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Gated alleys in Baltimore create safe haven. . .and gentrified enclave?

June 1, 2010 at 2:13 pm 8

gated alley

Luzerne glover green alley

Photo by: Kate Herrod, Community Greens

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There was a fascinating piece in Sunday’s Washington Post magazine about alley-gating in Baltimore.

Baltimore residents have been allowed to do this for a couple of years now:  basically, you cut off access to the alley with an iron gate, give keys to people whose backyards face the alley and voila, you have an urban oasis.

Picture planters with zinnias and basil, neighborhood parties and kids playing safely.

So is this good: helping families who would like to not have to worry about their kids encountering used condoms and junkies in the alley? Or is it bad, antithetical to what cities are supposed to be all about: creating a gated community for affluent gentrifiers?

Some of those Stephanie Shapiro interviewed, like Rafael Reyes, found the idea distasteful at first.

But after suffering two rear-entry break-ins, one while he and his family slept, “everything changed.’” He bought a gun. And he no longer opposed alley gates.

Shapiro, a former veteran features writer for The Baltimore Sun, updates a story The Baltimore Urbanite did back in 2006, when the idea was first taking off.

It’s worth reading her nuanced piece to find out how the trailblazing greened alley at North Luzerne and North Glover Street, near Patterson Park, fared in the intervening years. And you’ll get a thoughtful look at the challenges faced by the other would-be alley gaters who followed.

  • http://thealligator.wordpress.com/ Eric

    “So is this good: helping families who would like to not have to worry about their kids encountering, used condoms and junkies in the alley? Or is bad, antithetical to what cities are supposed to be all about: creating a gated community for affluent gentrifiers?”

    What’s good is being able to pull up the concrete in the alleys and make them green spaces. People could congregate there, or grow food – even the “affluent gentrifiers” (how dare they move into the city and try to fix problems!)

    What’s bad is the grammar in the quoted paragraph.

    • http://v01.baltimorebrew.com Editor

      Thanks for flagging us to some boo-boos, Eric. . . Alley gating/greening is interesting and cool and also raises interesting issues thoughtful people can talk about in a civil way…. no?

  • http://thealligator.wordpress.com/ Eric

    Yes, civility is honored. But I’m tired of the “gentrifier” label cast at anyone who moves into a new neighborhood. People moving in and out is the point of a city, right? So people who move in are tired of having their homes broken into, want to have more space to play and grow food, and want to do it in a democratic way (getting 80% of the block’s approval). Why criticize that at all, when there are real problems, and this is a pretty good solution to many of them? “Gentrified enclaves”? That’s a ridiculous starting point for a discussion, in my estimation. $.02

    • http://v01.baltimorebrew.com Editor

      All valid points, reflected strongly I think in the article we linked to — hope you found it interesting! fs

  • Chris

    Eric is spot on: the boogeyman “gentrifier” label alienates folks whose efforts and presence this ailing city DESPERATELY needs…and it’s not even accurate when it comes to Baltimore demographics, besides! There is no lack of folks with the last name ending in “ski” in Canton, even today….and those who left were likely paid well for their homes. At the molasses-slow pace progress moves in Baltimore, I’m just not seeing the “gentrification.” The ghettos are still pretty much here, even in much bally-hooed Reservoir Hill, where I live.
    And, last time I checked, the alley-gating provision is open to homeowners who might not be “affluent,” too, Eric.

  • http://thealligator.wordpress.com/ Eric

    Yes, yes, good Urbanite article – sorry if the grammar corrections were pointed out in a rude way. No ill-will intended.

    And yes, Chris, gating is open to many residents, “affluent” or otherwise. That’s my point. The gates can be expensive, sure – but there are organizations and grants available to help residents, through their community associations and block clubs, so that they can afford the benefits that come with a greened, re-invented alley space.

    Especially with bulk trash service being cut, we need more gated and greened alleys!

    -e.

  • Lee

    We wanted to do this on my block by patterson park too, but someone turned their back yard into “parking pads” for their giant truck. They oppose the gates because then the entryway would be too narrow to fit their giant trucks through, plus they would have to wait 7 whole seconds for the gate to open/close.

  • Chris

    Eric — I deeply apologize — my reply wasn’t targeted to you at all; I was actually trying to answer the writer of this piece, and the “Editor”, whom I must have gotten you confused with. You can see I began the paragraph saying I agreed with you — my error was putting your name at the END of my comment; it should have said “the alley-gating provision is open to homeowners who might not be “affluent,” too, Editor.”

    Sorry again for that – I agree 110% in every single thing you wrote.

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