THERE IS a serious impediment to downtown renewal: The Block.
Hardly a liquor board hearing goes by without an allegation of prostitution being allowed on the premises of various striptease clubs along Baltimore Street, but violators usually get a slap on the wrist. What makes the liquor board's tolerance so jarring is the fact that the police headquarters and City Hall are located just a few steps from The Block.
It's time for the authorities to crack down. Liquor board enforcement, in particular, must become more aggressive. As the board's political control shifts as a result of recent elections, it should be a watchdog, instead of being a liquor industry apologist.
The Block, in its current form, is a pockmarked relic that is scaring viable businesses away from Baltimore Street. With new entertainment spots and apartments now circling the area, it's time to unleash the economic powers of renewal and reinvestment that will make Baltimore proud.
Baltimore Street near The Block could easily become what South Street is to Philadelphia, an eclectic collection of eateries and shops that claims to be on "the hippest street in town."
The neighborhood is, in fact, already in the early stages of such a transformation. Just around the corner from The Block is Power Plant Live, a bevy of bars and clubs that draw huge crowds, particularly on weekends. Farther inland, at Guilford Avenue and Saratoga Street, the old House of Welsh restaurant will soon reopen as a night club. It will join Hammerjacks, which has been attracting revelers to the area for more than a year.
This is welcome activity in corners of downtown that until recently were deserted after dark. And the city certainly can use the tax money.
As nighttime crowds increase, retail and apartment developers sniff untapped opportunities. But the sleaziness of The Block, which was so amply illustrated by Scott Calvert's story in Saturday's Sun, is a major deterrent.
During its heyday in the 1940s and 1950s, The Block was famous around the country for its risquM-i burlesque shows and live music. Whenever a Baltimore ball team won a pennant, that's where the whole town ended up celebrating.
Those days are long gone. Today, The Block is just sleazy and tired, it's no longer erotic or exciting. Baltimore deserves something better.