Tour
the Greenmount Area
Once
a thriving African American community, the Greenmount neighborhood has faced the
daunting challenges of crack cocaine, random demolition, and city neglect over
the last thirty years. The result is a deteriorated neighborhood with a
severely diminished population and among
the city's highest crime
rates and lowest homeownership rates.
Nevertheless the neighborhood remains vital, thanks to the concerted efforts of
the residents, churches, neighborhood organizations, and strong elementary schools.
Geographic
Location of the Neighborhood
The
Greenmount Community's Anchors
of Hope Community Plan encompasses 27 square blocks and 1,378 units
(including houses, vacant land parcels, and businesses) from 25th Street to North
Avenue and from Barclay Avenue to Homewood Avenue.
| The
neighborhood is located near four areas of intense investment: Johns Hopkins University
campus to the Northwest; Johns Hopkins Hospital to the Southeast; the former Memorial
Stadium to the Northeast; and cultural and financial centers to the Southwest.
Equidistant between these job centers, the Greenmount neighborhood is potentially
an ideal bedroom community for low and moderate-income citizens. (Click on
map for larger view.) | |  |
Transportation
North
and Greenmount Avenues are significant gateways to the city. In fact, according
to a recent MTA hub study conducted by the Morgan State National Transportation
Center, the bus stops at Greenmount and North Avenue form one of the most used
public transportation hubs in the city. This area is served by three bus lines
that easily transport residents to areas of employment. (Click on the map for
a larger view.) |
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| Several
significant green spaces in the community are consistently maintained, controlled,
and enjoyed by neighborhood citizens. The historic Greenmount Cemetery is the
largest of these. Most
vacant lots do not fall into this category although some have been bound with
hurricane fencing to curtail illegal dumping. Residents have transformed others
into informal community gardens, playgrounds, and pocket parks. These positive
green spaces show how vacant lots can help revitilize the neighborhood. |
Economic
Activity
Neighborhood services in the Greenmount community are primarily made up of fast
food, liquor, retail, bail bonds, beauty, and community services. Over 15 small,
store-front religious organizations are in our focus area. Although there is no
large grocery store, the smaller markets and Rite Aid offer some unprepared foods.
Both
legal and illegal informal business activity takes place along Greenmount Avenue,
including day care, street vending, drug dealing, and prostitution. The drug culture
is the most dominant, and the dealers often operate from increasing numbers of
abandoned homes. Reducing the number of these houses and bringing new residents
to the streets is a key factor in the community's stabilization.
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