
Most recent:May 23, 2022
In Mount Vernon, a historic preservation fiasco
The cracks in the building could be seen for months as they grew in size. A handsome 1860s townhouse in Baltimore's historic Mount Vernon neighborhood was being irreparably damaged by the novice developers working on an eight-story apartment building next door.
The developer - who, as it happened, owned the damaged historic structure - said it could not be saved and 4 East Eager was demolished. How, in a city with housing inspectors, a planning staff and a preservation board, did this happen? Critics said it was part of a pattern of city government favoring business interests over historic building preservation. Baltimore Brew took a closer look.