Baltimore relocation-safe area bus accessible to Hopkins Bayview Hospital

Congratulations on your new job! Hopkins is a great place; I was there many years ago. It has been too long ago for me to be up to date on the neighborhoods around there but I used to really enjoy a Greek restaurant nearby called Ikaros. Hope others will chime in.

Congrats on your job offer. Fortunately, Hopkins is a large institution that has many resources that might be helpful to in your search and transportation.

The Hopkins shuttle bus runs from many parts of town and is a free bus for staff and students. There is one shuttle from the Homewood campus to the JHMI campus and another from JHMI to Bayview. There is also lots of public transport right to JHMI--city buses, subway that connects to light rail. So you have lots of options if you first go to JHMI and then onto Bayview on their shuttle. There are also some city buses that go right to Bayview.

Safe in Baltimore is a relative term. There are urban neighborhoods that are relatively far safer than other urban neighborhoods, and then there are some far safer neighborhoods in the suburbs. Many folks who work at Hopkins live in the city in the Charles Village/Wyman Park/Tuscany Canterbury areas (all walkable to the shuttle stops there), as well as Fells Pointe and Canton, accessible to city buses that would go down Eastern Ave to Bay View.

I bet the HR department at Bayview could recommend some neighborhoods that their staff have found convenient and safe. In addition, JHU has a housing office on the Homewood campus that is accessible on-line as well as for phone consultation--they were very helpful to me in choosing an apartment in a safe area when I came to work at JHSPH.

Thanks, keep em coming!

I used to live in Hampden which is west of Homewood (I loved it, although it's likely not your cup of tea), but just north of there is Roland Park which is a lovely neighbourhood. It's just up University Pkwy from the Homewood campus.

I bet the uni and your new department could give you some help.

If you don't drive then obviously the suburbs would be less than ideal for access to groceries and the like. Just south of University Pkwy at 40th St and Elm Ave is a Giant grocery store with other shops. There are a bunch of nice looking apt bldgs on University (fewer students as you go north on University).

For what it's worth, Tudor Arms Ave is still my dream street to live on.

I live very near the Giant that telechick is talking about--I agree, telechick, Tudor Arms Ave is beautiful. Hopkins just bought the building adjacent to the Giant and shortly their shuttle will begin to make a stop here too. This neighborhood is called Wyman Park--a combo of northern Hampden and south Roland Park. It is incredibly convenient for those without a car since not only is the grocery store/drug store/dry cleaners across the street, it is less than 1/2 mile to several other retail areas with shops and restaurants: The Avenue in Hampden, Charles Village, and "Alonzoville".

tmagyari - what's "Alonzoville"? I don't think I ever heard that while I lived there. It's been 8 years, but I still miss Balitmore and Hampden terribly.

Thanks for clarifying Wyman Park - I'd forgotten that's what the neighbourhood is called.

The farmers' markets in Balitmore are the best!

I think you should check out Canton. It's a very nice neighborhood with lots of shopping & restaurants, including a relatively new Safeway grocery. You can easily rent renovated rowhomes, or apartments in good quality buildings along the waterfront. It's quite close to Bayview.

telechick: "Alonzoville" is the informal name given to the Evergreen retail district of Roland Park along Coldspring Lane, including "Alonzo's" restaurant (and now several other restaurants), the Video Americaine, etc.

I have also concluded that Canton might be best.
How is the library there-thats a factor for us.
Ever ridden the 10 bus-is it safe? Is it easy to get a cab in Canton, or Baltimore for that matter. I gather they are relatively cheap. Is the area nearer to the waterfront better than the area near Eastern Ave.?
Thanks.

hellokittie, the closer you are to the waterfront, the better the area & the higher the rent.

Yes but if you take the eastern ave. bus then you have to walk further back at night. Is the area dangerous?
Thanks.

Yes, it would be a longer walk, and that would be the downside. As neighborhoods go, I'd say it is pretty safe. But if you would be coming home late at night, walking a long distance by yourself anywhere in Baltimore is something to think twice about. Looking at the MTA map, it looks like you could transfer to the 13 to go down East Ave into Canton, all the way down to Boston St, from Eastern Ave.

http://mta.maryland.gov/maps/

How about the 22 bus-it goes directly from Bayview hospital to Bank street-hard for me to read the mta bus. How would that area be? Do you consider 8pm late at night?
I am fine with hopping into cabs on a daily basis.
Are they easy to hail or do you have to call in advance?
Thanks.

Looks like the #22 doesn't go any farther south than the #10 - just stays along Eaastern Ave, then goes north on Bank Street.

This website has a good map of Canton.

http://www.livebaltimore.com/neighborhoods/list/canton/

As I mentioned before, it's nicer and more expensive toward the south, by the waterfront. But the areas close to Eastern Avenue are fine, generally speaking. If cost is not an object, I would definitely stay south of Eastern Avenue.

I've never taken a cab in Baltimore, and though I know they are not hard to get downtown, I really don't know about Canton. There might be a link on the neighborhood website that I linked to above that could answer that question for you.

I would not consider 8 pm to be late, particularly in the summer.

A really great idea would be to get with a real estate agent that knows the neighborhood, and could show you a lot of rentals & would have better answers about transportion. Also there are some great apartment buildings along the waterfront on Boston Street such as Tindeco Wharf. There is also a new apartment building called Domain Brewer's Hill near the eastern end of the neighborhood that's very nice.

But you know, one other thing you could consider is living in downtown Baltimore, where there are a huge number of great quality apartment buildings. The #10 bus goes straight downtown along Lombard & Pratt Streets, and there are many buildings within a block or two of the bus line. And you would rarely have a problem getting a taxi downtown.

Keep all that great info coming! You are too kind.
The reason I asked about the 22 is that it actually goes into the hospital campus. Is the area near Bank St. where it makes its turn a good location? Any idea how long the 10 bus would take at rush hour to the hospital?
Thanks.

Bank Street is fine - if you are in Canton that would give you plenty of places to get off the bus. Once you get on the bus on Eastern Avenue, either the 10 or the 22, I'd guess you are looking at about 10 to 15 minutes. It's really not very far.

Just back from Baltimore with many more questions!
Really liked the mt vernon area around the monument, there is a shuttle stop right there along with the Circulator bus. I wonder if anyone has ridden these buses...reliable, safe?
Opinions? Thanks.

Yes, Mt Vernon is very nice, also very gay friendly. I've never taken either the circulator or the shuttle. If it's the Hopkins shuttle, seems like it would work pretty well for you! One thing you have to be careful of around Mt Vernon is safety - more homeless & crime as compared to Canton. Not a bad neighborhood mind you, but the areas several blocks to the east and west of Charles St begin to get a little more sketchy.

it is a fun charming area, and it IS an advantage that the shuttle stops there. Free, right?! I lived there when I was in Baltimore but that was so long ago. I love the walk from Mt. Vernon to the Inner harbor along Charles. The museum is lovely and I LOVE the Peabody. You should go in and see the library, it has been used in many movies.

How about the area where the Standard apartments are on St. Paul? The shuttle drop off is right by the monument and the pick up to the side of the Standard. Would it be dicey to walk down there at night?
Do you think St.Charles area near shuttle stops (33rd and near E University Pkwy is a safer area? I visited both places on a sunny day, mid-afternoon. I have no idea how it is in the early evening (8-10pm) or on weekends. Thanks.