Seton Hill Master Plan January 2012 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Department of Planning wishes to thank the following stakeholders for the invaluable contributions to this study: The Arena Players and The Friends of The Arena Players Baltimore Gas and Electric Company Maryland General Hospital The Orchard Mews Apartment Complex The Seton Hill Association The Sulpicians of the Saint Mary’s Spiritual Center and Mother Seton House The Planning Department would like to thank our fellow City agencies as well as the individual members of the public that participated in this effort - whether this participation took the form of formal proposals, correspondence or oral comments. DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING MISSION STATEMENT To provide the highest level services and leadership in urban and strategic planning, historical, and architectural preservation, zoning, design, development, and capitol budgeting to promote the sustained economic, social, and community development of the City of Baltimore. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Community Vision 1 2 Background 3 Figure 2.1: Neighborhood Context Map 4 Figure 2.2: Other Planning Efforts 9 3 History 11 Figure 3.1: Historic Street Grid 17 Figure 3.2: Historic Resources 18 4 Planning Process 19 5 Development Opportunities 25 Figure 5.1: Existing Conditions 26 Figure 5.2: Infill Development Opportunities 30 Figure 5.3: Commercial and Economic Development Recommendations 35 6 Transportation and Traffic 41 Figure 6.1: Transportation Barriers 42 Figure 6.2: Traffic Study Recommendations 44 Figure 6.3: Concepts for New Usable Land 45 7 Open Space 47 Figure 7.1: Existing Open Space 48 Figure 7.2: Saint Mary’s Park Recommendations 51 Figure 7.3: Howard’s Park Recommendations 53 Figure 7.4: Open Space Network 54 8 Land Use and Zoning 55 Figure 8.1: Existing Zoning 57 Figure 8.2: Zoning Recommendations 58 9 Implementation Table 59 Appendix A: Market Study 65 Appendix B: Traffic Study 89 Appendix C: Current Zoning Categories 109 1 COMMUNITY VISION The Seton Hill Master Plan is the result of a partnership between the Department of Planning and the Seton Hill Association along with other area stakeholders. The Seton Hill Association has prepared the following Vision, Mission Statement, and Planning Principles for inclusion in this Plan. Vision As an inclusive organization, the Seton Hill Association proactively serves as the primary contact for aiding and motivating our community to preserve and promote Seton Hill’s historic character by strengthening its resources and improving its assets. Seton Hill Mission Statement The Seton Hill Association is a community organization actively working to improve and enhance the quality of life for current and future residents, property owners, businesses, and organizations in and around Seton Hill through: • Preserving historical integrity and promoting neighborhood assets; • Developing and implementing strategic planning; • Advancing a sense of community spirit and communication through information, activities and programs; • Networking with other neighborhoods; and • Promoting the well-being of Seton Hill citizens through collaboration with the City of Baltimore and our elected representatives. 1 Planning Principles 1. Build on strengths Seton Hill is strategically located between major neighborhoods and areas which are experiencing rapid development. Saint Mary’s Park is the largest urban green space in the immediate downtown area and can become an attractive focal point for an expanded area. The Seton Hill Master Plan can help tie this activity together. 2. Preserve the existing character of the neighborhood The area around the park offers a unique experience because of its large number of 19th century homes and the historic Chapel on the grounds of the park. The urban grid of the streets should be restored in order strengthen the feeling of a community. 3. Increase the number of housing units Over the years, as historic homes have deteriorated and been lost, the number of vacant lots has increased and the number of housing units in single family homes has decreased. Many commercial buildings and lots are also underutilized. 4. Capitalize on the community’s historic assets Cultural and Heritage tourism is one of the fastest growing segments of the tourism industry. Seton Hill’s unique place in local and national history provides a new venue to market to potential travelers considering a visit to Baltimore. 5. Lay out vision for underutilized assets The area contains several vacant and underutilized properties which, together, constitute a sizable area of the greater Seton Hill neighborhood. It is critical that these areas be developed for appropriate uses. An inappropriate use or design could have a negative impact, not only on Seton Hill itself, but also in terms of maximizing the benefit to the neighboring areas. 2 2 BACKGROUND Seton Hill is a small residential community with a rich and versatile history that is located in close proximity to Baltimore’s downtown. The neighborhood is strategically located at the intersection of a variety of vibrant and up-and coming neighborhoods, including the Central Business District’s Westside to the south, the residential communities of Mount Vernon to the east and Upton to the west, and the State Center and Maryland General Hospital to the north. Seton Hill has the potential to knit together these, supporting a successful, self- sustaining, critical mass of residential, commercial and economic activity in the broader area. The core of the neighborhood consists of a large urban park, Saint Mary’s Park, which features old growth trees, brick walkways, open lawns and a flower garden. The park, formerly an enclosed seminary, includes two national historic sites that have been historically integrated with this open space. Many of the early 19th century homes surrounding the Saint Mary’s Park still survive; however, vacant lots between the surviving structures are often unmaintained and challenging to develop. Along the western edge of the neighborhood is the Orchard Mews apartment complex, which is contemporaneous with the construction of Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, and the Arena Players, the oldest continually performing historically black community theater. Howard Street, the eastern border of the neighborhood, accommodates Baltimore’s Light Rail as well as vehicular traffic. Attractions along Howard Street include a collection of shops known as Antique Row towards the north and Howard’s Park at Seton Hill’s Light Rail stop, the Centre Street Station. Parallel to Howard Street and one block to the west is Eutaw Street, which also features some limited retail uses. The southern boundary of the neighborhood is Franklin Street, which together with Mulberry Street a block south comprise Route 40, the major east/west corridor both within the Central Business District and throughout the city. South of Franklin Street is a concentration of institutional users, including University of Maryland, Baltimore, University of Maryland Medical System, University of Maryland BioPark, and offices for the Social Security Administration. 3 Figure 2.1: Neighborhood Context Map 4 Demographics The recently released data from the 2010 Census helps to track Seton Hill’s progress over the past ten years. The neighborhood is comprised of 1,249 individuals that in turn make up 731 housing units (note that all Census data only includes the study area west of Eutaw Street). Between 2000 and 2010 Seton Hill experienced a population loss of 8.5%, compared with a population loss of 3.8% citywide. An occupancy rate of 88% of property within Seton Hill is slightly higher than that found citywide. Additional demographic information about the residents of Seton Hill is provided by the 2005-2009 American Community Survey (ACS). Although fewer individuals complete the ACS, the information provided is much more detailed than that of the Census. However, there is a higher error rate associated with the ACS projections than with the Census count that may lead to discrepancies between the two sources. Also, ACS data includes the entire Seton Hill Master Plan study area while the Census data excludes east of Eutaw Street. Compared with Baltimore City as a whole, Seton Hill has fewer households that are families (36% of households versus 53% citywide) and more householders living alone (46% of households versus 40% citywide). Seton Hill households are also less likely to be married-couples families or to include one or more person age 65 or older. In 78 of the 834 households counted in the ACS, grandparents are responsible for grandchildren under the age of 18 that live with them. Half of the students in Seton Hill are elementary school age (50% of the residents enrolled in school are in grades 1-8, compared to 35% citywide), with fewer high school students than the citywide average (8% versus 21% citywide). Educational attainment in Seton Hill for the population over age 25 is consistent with citywide averages for achieving a high school diploma (29% locally versus 30% citywide), but is higher than average for achieving a college diploma (25% versus 13% citywide). 5 Approximately 33% of households in Seton Hill experienced incomes below the federal poverty line in the past 12 months, with that rate increasing to 58% for households with children under the age of 18, rates that are well above the citywide average (20% and 28% respectively citywide). Participation of residents over age 16 in the labor force was slightly higher than the citywide average, with 68% participating in the labor force and only 1% of the population participating in the labor force but currently unemployed (compared with 62% and 7% citywide). Common occupations for employed Seton Hill residents over the age of 16 include professional occupations (34%) and service occupations (35%). Tenure for residents of Seton Hill in their current housing unit tends to be less time than the citywide average, with a full 70% of residents having moved to their current residence neighborhood since 2000. Most housing units are renter- occupied, with an owner-occupancy rate of 8%. Renters pay a median gross rent of $817 per month, which is consistent with the citywide average of $813 per month. The median housing value for owner-occupied housing units is $218,000, well above the citywide average of $152,000, with a full 19% of owner- occupied housing units valued at between $300,000 and $499,000. 6