The Mount Vernon neighborhood's institutional leaders are embarking on a long-term strategy to win more visitors to its core of stately landmarks while addressing its stock of neglected 19th-century homes and apartments.

This morning, before conferring with Philadelphia officials about that city's tourism efforts, caretakers of the Mount Vernon Cultural District -- a nonprofit group founded three years ago -- will hear the initial report in a $50,000 study designed to solidify the neighborhood as a "premier cultural destination."

"We have to fortify Mount Vernon as a residential neighborhood," said Richard Burns, a principal of Design Collective, a local firm charged with examining the area roughly bounded by Calvert, Mulberry, Howard and Read streets.

He said that while the neighborhood's institutions -- like Peabody Institute and the Basilica of the Assumption -- plan millions of dollars in capital improvements, the surrounding Mount Vernon residential component is troubled by spots of "seediness" and "physical and visual deterioration."

"It's always astounded me that people take so little pride in what they have," said Connie Caplan, Mount Vernon Cultural District chairwoman. "We don't make good use of what everyone knows we have."

The aim of the study -- funded by the St. Paul Cos., the Minnesota-based insurer that acquired USF&G; Corp. -- is to bring the neighborhood back into the public's eye after years of competition from Inner Harbor redevelopment.

"You want people to say, 'Let's go to Mount Vernon today, visit some places and have lunch,' " said Timothy Armbruster, director of the Baltimore Community Foundation and the Goldseker Foundation, which funded the Philadelphia contingent's visit.

Areas of weakness

The report, in its early stages, lists several areas of neighborhood weakness -- crime and grime; heavy traffic; a streetscape character that, in places, tells of "overall seediness"; a neighborhood unresponsive to tourist and visitor market potential; and a lack of adequate parking.

"We may have to have more aggressive housing code enforcement and give landlords the economic incentive to restore their buildings," Burns said.

His report also lists Mount Vernon's strengths -- "a place for all kinds of people"; historic buildings and 19th-century streetscapes; potential for better automobile, pedestrian and transit movement; "small, compact and walkable" size; and the variety of the houses.

From 1994 to 1997, the median price of homes sold in the community was $65,000.

Philadelphia efforts

Today's early-morning meeting will be followed by a public session from 10 a.m. to 11: 30 a.m. at the Maryland Historical Society, 201 W. Monument St.

There, Philadelphia officials are expected to speak on that city's efforts to establish a cultural tourism district.

"The issue gets down to the future of cities," said Donald Kimelman, director of the Venture Fund at Philadelphia's Pew Charitable Trusts. "What are the city's competitive advantages over the suburban locations -- the old buildings, the cultural institutions and historic ambience that appeals to people?"

Kimelman said that Philadelphia has an aggressive television campaign to promote the city's cultural attractions in the New York, Baltimore and Washington metropolitan markets.

Philadelphia has spent $12 million to promote its historical and cultural assets in the region.

Also on today's program are Meryl Levitz, president and chief executive officer of Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corp., and Ellen Solms, director of Philadelphia's Avenue of the Arts.

The Mount Vernon Cultural District includes the Baltimore School for the Arts, the Basilica of the Assumption, Center Stage, the Enoch Pratt Free Library, the Maryland Historical Society, the George Peabody Library, the Peabody Institute, the Walters Art Gallery, the Contemporary Museum, the Washington Monument, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Baltimore Sun, the Baltimore Community Foundation and the Morris Goldseker Foundation.

"There is collaboration between the older arts institutions -- not competition or turf building," Armbruster said. "It's a congenial group, with new leadership in many of its institutions."

Sun staff writer Edward Gunts contributed to this article.

Pub Date: 3/03/99