Clarion Newsletter February 2015

Tree Pruning and Workshop

There will be an MVBA Tree Pruning Event and Workshop on Saturday, February 28 at 10 a.m.  Volunteers will be meeting at First and Franklin Presbyterian Church located at Park and Madison.  From there groups of volunteers will be led by certified tree pruners to help keep Mount Vernon’s trees healthy and beautiful.  This particular workshop will focus on trees in the Southwestern quadrant of Mount Vernon. To volunteer, email: trees@mvba.org

Brass Elephant Sold!

In 2012, Steve and Linda Rivelis purchased and renovated the historic corner building at North Calvert and East Eager that sat empty for almost a decade. In 2013, they moved two of their companies, Campaign Consultation, Inc. [a social change consultancy] and Eye Byte Solutions [a web/graphic design firm] into the building – making Mt. Vernon their daytime home. For a peek at their work environs see last month’s Baltimore Business Journal (http://bit.ly/1ziV3DR).

Then just about 3 weeks ago, they expanded their investment in and commitment to the Mt. Vernon community with the purchase of the building at 924 N. Charles Street, the location of the former Brass Elephant, (Baltimore Sun:http://bsun.md/1Dd72TJ) (Baltimore City Paper:http://bit.ly/1yRSzxe).

Steve Rivelis notes “We did this to ensure that this grand old mansion remains a public place and is returned to being restaurant for the community’s pleasure, later this year. Our goal is to add another distinctive culinary gem to the Baltimore restaurant crown and in the process help to market Mt. Vernon as a great place to live, work and dine in the metro area.”

Steve hopes to re-open the restaurant sometime this year in the fall season.

Liquor Committee

Midtown Liquors
Spearheaded by a nearby resident, a petition with the required 10 signatures was sent to the liquor board requesting a hearing regarding ongoing CHAP  and other housing code violations, some dating back to 2012.  The contention is that the ongoing code violations has a negative impact on property values in the immediate neighborhood.  Some of the violations concern liquor advertising displayed in the windows in public view, which is not permitted.

At the hearing on January 29, the liquor board assessed a fine of $1,000 and instructed the licensee to remove the advertising signs and work with the community to correct the housing code and CHAP violations.

Waterstone Bar & Grill
The transfer of the existing license along with a request for off-premise catering was granted to the licensee without objections.  The restaurant, located at 307-311 West Madison Street, intends to emphasize and expand its restaurant operations to include breakfast and lunch daily to serve the growing population in the area.

Dog Park

Great news for dog lovers!  MVBA has learned that the City has finally approved a contract to build out Howard’s Dog Park starting in March.  More details to follow.

MVBA Stewardship Committee

The MVBA Board discussed several new businesses in the neighborhood and the need to ensure that they were aware of CHAP and Urban Renewal Plan requirements.  Signage requirements, in particular, seem to be being disregarded by new businesses, which may simply be unaware of them.  Some neighborhood businesses also seem to be unaware that the URP requires them not to place any dumpsters they use outside facing public streets, to avoid rat infestations.  Stewardship Chair Steve Ruckman agreed to contact two new businesses that appear to be non-compliant to apprise them of these requirements.

The Board also discussed a draft Memorandum of Understanding with a local developer regarding property management for a new residential development.  The developer will be converting a former office building into 10 residential units, and assurances were sought regarding where the residents’ trash would be stored (interior storage was a must), how security would be carried out, and how tenants would be managed.

New Businesses

Nouveau Home & Interior Design
Baltimore’s premier destination for contemporary home furnishings, announces its relocation from Belvedere Square to 10 West Eager Street in the City’s historic Mount Vernon neighborhood. The 2,300 square foot store is now open in the renovated former Chase Brexton Building adjacent to the popular City Café.

The Nouveau store will offer a wide array of furniture as well as accessories and giftware. New offerings include vintage accessories such as fans, radios, and glassware from the 40’s and 50’s as well as wall art representing iconic images from the 60’s and current trends such as signs with words. Nouveau will also sell personal accessories including watches.

According to Nouveau co-owner Steve Appel, the relocation represents a return to Nouveau’s “roots” – its first official home on North Charles Street, where it became the City’s go-to place for home décor. “We are excited to move back downtown and expand our customer base, “says Appel. “We look forward to serving our current customers and to working with new ones who are moving into the City’s many new luxury apartments and condos.”

Adds Nouveau co-owner Lee Whitehead: “We are downtown residents who have always identified ourselves with Mount Vernon, its history, culture, and charm. With the trend toward urban living, it makes perfect sense for us to be here, near the popular City Café and other growing downtown businesses.”

Nouveau will be open seven days a week with evening hours scheduled to accommodate diners at the City Café. Specific hours are available by calling the store. Street parking is available. More information can be found on Nouveau’s Facebook page, on its website,http://www.nouveaubaltimore.com, and by calling Nouveau at (410) 962-8248.

Piezon’s
Now open in the former home of Kyro Pizza located at 900 Cathedral Street.

Strongbox
Located at 802 St. Paul Street, opened in January of 2015. Strongbox is a retail concept featuring locally crafted artisan goods, original art, vintage housewares and many other smart objects for the body and home. Their inventory will revolve often to meet the needs of the neighborhood and its progressive residents.

Studio 7
Located at 800 N Charles Street, is Mount Vernon’s newest hair salon. Their priority is to provide exceptional service first. We want every guests to know that  we are committed to provide high quality services always. They are a Paul Mitchell Focus Salon which means they have partnered up with John Paul Mitchell Systems to consistently give the best hair care, top notch professional products, and service experience like no other. http://www.studio7thesalon.com/

Baltimore Restaurant Week

February 15-28—  You can still enjoy 3-course dinner menus for $30 or $20, and 2-course lunch or brunch menus for $15. Take advantage of Restaurant Week menus; Buy One, Get One free attraction and museum offers.  Many restaurants in Mount Vernon are participating.  http://www.absolutelyfebulous.com/eat

The Spire Series 

The Spire Series presents solo violinist Kurt Nikkanen, in an all-Bach concert on Friday, March 6, 2015, at 8:00 p.m.  A Meet-the-Artist reception will follow the performance.  First & Franklin Presbyterian Church, 210 West Madison Street (corner of Park Ave and Madison St.)

firstfranklin.org/index.php/community/music/the-spire-series

FREE weekly YOGA in Mount Vernon Place

Feb 7, 2015, 8:30 PM – 9:30 PM
Weekly on Saturday until May 23, 2015. Bring your yoga mat and a water bottle! Appropriate for all levels. Click here for more information.
Winter Location: The Belvedere, 1 East Chase Street, Baltimore, MD

Monument Celebration

Baltimore is celebrating the bicentennial of the nation’s first monument dedicated to George Washington!  The Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts, on behalf of the Mount Vernon Place Conservancy, is excited to announce “A Monumental Bicentennial” and the reopening of Baltimore’s iconic Washington Monument on Saturday, July 4, 2015, starting at 10am.

The patriotic celebration includes the official re-dedication of the monument and ribbon cutting at 10:45am, immediately followed by a festival celebration featuring family-fun, hands-on crafts, old-fashioned games and contests, live music, picnic-style food concessions and activities throughout the neighborhood’s businesses and cultural institutions.

Presented by Bank of America, the event is centered on the 600 block of N. Charles Street and is produced by the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts in partnership with the Mount Vernon Place Conservancy.  Admission is free, the event ends at 5pm. For more information, visit http://promotionandarts.org/events-festivals

Baltimore Farmers’ Market & Bazaar

Mark your calendars, the market re-opens April 5!

Maryland’s largest producers-only market offers an assortment of produce, meats, dairy, breads, flowers, collectibles and crafts on Sundays between April 5, 2015 and December 20, 2015 from 7am to sell out (typically noon).  Many Sundays also feature live music performances and cooking demonstrations.  The market is located below the Jones Falls Expressway at Holliday & Saratoga streets.

Multiple Property Tax Assessments

Property owners may have received more than one (1) property tax assessment notice from the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT). These assessment notices identify the Total New Market Value (TNMV) of the property, which is essentially the dollar figure each property is assessed.

On December 26, 2014, SDAT sent out its assessment notices to each property owner in the City. Around the time these assessment notices were sent out, SDAT concluded that some of the assessment notices were incorrect. Unfortunately, SDAT was not able to correct this mistake prior to the mailing. As a result, 8,121 incorrect assessment notices were sent out.

On January 30, 2015, SDAT sent out supplemental assessment notices to the 8,121 property owners identified above. These supplemental assessment notices were sent out for a variety of reasons, including (for the most part), but not limited to: informing a new owner of the TNMV for a recently transferred property; to revise the TNMV for a property on which new improvements were made; or to revise a TNMV which an SDAT Supervisor of Assessments deemed inaccurate.

Property owners may appeal the revised TNMV listed on a supplemental assessment notice within 45 days of the notice date. For more information on the process by which the TNMV may be appealed, you may view the process on SDAT’s website (http://www.dat.state.md.us/sdatweb/appeal.html) or call the SDAT Assessments Office for Baltimore City at 410-767-8250. It is important to note that the 45 day notice is what is listed on SDAT’s website.

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