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| Fells Point Community Organization | |
|---|---|
| Name | Fells Point Community Organization |
| Formation | 1960s |
| Type | Neighborhood association |
| Headquarters | Fells Point, Baltimore |
| Location | Baltimore, Maryland, United States |
| Region served | Fells Point |
| Leader title | President |
Fells Point Community Organization
The Fells Point Community Organization is a neighborhood association in Fells Point, Baltimore, founded amid urban renewal debates in the 1960s that involved actors from National Park Service, Maryland Historical Trust, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Baltimore City Hall, and local preservationists. It has engaged with landmark cases and policies linked to National Register of Historic Places, Baltimore National Heritage Area, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Maryland Department of Planning, and civic groups such as South East Community Development Corporation, Baltimore Heritage, and Greater Baltimore Committee.
Established in response to proposed urban renewal and highway projects affecting Fell's Point Historic District, the organization formed in the late 1960s alongside contemporaneous efforts like the opposition to the Jones Falls Expressway and advocacy around the Inner Harbor redevelopment. Early leaders collaborated with preservationists connected to St. Mary's Church (Baltimore), St. Patrick's Church, Baltimore, and developers influenced by plans from Jane Jacobs-era community activism. The Organization's efforts intersected with municipal actions under Mayor William Donald Schaefer and planning initiatives influenced by consultants who worked on Baltimore Plan documents and the Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore.
The Organization states goals similar to projects by Preservation Maryland and Historic Annapolis, focusing on protecting architectural fabric within the Fell's Point Historic District and promoting neighborhood vitality in coordination with agencies such as Maryland Historical Trust and National Park Service. Activities often mirror programs run by groups like Local Initiatives Support Corporation and Enterprise Community Partners, including constituency-building modeled on examples from Beacon Hill Civic Association and advocacy strategies akin to Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation.
Governance follows a volunteer board model analogous toBoard of Directors (nonprofit), with elected officers comparable to roles in Community Association Institute guidance and bylaws influenced by state nonprofit statutes such as those used by Maryland Nonprofit Act. Membership comprises residents, small-business owners, and stakeholders similar to members of Fells Point Merchants Association and tenants from nearby complexes like Harborplace and Power Plant Live!-area businesses. The Organization has coordinated with elected officials including delegates to the Maryland General Assembly and city representatives from Baltimore City Council.
Projects have included façade improvement initiatives resembling programs by Main Street America and landmark preservation work tied to the Fell's Point Historic District listing on the National Register of Historic Places. The Organization engaged in campaigns to influence zoning changes near parcels referenced in Baltimore City Zoning Code hearings and participated in rehabilitation efforts similar to those undertaken in Federal Hill (Baltimore) and Mount Vernon (Baltimore). Preservation collaborations involved specialists from American Institute of Architects and consultants experienced with Historic Preservation Tax Credit (United States) applications and coordination with Maryland Historic Trust grant programs.
The Organization has helped organize festivals and programming akin to events by Flower Mart (Baltimore) and Baltimore Artscape, supporting maritime and arts traditions connected to local institutions like Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Baltimore Museum of Industry, and American Visionary Art Museum. Annual block parties, walking tours, and historic house open days have paralleled programming by Baltimore Heritage and tour efforts similar to Ghost Tours of Baltimore and the Fells Point Fun Festival.
Partnerships have included collaborations with Maryland Historical Trust, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Historic Annapolis, South East Community Development Corporation, Baltimore Development Corporation, and legal counsel experienced with cases before the Maryland Court of Appeals and United States District Court for the District of Maryland. The Organization has advocated on issues overlapping with transit debates involving BaltimoreLink and waterfront development tied to projects such as Maryland Port Administration initiatives and municipal responses to proposals from developers like Turner Construction-affiliated firms.
The Organization's preservation victories contributed to the protection of structures cited in documentation for the Fell's Point Historic District and have been recognized by entities such as Baltimore Heritage and local proclamations by Mayor of Baltimore offices. Its model of neighborhood activism has been discussed alongside case studies involving Jane Jacobs, Historic Preservation (United States), and community-led resistance to large-scale redevelopment projects exemplified by movements around Pennsylvania Station (New York City) and South Street Seaport.
Category:Organizations based in Baltimore Category:Historic preservation organizations in the United States