous shops.
Grinnell is calmer now. The train did not blow up, and there is no sign of damage to the tunnel or buildings above. The incident did not, she said, derail the west side project: "It's not going to stop the momentum."
The tunnel accident July 18 offered a potent reminder that, whatever takes hold at street level, the underground is already abuzz. Not only is it a key East Coast artery for freight trains, but it has fiber-optic cables that help feed the Web and e-mail.
That vitality contrasts with the lackluster scene above ground, especially now. Some merchants say business dropped 80 percent in the five days that Howard Street and east-west streets were closed to cars, buses and light rail.
And while CSX is reimbursing businesses for losses - 100 claims have been called in to its hot line, 800-382-9988 - the burst pipe will keep light rail out of service for weeks.
That, merchants say, is cutting foot traffic at a time when many stores have left to make way for developments such as the blocklong Centerpoint project bordering Howard.
"We've all been saying to each other [that] with everything happening here, it's like another nail in our coffin," said Mark Devine, owner of Devine Seafood on Eutaw Street outside Lexington Market.
Devine said he had to throw away steak fish and flounder last week because of a lack of business, a rare occurrence. Talking in his empty shop Thursday, he said he couldn't tally the losses because he still feels the effects.
Some relief could be in sight. On Friday night, MTA officials said a free shuttle bus service would start at 6 a.m. tomorrow, running north and south on Howard Street between the North Avenue light rail stop and Camden Station, with a detour around construction at Howard and Lombard.
Fighting the gloomy mood is the preternaturally optimistic Alvin J. Levi, who owns Howard Street Jewelers and is president of Market Center Merchants Association. Levi's family business opened in the 1950s, and he has remained hopeful through it all. He is bullish about the current renewal program.
"You would have to be foolish not to realize this is like a very bad skinned knee before an athlete runs to the finish line and wins the race," he said. "In two years, you and I are going to be standing on Howard Street saying the dream is real, it's been great."
Contrary to some perceptions, Howard Street is not usually desolate. Boarded-up buildings exist, but steady commerce occurs at clothing shops, beeper stores and the like. The street's clientele, once middle class, tends toward lower income.
On Thursday, more than a week after the freight train derailed and caught fire, life had yet to return to normal. The street was eerily silent and empty, with no light rail and few people.
At Marshall Mays discount shoes and clothing store at Howard and Lexington, manager Ahmed Rahimi looked gloomily at the handful of customers browsing.
"It's basically dead in here," he said.
