McElderly Park

McElderly Park is a neighborhood located in the east region of Baltimore. East Monument Street, North Linwood Avenue, East Fayette Street, North Milton Avenue, East Baltimore Street and North Patterson Park Avenue generally form the borders of the neighborhood. A mixture of residential and commercial building will be found here. Homes here are typically the attached single-family row style homes found throughout Baltimore.

Located adjacent to the massive Patterson Park complex, McElderly Park is home to several schools including the William Pace Elementary School and the Tench Tighman Elementary Schools that will appeal those with young children. Shopping is available here with most stores being small neighborhood stores, including several grocery stores. In addition, you will find numerous restaurants here as well. There are no places to worship here, but they can be found nearby. Numerous bus stops can be found along the main streets. Many will enjoy the many offerings of the Enoch Pratt Free Library.

Like many neighborhoods in large cities, crimes against people and property can occur at any time and crime rates can vary from street to street and day to day. As always, check recent crime statistics to make an informed decision on any neighborhood you are considering living in or visiting.

I am not sure if McElderly Park will appeal to many. As with any neighborhood, there are good parts and bad parts and you need to decide if it is for you. As for me, I will take a pass for now.

Located in southeast Baltimore, McEldery Park came to the area’s attention during the fall of 2010 when former president Jimmy Carter led an army of Habitat for Humanity volunteers in a massive, week long work project that made repairs on more than 20 formerly boarded up row houses in the neighborhood. In spite of Carter’s efforts, the area remains one of the worst places to live in Baltimore. Like so many other communities, it fell victim to a combination of working class flight to the suburbs and a large influx of Section 8 housing tenants.
Still, there are a few rays of hope. For instance, residents have been working together to tear down buildings that are beyond repair and replace them with things like community gardens and playgrounds. One of the most popular of these spaces is the Amazing Port Street Sacred Commons, a prayer garden that feeds both the body and soul by providing green space for meditation and growing food that is in turn donated to the neighborhood’s needier residents.
More good news: there are several public schools within walking distance of many houses, as well as a public library and a well-used public transportation system.