Random Food (& Drink!) News Round-Up

Argh! Hawker is behind on updating. Blame it on an out-of-town job over the weekend.

So, let's talk food as a way of apology, shall we?

1. Soup's On has wireless.

2. New System Bakery is now open on Sunday's from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Their doughnuts are still made with crack, and they still serve breakfast sandwiches all day long.

3. The Wine Source now carries Dangerously Delicious Pies--both sweet and savory! Only problem is that the case designed to hold them (and to keep the pies cold) is having all kinds of issues, so: no pies today. However, help is on the way, and I was assured that the plan is to fix the case ASAP and to have pies everyday. Oh, and you can try FREE pie and meet DDP's founder and owner Rodney "The Pie Man" Henry at The Wine Source's winter beer tasting this weekend: Friday January 25, 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. and Saturday January 26, 1:30 to 5:30 p.m.

4. El Rancho Grande (Hampden's newest coffee shop located on Falls Road right at 36th Street) is apparently open! It seems to be open 2-9 p.m. on Sundays and 2 or 3 p.m.-2 a.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Hawker promises a visit and report soon!

5. Ground Control (Hampden's 2nd newest coffee shop located in the Rotunda) is open, and they're hiring. There's wireless and pastries from local bakeries. They're open Monday through Friday 7 a.m.–5 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Check out Ground Control before a matinee at the Rotunda!

6. Even with all of Hampden's ever-expanding beverage options, some people still can't get a decent chai. Someone, help her!

Rotunda Update

There's another Rotunda Task Force meeting tomorrow. The Task Force is now asking for a representative from each neighborhood group (someone that can participate in conversations through 2010.) The impact of such voices is unclear, however. Hopefully, Hawker will have details after the meeting.

Also, in Saturday's Sun, there was an editorial about the Rotunda development. It was definitively pro-development, but it did note that "The developers should stick with boutiques, specialty or service stores and funky restaurants as tenants. A giant-sized Giant, a tenant since 1971, is enough big-name, big store for this renovation."

Wanted: Public Utilitarian Art Made by Locals

This just in. . . Not being a visual artist, Hawker can't tell if this sounds like a good opportunity for local artists or a chance for the architect to do less work in the name of "community involvement." Hawker wishes it was simply a call for entries for public art to be installed at the site, but maybe Hawker's just a cynic. Comments are welcome.

ARTIST COLLABORATION INITIATIVE REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
Deadline: February 4 by 5pm (postmarked or hand delivered)
Location: The Rotunda, 711 West 40th Street, Baltimore, MD 21211
As part of an extensive redevelopment of the historic Rotunda in Baltimore, the developer, Hekemian & Co., Inc., is soliciting the submission of qualifications by area artists for participation in their Artist Collaboration Initiative. Hekemian, working with local architects Design Collective Inc., has re-envisioned the site, reorienting the existing retail towards the exterior and creating an opportunity for new public open space. The project will have a significant residential component of over 300 units while maintaining the historic former headquarters of Maryland Casualty Company as office space. The existing Giant grocery store will be relocated behind the existing building underground and beneath a new plaza, providing an opportunity for artisan involvement to create a range of outdoor public art and architectural details. Please refer to the project’s website for more information. The panel will select approximately 5 area artists for consideration by the developer for involvement in this project. These artists will be selected based on their demonstrated experience in producing lasting public artwork and performing on schedule and within budget. The selected artists will receive an honorarium of $2,500 with which to work with the design team to develop a concrete proposal and budget to present to the developer. Hekemian will then select one or more artists to participate in the redevelopment project and implement their proposal(s). While no specific sites have been identified as locations for artist involvement on the site, the majority of the opportunities for artists will be utilitarian in nature, with the potential for a large-scale piece of public art. Utilitarian items might include signage, metalwork, outdoor seating, tile work, and decorative paving. This RFQ is open to any professional artist who resides within Baltimore City or Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Harford and Howard Counties. Experience with public art projects is preferred. Applications will be evaluated based on 1) artistic quality of the work samples submitted, and 2) experience and demonstrated success with previous projects of this scale. Application Requirements: Letter of Interest: Specific project proposals or descriptions are not required. Images: Up to 20, on CD-ROM Label images as follows: Last Name, First Initial, and Number that corresponds with Image List. Image List: Include title, date, medium, dimensions, location of projects, and a brief description. Resume/ C.V. References: In connection with completed installations. Self-Addressed, Stamped Envelope: Include sufficient postage for the return of slides. Mail or deliver application to Alfred W. Barry, III, AB Associates, 1 South Calvert Street, Suite 1150, Baltimore, MD 21202. For further information call 410.547.6900 or email ababalt@yahoo.com
http://grandrotunda.com

Medfield Likes Rotunda

This just in (at least to me, because for some inexplicable reason, the entire contents of Hawker's gmail mailboxes disappeared for two days and just returned minutes ago):

On December 3rd, by way of community vote, the Medfield Community Association, voted to give a clear directive to Support/Approve the Rotunda Re-Development at the Planning Commission Hearing on December 20th at 1:30 p.m.

At this meeting, the Baltimore's Planning Commission will be reviewing the design plans for the Rotunda.

Rotunda Edges Forward

So the Rotunda project seems to indeed be moving forward. (Here's a grainy photo of the proposed layout from a year ago.) There's a task force meeting scheduled for Monday, October 22nd. (Hawker's not 100% clear who's on the task force and what authority they have, but the members seem to be made up of an appropriate group of local business and community leaders.)

Word is that a general contractor has been retained for the project (and he/she will be introduced) and that "design refinements" and "construction details" will be announced at the meeting.

I'll keep you posted as I get more news.

Until then, please amuse yourself with the video from The Rotunda development website. There's all these shots of Baltimore in the beginning, and NOT ONE of them actually shows Hampden. Nice.

Seems like the time for Indy Hampden still feels right.

Development Rumors

Hawker took a walk tonight after the rain, in the dark of the evening, and everything seemed so quiet, and most every house was decked out in Halloween pride that Hawker, for one, felt such love for Hampden that my heart grew like the Grinch!

Then, there's these thoughts from a tipster:

Regardless of what you may have heard, lots o' folks are under the impression that The Rotunda project still is happening. Rumor has it now that development should start in April 2008, but (no surprise,) there are still (thankfully) wrenches in that plan.

Traffic considerations in that area are, of course, huge. The rumor is that businesses on the north side of Falls & 41st and the south side of Roland & 40th may be taken by eminent domain. Also, rumors say that a block on Elm near the Rotunda will be closed to ALL traffic. This of course means, you could live on Elm, but you won't be able to park there.

Oh, and if that doesn't make you nervous, how about this rumor: Baltimore City has been privatizing a lot of its parks, and there's some thought that Roosevelt Park may go up for sale.