Blog: Union Square Online

The Blizzard of 2016 - An Album of 50+ Photos

2016-01-25T12:30:00.000-05:00

Here's an album of amazing snow images from the creative residents of Union Square. We'll be remembering (and talking about) this event for a long time.

Share this keepsake album with anyone who wasn't here for the record-breaking event.

Photo credit: Belinda Reed

The link (below) brings up a Facebook album, but it also works for those who don't have a Facebook account. Enjoy.

Album: 2016 Blizzard - A Historic Neighborhood and a Historic Snowfall

Live Baltimore Visits and Falls in Love! (43 PHOTOS)

2015-12-29T22:28:00.000-05:00

Live Baltimore recently visited Union Square and then went to Facebook to post a beautiful album of images including a wonderful narrative to go with the photos. Share this with your friends who don't have access to Facebook. Enjoy. (Photo credit for all images: Live Baltimore)

Neighbors get in the holiday spirit in Union Square.

December’s Final Friday took us to Southwest Baltimore’s Union Square Baltimore neighborhood, and oh boy, do we wish we were in a position to move! If we had to sum up our visit in one word, there’s no question that it would be ‘hospitality.’ This is truly a community where everybody knows your name. And if they don’t, believe they will stop you on the street to extend a hand and introduce themselves!

Lovely brick-front homes in Union Square.

Shopping for a home? If you’re spotted with a Realtor in Union Square, you just might find yourself invited over to Larry’s house for biscuits on Sunday or asked to join in the community’s progressive dinner tradition. Residents in Union Square are actively engaged in greening projects, art installations, youth programming, block contests, and so much more.

We began our morning in Union Square at Larry's house—a frequent gathering spot for neighbors.

Never met anyone who lives in Union Square? It’s likely because so many commute to DC, Annapolis, or other nearby locations for work. But don’t let that fool you—these Baltimore diehards also walk to Orioles games, downtown businesses, and nearby parks. Take a tour with us and see how much there is to love about this tightknit community.

Meet Bif, Union Square Neighborhood Association President and our tour guide for the day.

Larry (by the sink) was gracious enough to welcome the Live Baltimore team and nearly 20 Union Square neighbors into his home. Pastries courtesy of Culinary Architecture (coming soon to Pigtown Mainstreet).

Neighbors took turns introducing themselves and sharing why they think Union Square is the best neighborhood in Baltimore.

Before leaving Larry's house, we took a tour of
his historic renovation. Plenty of exposed brick
and beam to ogle.

Wondering what to do with those
used slate roof tiles? Repurpose them
into a shower surround. Creative reuse!

The view from Larry's upper level deck.

And another angle.

Off we go to see the sights of Union Square.

Renovations are happening
everywhere in Union Square.
Neighbors tell us homes are selling
as fast as they come on the market.

With grants from a variety of local nonprofits,
Union Square neighbors are turning this once
vacant lot into a rain garden. Residents work
weekends to ready the ground for plantings.

We can't get enough of this amazing Union Square mural.

You'll find neighbors planting in this garden this spring.

Another view of our favorite Union Square mural.

Neighbors lay out their plans for a community rain garden.

Residents will get the joke. Signs here have been changed from S Carey Street to So. Carey Street.

Bif introduces the neighborhood's "Lots
of Art" program, turning vacant lots
into useable spaces throughout the
community.

Art lots do wonders for neighborhoods
—reducing illegal activity, preventing
dumping, and giving kids a space to
play safely.

Constellation mural behind Union Square's "Lots of Art."

This art lot features a free library for
all residents. Take a book, leave a book.

Entering Union Square's movie lot.

Union Square hosts movies in the lot here from May through October.
Neighborhood kids enjoy running the popcorn machine that appears at every show.

Another great Union Square tradition: Bloom Your
Block. We're told neighbors really get into the
competition for the best curb appeal.

Two decks and two garages?
Not what many think of when they think city living. But it's here!

Approaching the gorgeous Enoch Pratt Library building.

The historic library building in Union Square.

Our staff member, Ross, used to call this building home
(when he worked for the Neighborhood Design Center).

Another angle of the Pratt Library building.

Three windows wide, three windows tall. That's a big rowhouse! (Try, 6,000 square feet!)

We met yet another friendly face as we walked, the neighborhood mailman.
(Said to be the best in Baltimore.)

Even the mailman stops to chat with you in Union Square!

We love an old fire house. This is the one in Union Square.

Grand entryways are the rule rather than the exception in Union Square.

Headed to our final destination...

Another participant in Union Square's Bloom Your Block event.
These pots will be filled with flowers this spring.

There is a square in Union Square!

Union Square's square offers just the right amount of green space for neighbors.

Fran, a longtime Union Square resident, welcomes us into his historic, park-front home.

Fran and his wife restored their historic home with their own hands (no outside contractors here!).
Their parlor is full of history you won't find in other neighborhoods.

Sights to see everywhere as we toured the neighborhood.

Thanks for hosting our December Final Friday, Union Square! We loved it!

Christmas Cookie Tour Photo Album 2015

2015-12-14T12:36:00.000-05:00

The 30th Union Square Christmas Cookie Tour is now a part of our neighborhood's illustrious history. And what a beautiful day it was. The community was buzzing with visitors, good cheer, and scrumptious cookies! Thank you to all of our guests and to the residents who opened their homes for this wonderful tradition. For those who were unable to attend, here's a link to an album of photos from the event.

Enjoy.

Click here to view the Union Square Christmas Cookie Tour Photo Album

NEW: Hollins Creative Placemaking Website

2015-03-26T10:09:00.000-04:00

Mission: To restore, revitalize, and rehabilitate the historic Hollins Market community, through urban art, agriculture, structural and economic development. It will be a collaborative effort, building a creative hub for community gathering and engagement to increase cultural tourism and entrepreneurial economic development while avoiding cultural displacement.

• Excerpt from the new website:

The project has many facets including public art, greenspacing, art education and festivals. As our strategic plan materializes we will post updates on our projects so check back often.

We would also like to use this space to highlight some of the wonderful artists in our area. Please take some time to view our local artists page...

We are funded through grants, donations and fundraisers. Please check out our events page for upcoming fundraisers. If you are interested in donating to the Hollins Market Placemaking Committee, we have 501(c)(3) status and your donation will be tax deductible...

Be sure to visit — here’s the link: Hollins Creative Placemaking

Fall 2014 Art Stroll (article from the new site)

Our 2014 Fall Art Stroll was a wonderful success with over 18 local artists show casing their work. The event was hosted in local business including: Zella’s Pizzeria, Mi Ranchito, CUPs Coffeehouse, New Beginnings Barber Shop, Black Cherry Puppet Theater, and the 60s and 70s club. We also had neighbors Robert Meyer and Mark Braun help to showcase our artists.

Photo Credit: Trevor Holman Photography http://www.trevorholmanphoto.com/

Amazon Brings 1-Hour Delivery to Union Square, Starting Today

2015-03-19T11:59:00.002-04:00

Amazon Amazes Union Square Today

More than just same-day delivery (which would be pretty amazing in itself), the online retailer just expanded its Prime Now service — which offers one-hour delivery to Prime members — to the Union Square 21223 zip code. No word yet on grocery delivery... and no, drones are NOT involved in this service.

Other select Baltimore zip codes include: 21202, 21218, 21224, 21231, 21205, 21222, 21213, 21233 (Union Square), 21230, 21206, 21203, 21214, 21211, 21251, 21201, 21223, 21225, 21226, 21217, 21219, 21237, 21229, 21227, 21216, and 21236.

Prime Now operates from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Two-hour delivery is free to Prime customers. One-hour delivery costs $7.99.

More details: Baltimore Fishbowl Amazon Brings 1-Hour Delivery to Select Baltimore Zip Codes, Starting Today

FREE: Applying for a Mortgage Workshop

2015-03-08T08:55:00.000-04:00

March 18, 2015 | 6–7 PM

Get the information you need - straight from the experts - and buy your own dream home in Union Square. Six O’Clock Sessions are free, one hour session on topics relevant to living, owning, and buying in Baltimore City. Sign up today!

Learn all about the first step to buying a home: getting pre-approved for a mortgage loan. Find out how to plan your budget, gather the required documents, prepare your credit score, and find the right lender for you.

343 N. Charles Street

This is a free event.

For more details, click here: Upcoming Events · Live Baltimore

Today in History

2015-01-29T02:39:00.000-05:00

Today in History - January 29

Events with Connections to Union Square and Southwest Baltimore (Sowebo)

1845

On Jan. 29, 1845, Edgar Allan Poe’s poem “The Raven” was first published in the New York Evening Mirror.

1936

In 1936, the first inductees of baseball’s Hall of Fame, including Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth, were named in Cooperstown, New York.

Babe Ruth - Baltimore Orioles (1914)

1956

In 1956, editor-essayist H. L. Mencken, the “Sage of Baltimore,” died at age 75.

H. L. Mencken at home on Hollins Street with Union Square in the window

Thought for Today:

“Love is an irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired.”
— Robert Frost, American poet (born 1874, died this date in 1963).

Baltimore | Disaster Preparedness

2015-01-23T11:17:00.000-05:00

Record flooding, tornadoes, devastating hurricanes, winter blizzards, derecho-type storms, you name it, Maryland has seen it all in the last decade. And according to climate change experts, it’s not a question of “if” a disaster is going to strike, but “when?”

That’s why the Baltimore Office of Sustainability wants all Baltimore residents to be prepared. How? There are three ways:

By working together to prepare for natural disasters, we can make Baltimore a more resilient and sustainable city.

THE DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND PLANNING PROJECT (DP3)

The Disaster Preparedness and Planning Project (DP3) is a new initiative by the Department of Planning that combines three different planning elements to become one final DP3 plan. Recognizing the City’s current vulnerability to the impacts of severe hazard events, Baltimore has undertaken a thorough, forward-thinking approach to the hazard mitigation planning process. Baltimore’s Disaster Preparedness and Planning Project (DP3) was created by the Department of Planning as an effort to address existing hazards while simultaneously preparing for predicted hazards due to climate change. This project develops a program that integrates hazards mitigation planning, floodplain mapping, and climate adaptation planning. DP3 links research, outreach, and actions to create a comprehensive and new risk-preparedness system for addressing existing and future impacts.

More information can be found on the Office of Sustainability website: www.baltimoresustainability.org

YouTube: The Union Square Channel

2015-01-22T14:26:00.001-05:00

Union Square and Hollins Market have an assortment of eclectic videos on YouTube. With today’s technology, almost anyone can become a star, a director, or a videographer. Please share your own video creations from park events, Christmas Cookie Tour celebrations, Sowebo Arts Festival adventures, or poignant slice-of-life vignettes captured in the neighborhood.

If you haven’t seen them yet, watch the current selection of videos—then get inspired to add your own!

Link: YouTube Union Square Online Videos

The Very Quotable (Still) H. L. Mencken

2015-01-12T11:51:00.000-05:00

H. L. Mencken at his home on Hollins Street (Union Square), in April of 1942, walking under the grape arbor that he built in his garden.

Union Square's most famous resident, no doubt, was H. L. Mencken (September 12, 1880 – January 29, 1956), an American journalist, essayist, magazine editor, satirist, critic of American life and culture, and scholar of American English. Known as the "Sage of Baltimore," he is regarded as one of the most influential American writers and prose stylists of the first half of the twentieth century. Many of his books remain in print. Decades after his death, people are still discovering and celebrating his literary work.

Why do we still read Henry Louis Mencken? He was mostly a columnist, and columns are usually forgotten the day after they are published. One of the main reasons we still read Mencken is that he was enormously funny. The ability to write humorously about serious things is one of the rarest gifts an author can have.

Mencken also wrote about his own times with great detachment. As a result, many of his quotes still show up and are applicable today. Here's a link to a great collection of Mencken quotes—he had a lot to say about a lot of things:
Quotes from H. L. Mencken

Nextdoor: Union Square Plus Nearby Neighborhoods

2015-01-10T13:45:00.000-05:00

Check out Nextdoor (link) - a website (in addition to the Union Square Facebook page) where you can post a message, event, or urgent alert to your Southwest Baltimore (Sowebo) neighbors. Read what Sowebo neighbors are talking about. This is especially helpful for those who don't have a Facebook account - plus it's more secure and specific than Facebook. The default "Union Square plus Nearby Neighborhoods" includes Union Square, Pratt Monroe, Washington Village/Pigtown, Hollins Market, and Ridgley's Delight. You can add or subtract neighborhoods as you prefer.

Local topic categories include Classifieds, Crime & Safety, Documents, Free Items, General, Lost & Found, and Recommendations.

Nextdoor is a private social network for us, our neighbors and our community. It's the easiest way for neighbors to talk online and make all of our lives better in the real world. And it's free.

Hundreds of neighborhoods are already using Nextdoor to build happier, safer places to call home.

People are using Nextdoor to:

Quickly get the word out about a break-in
Organize a Neighborhood Watch Group
Track down a trustworthy babysitter
Find out who does the best paint job in town
Ask for help keeping an eye out for a lost dog
Find a new home for an outgrown bike
Finally call that nice man down the street by his first name
Nextdoor's mission is to use the power of technology to build stronger and safer neighborhoods.

Nextdoor's Manifesto

We're for neighbors
We're for neighborhood barbecues. For multi-family garage sales. For trick-or-treating
We're for slowing down, children at play.
We're for sharing a common hedge and an awesome babysitter.
We're for neighborhood watch. Emergency response. And for just keeping an eye out for a lost cat.
We believe waving hello to the new neighbor says, “Welcome” better than any doormat.
We believe technology is a powerful tool for making neighborhoods stronger, safer places to call home.
We're all about online chats that lead to more clothesline chats.
We believe fences are sometimes necessary, but online privacy is always necessary.
We believe strong neighborhoods not only improve our property value, they improve each one of our lives.
We believe that amazing things can happen by just talking with the people next door.
We are Nextdoor. We are simply you and your neighbors, together.

Privacy

Fences are sometimes necessary. But online privacy is always necessary. Nextdoor makes it safe to share online the kinds of things you'd be okay sharing with your neighbors in person.

Here's how:

Every neighbor has to verify their address.
Every neighbor signs in with their real name. Just like in person.
The website is protected by password and encrypted by HTTPS.
Nextdoor never shares your info with advertisers.

Safety

Nextdoor makes it safe to share online the kind of things you'd be okay sharing with your neighbors in person.

Here's how:

You choose where your information is shared.
Information shared will never show up in Google or other search engines.