Land Bank

50 Years Ago (week of March 9-March 15, 1941): The Howard County National Farm Loan Association sponsored its annual meeting March 12 at the Ellicott City Court House. The association, one of three cooperative credit institutions then operating in the county, was run by and for farmers to enable them to obtain long-term farm mortgage credit on a cooperative basis. A representative of the Federal Land Bank in Baltimore attended the meeting to answer questions about Federal Land Bank loans.

My curiosity led me to walk a few blocks from my front door and ask just what was happening at the old Federal Land Bank building on St. Paul Street. This elegant 1923 limestone structure, vacant for years, was obviously being thoroughly renovated, but there was no posted notice giving details or a completion date. I knew of no media hype about it, either. I found an opening in a construction fence at 24th Street, sidestepped piles of bathroom tiles and other construction materials and supply bins, and asked the workers.

Plans for apartments, offices, stores and possibly a public elementary school near the Dorsey MARC train station hit a snag this week when an Elkridge woman appealed the rezoning of the 122-acre property. "I think the zoning change was inappropriate," said Gail Sigel, who filed her appeal of the county zoning board's 3-2 approval of the rezoning on Wednesday. "I don't think it's a wise decision for the county. Our schools are overcrowded. " Sigel and other critics have said they'd rather see a conventional office park on the land than the 954 planned apartments mixed with offices and stores planned by Preston Partners.

Eugene G. Fouse, 88 land bank president Eugene G. Fouse, former president of a federal bank, died Tuesday of complications from a circulatory ailment at St. Joseph Medical Center. The Towson resident was 88. He moved to Baltimore 53 years ago when he was named vice president of the Federal Land Bank at St. Paul and 24th streets in Charles Village. He later served as its president before retiring about 25 years ago. Born in Clover Creek, Pa., Mr. Fouse was a graduate of Morrison's Cove High School in Martinsburg, Pa. He earned a bachelor's degree from Pennsylvania State University.

Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. put his own stamp on his predecessor's signature program last night as he announced changes to the state's Smart Growth policy that apparently leave its core principles intact. In an evening news conference inside the Hippodrome renovation project in downtown Baltimore, Ehrlich promised to cooperate more with local governments in land-use decisions than former Gov. Parris N. Glendening. Ehrlich characterized the ex-governor's policy as one of "our way or the highway."

Five years after Baltimore began a major effort to take control of thousands of abandoned properties, city officials are expected to announce a new program that would make it easier to sell them for redevelopment. The land bank concept, which will be unveiled today by Mayor Sheila Dixon's administration, would eliminate red tape faced when a city-owned property is put up for sale - such as the requirement for an appraisal - to speed a process that some say can hamper redevelopment. In a city where thousands of vacant homes and lots have come to define certain neighborhoods - leading to further decay and crime and falling property values - the effort could help the city bring pockets of blight back to life.

The incoming mayor, Stephanie C. Rawlings-Blake, could have a tremendous impact on improving the city's housing market by committing to lowering property taxes and pushing for a land bank authority to help the city get control of vacant homes, said Joseph T. "Jody" Landers III, executive vice president of the Greater Baltimore Board of Realtors. The city has seen its tax base erode as it struggles to compete with the declining home prices and lower tax rate of the surrounding counties, Landers said.

The city government has become a giant land bank. If only it knew how to profit from its assets.A judge usurped power not given him by the Constitution to forbid Congress from abdicating power that document confers on it.If US Airways won't fly any more to the only airport serving Bawlamer and D.C., other airlines will.Tiger Woods for Veep!Pub Date: 4/14/97

Land bank to fight blight Five years after Baltimore began a major effort to take control of thousands of abandoned properties, city officials announce a new program that would make it easier to sell them for redevelopment. Repeat rapist held in attack A twice-convicted rapist was arrested after being accused of attacking a woman at a Linthicum light rail station, raping her and leading police on a chase in the Patapsco River. Wind farm idea is floated A New Jersey-based company wants to build about 150 wind turbines, each more than 40 stories tall, in the Atlantic Ocean 12 miles from the tourist-packed beaches of Ocean City.

Wynstone LLC is a new Columbia-based company that will focus on land acquisition, selling and development in Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Harford and Howard counties.The firm is a joint venture between Richard Azrael, president of Chateau Builders Inc., and James M. "Mickey" Abrams, president of Cypress Homes of Maryland Inc.Wynstone plans to launch the area's first regional land data bank, a centralized residential bank and information system for homebuilders."We fully expect the Land & Data Bank to become as important to developers and builders as the multiple list system is to the real estate brokerage community," Mr. Azrael said.