Central Baltimore Neighborhoods, Districts, and More
Central Baltimore has eleven neighborhoods (Abell, Barclay, Charles North, Charles Village, Greenmount West, Harwood, Midway, Oakenshawe, Old Goucher, Remington and Wyman Park). In addition, it has one officially designated Main Street Commercial District (Waverly Main Street), and one officially designated Arts and Entertainment District (Station North Arts District). Needless to say, art and commerce are not confined to those officially designated areas, they reflect State tax incentives. There is also one main waterway, the Jones Falls River, including tributaries (like Stony Run), as well as too many parks and public spaces to list.
Each neighborhood is different and we encourage you to learn about each one. The following links will connect you to organizations in these communities that can aid you in discovering more about them.
Abell neighborhood
You can learn more about Abell from the Abell Improvement Association and/or Live Baltimore.
Barclay neighborhood
You can learn more about Barclay from the Greater Greenmount Community Association and/or Live Baltimore.
Charles North neighborhood
You can learn more about Charles North from the Charles North Community Association and/or Live Baltimore.
Charles Village neighborhood
You can learn more about Charles Village from the Charles Village Civic Association and/or Live Baltimore.
Greenmount West neighborhood
You can learn more about Greenmount West from the Greenmount West Community Association and/or Live Baltimore.
Harwood neighborhood
You can learn more about Harwood from the Harwood Community Association and/or Live Baltimore.
Midway neighborhood
You can learn more about Midway from the Greater Greenmount Community Association and/or Live Baltimore.
Oakenshawe neighborhood
You can learn more about Oakenshawe from the Oakenshawe Improvement Association and/or Live Baltimore.
Old Goucher neighborhood
You can learn more about Old Goucher from the Old Goucher Community Association and/or Live Baltimore.
Remington neighborhood
You can learn more about Remington from the Greater Remington Improvement Association and/or Live Baltimore.
You can learn more about Wyman Park from the Wyman Park Community Association and/or Live Baltimore.
Arts and Business Districts and Waterways
The Station North Arts District
Art is everywhere in Central Baltimore. You don't have to visit the three neighborhoods of the Station North Arts District (Barclay, Charles North, and Greenmount West), to experience it. For instance, there are Old Masters in Charles Village (at the BMA) and cutting-edge rockers at the Ottobar (Baltimore's premier Indy rock venue) in Remington. But the designation of Station North as Baltimore's first arts district has had a profound effect. The district has been propelled into a nationwide arts destination that was recently recognized by USA Today as one of the top five arts districts in the U.S. Longtime support has been provided by our Station North Arts District Program. The program has its own website that features information both about its own activities, and the Station North Arts District as a whole.
For more information about what’s happening in the Station North Arts District, visit www.stationnorth.org.
Waverly Main St. Commercial District
Located in an area on and adjacent to Greenmount Avenue between 34th and 29th street, Waverly Main Street is a designated commercial district under Baltimore City Main Streets program. This qualifies it for “support and public resources” to “attract new businesses and new jobs.” Thus it is the only “official” commercial district in Central Baltimore. But just as art here is not confined to an arts district, commerce takes place in multiple locations. A wide variety of small, to medium size, businesses (of all types) produce everything from video games, to furniture, to personal care products, in different neighborhoods where workplaces blend harmoniously with homes. Retailers are similarly diverse — with clusters of shops sprinkled around Central Baltimore, often along stretches of Charles Street, St Paul Street, North Avenue and Greenmount Avenue.
Learn more about the Waverly Main Street Commercial District on the waverlymainstreet.org website.
The Jones Falls Watershed
The Jones Falls River is as small (about 18 miles long), as it is historic and beautiful. It runs between Baltimore County and Baltimore Harbor, and a section of it forms Central Baltimore’s western border. We consider it a local treasure, despite the fact that many of our residents are only aware of it as the body of water that runs below I-83 and the Light Rail. Thus we were delighted that in 2018, the Friends of The Jones Falls, Inc was formed to aid the watershed, and protect this important part of Baltimore’s past and future. It “is a volunteer-based organization incorporated to support and sustain the quality of life and long-term stewardship of the Jones Falls" — as a 501(c)(3) we can accept tax deductible contributions — to assist their stewardship. Please note, all funds will go directly to them. To learn more about the Friends of the Jones Falls, and what it does, visit their website.