Owner Fights Rogue Addition
By: Josh McClown
Crab Staff Writer
BUTCHERS HILL – In an event that has an entire neighborhood, or at least a few members, saddened and nervous, a row-home containing three apartments may lose luxury status on all three.
“This is horrible, just horrible,” said the owner of the Washington Street apartments. “I almost cannot talk about this because that is how upset I get.”
While the condition of the apartments is not changing and the rent price is not dropping, the third-story apartment may lose its water-view due to an addition being put on the home next door. That addition is claimed to have been built without proper zoning and the owner plans on fighting the addition based on that claim.
“I will fight this will all of my power,” declared the homeowner. “Someone just waltzes in here and builds an addition and puts a $500,000 price tag on the house? Not in my backyard they don’t!”
When asked if the motivation for fighting this addition was based on the ability to continuously raise the rents by claiming a water-view, the resident became visibly angry.
“It’s not about the money, and I am insulted and hurt that you would imply that,” claimed the owner. “Even though I don’t even live there, the water-view is very important to me because it is a beautiful view. I have worked hard to make those apartment luxurious and you don’t have the right to build a place equally as nice right next to mine without a fight.”
Other Butchers Hill residents immediately came to the defense of the homeowner claiming that the owner has a right to make money on the home, even though the owner claims that the issue is not money.
“Why can’t they make money on their investment,” said one resident. “I mean, but….the…I know it’s not about the money, but…..it’s just wrong to build that addition.”
While the builder of the addition could not be reached for comment, sources inside the Butchers Hill neighborhood do claim a country-club culture that has spread among its most tenured residents.
“People who have lived here for the longest can't make up their mind about what they want except that they want all the power as to what goes on.” said one insider. “They complain about crime, but won’t allow cameras. They complain about blighted housing but give developers hell. However, if they want to do something, then it’s OK, just like a country club, the longer you have been here, the more say you have and more entitlement you claim. It’s ass-backwards.”
As the debate continues, the luxury status hangs in the balance for those apartments and it is not settling well.
“It would just be absolutely tragic if those apartments, built way back before this neighborhood was popular, were allowed to become just ordinary,” said one tearful resident. “All because some developer wants to make the house next to it look nice.”
Baltimore’s friendliest neighborhood remains entrenched in controversy.
This is part 1 of a 3 part series.
No comments:
Post a Comment