Federal Hill

Archaeologists sifted through the soil on top of Federal Hill for artifacts yesterday as a prelude to the city's $500,000 spring face lift of the park known for its spectacular view of the Inner Harbor.The Department of Recreation and Parks plans to rebuild sidewalks; plant 47 trees; replace playground equipment, benches and lights and demolish an old band stand that blocks the harbor view.The park, popular with dog walkers, will also have a no-dog zone for those who prefer to avoid the canines, said Gennady Schwartz, chief of capital development for the parks department.

You'd think a place called City Crepes would have a French vibe -- maybe some Maurice Chevalier tunes, some posters of the Eiffel Tower or the Champs-Elysees. But the city evoked in City Crepes isn't Paris at all, it's Baltimore, and most particularly Federal Hill. Fair or uneven:** Poor:*

Eddie's of Light Street, Federal Hill's only supermarket, announced yesterday that it will shut its doors next month because the business is no longer viable. The store will have a going-out-of-business sale starting Monday and close by the middle of next month. Owner Paul Natkowitz said he will lay off 28 employees of the store, which has been open for five years at 1220 Light St. Natkowitz said his other store, Eddie's of West Eager Street in Mount Vernon, will remain open. The stores bear the same name as several supermarkets in Baltimore, but they are not part of the same chain.

Are we seeing a rebel without a cause right here in Federal Hill? Or is it just an illusion? It could be a little of both. Spencer Horsman is a magician and an illusionist who channels 1950s actor James Dean in his everyday life. From his teased-up hair down to his pointy-toed wingtip shoes, Horsman goes against the grain of popular trends, eschewing baggy jeans and sneakers for a more grown-up, retro-sexy look. One difference between Horsman and the brooding film actor: Horsman's rebellion has a definite cause -- great style.

A development team headed by James Maleady and Walter Skayhan is hoping to break ground by midyear on the first phase of Montgomery Square, a 44-unit town house community planned for the Federal Hill area.Baltimore's Planning Commission recently approved a final subdivision and development plan for the project, which will be constructed on a parcel bounded roughly by South Charles, West Montgomery, West Churchill and South Hanover streets in South Baltimore.Mr. Maleady told commissioners that base prices for the three-story dwellings range from $180,000 to $225,000 and that the final prices may reach $250,000 or more depending on what options buyers select.

KNOWING THAT a good wassail is hard to find, I jumped at the invitation to join merrymakers last week for the Festive Flavors of Federal Hill Restaurant-Gallery-Pub Crawl. The event provides a quick, spirited tour of the eating, drinking and cultural opportunities offered in the South Baltimore neighborhood on a December evening. Now in its sixth year, the so-called "Christmas crawl" has become a pretty big deal in the social scene. "We sell most of the tickets right away," said John Marshall, who has lived in Federal Hill for seven years and is one of the organizers of the early-December event.

Baltimore's Federal Hill is known for the panoramic view from the top.But lately, the view at the bottom is drawing the attention, and it's not favorable.A growing chorus of contractors and preservationists has criticized the quality of construction of a stone retaining wall, which is being rebuilt as part of a $900,000 stabilization of the hill's north slope.The Maryland Historical Trust, a state agency that monitors work on historic landmarks such as Federal Hill, last month asked the general contractor to correct flaws that its officers have noted, ranging from gaps between stones to use of mortar that appears too pink.

Baltimore's Federal Hill, a bastion for Union gunners during the Civil War, is under assault by construction crews laboring to shore up the sagging north face of the grassy landmark.Under the command of Potts & Callahan Inc., the workers have begun site preparation for a $900,000 project to install a new drainage system under the steep slope overlooking Baltimore's Inner Harbor.The six- to 12-month project will include installation of new drain pipes every 20 feet and collector pipes to shunt the water into the storm sewer system, said Gennady Schwartz, chief of capital development for the city Department of Recreation and Parks.

What's big and blue and crazy for books? That would be YoJo. The 7-foot-tall kids' character will playfully entertain and encourage youngsters to explore the joys of reading at his show "Choose to Read" today at Federal Hill Park. YoJo's show will be the final "Kids' Stuff" event of the summer. In his act, YoJo believes television and video games are more fun than books. But after discovering that the more one reads, the smarter one gets, YoJo changes his attitude and dives head-first into reading.

Construction workers digging a foundation in an empty lot apparently caused the wall of a neighboring old building to collapse yesterday afternoon, sending brick and splinters of wood onto the intersection of West and Light streets in Federal Hill but injuring no one, city police said. A building inspector condemned the vacant structure and it was immediately demolished -- sending up a cloud of dust that drew a crowd of neighborhood children, and leaving a pile of rubble at a corner where new construction is under way. "It's a shame to see an old building like that go," said Officer Adam Long.