December 01, 2001
A PLANNED community of diverse working-class homes, with a broad avenue, parks, waterfront facilities and a modern shopping center. Host to world-renowned aviators Lindbergh, Earhart and Doolittle. Home of the Jeep and the Liberty Ship, lifeblood of the Bethlehem Steel mills and shipyards.
That was Historic Dundalk.
The past cannot be restored, but that rich history could be key to redevelopment and revitalization of the aging community that lies between East Baltimore and North Point Peninsula.
With local ideas and the vision of a national urban design team, proud and gritty Dundalk is looking to reinvent itself.
Baltimore County is seeking $5.2 million from the state's new Community Legacy Program to spark the effort by refurbishing and "streetscaping" historic Dundalk Avenue.
Capitalizing on its 60 miles of waterfront with new marinas, a scenic drive, residential neighborhoods and a water taxi to the Inner Harbor is one idea.
Another is a museum to reflect its industrial-technology history in steelmaking and shipbuilding.
Bringing back the old Red Rocket trolley, improving Dundalk Village (one of the first U.S. shopping centers) and commercial reuse of the vacant Seagram's distillery buildings are other proposals.
Planners hope the area can eventually attract high-tech, biotech and computer businesses, while building up its residential base with workers from the port, Inner Harbor and Bayview Medical Center.
Designed in 1918 by the famed Olmsted Brothers landscape architects to house workers for World War I production plants, Old Dundalk is now a National Register historic district. But the population has shrunk, and some neighborhoods have fallen to crime and disrepair. Western Electric is long gone, and Beth Steel is no longer a steady source of jobs.
Turning the visions and dreams into reality will require much money and dedication. The 500 members of Dundalk Renaissance Corp. are heading up the drive. The county is finishing a report detailing proposed projects.
With its own flag and anthem and enthusiastic parades, Dundalk has demonstrated a strong tradition of community spirit, which will be crucial to the success of its redevelopment plans.
