THE NEW SITE IS UP!!! GO TO www.iliveonclaystreet.com

thats right...its not completely done but, it is very very functional...go to www.iliveonclaystreet.com

Keepin it live!!!!

Website Update and Needs

Hello again from Clay Street, the Harlem of Annapolis.

I would like to bring you all up to speed on the website, what its going to be, how it will help the community, etc.

First and foremost, there is going to be a history section. This is the part that I most need your help with. I am a relative new resident of Clay Street, I have been here for just under a year now. What the site needs is the authenticity stamp from the long time residents, or long ago residents, or current or recent residents. What I am looking for is the history told through the eyes of those who know the stories. So, with that being said, here's what I can do to help the process. I have got a few friends that have video cameras and editing equipment. They can film people telling their stories and we can put them up on the site! Further, if people are camera shy not to worry because those people can write their stories and we can put them in the history section as well.

Also, there is going to be a photo gallery, here is where we will have pictures from the past and present of Clay Street. We've got to capture the essence of the spirit of the neighborhood. I have spoken with some people over at the Stanton Center and they have quite a few pictures but, I know there are a lot more. If you have a photo album, or you know someone who does and you have pictures, tell them about the project! We are looking for anything and everything Clay Street!

We are going to have the weather on the site, so you can check to see whether or not you will need a coat before you go outside. Also, there is going to be news feeds from the Capital piped into the site so you can check out what's going on in this great city of ours. Last but, not least we are going to have links to other sites that represent Annapolis in their own way.

Of course, as I have mentioned in the past there is going to be a forum as well. This will allow everyone to discuss ideas, make announcements, and keep updated as to what's going down.

Lets keep the ideas flowing, let me know what else we could add to the site to make it more compelling and helpful for the greater Clay Street commnunity.

I will be learning how to navigate the site on Friday. My hope is to work out the kinks this weekend and to have everything live by the middle of next week.

Thank you again for all the support, this is a team effort no question.

The Stickers are here!

They have arrived...the first batch will begin to find themselves quietly moving around town, preping for the arrival of the new website. They may even show up in your mailbox. If you want a sticker, just comment below and we can hook it up. I'm looking to round up some "Clay Street Teamers" to help me sneak these into the eyelines of greater Annapolis. Holla if ya hear me.

In other news, I wanted to keep that posting about the YankeePrincess up there a few days to give the people a look at the fast increasing number of Yankee fans that are moving back here. Soon, Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez will be rumored searching for a spot in the neighborhood, of course on opposite ends of the block. Remember Clay Street is no stranger to athlete celebrities in its confines, Earl "the Pearl" Monroe and Walt "Clyde" Frazier used to kick it back here.

Clay Street is by far the coolest neighborhood in all of Annapolis.

The NY Yankees and Clay Street

Taken from today's Capital...

Daughter of baseball magnate pens her tale from Clay Street

Local author's father is Gabe Paul, Yankees' former president
By NICOLE YOUNG, Staff Writer

Published September 04, 2007

Jennie Paul's father always told her not to look at the hole in the doughnut, but rather look at the whole doughnut - the same sentiment he shared with the 1977 world champion New York Yankees.
It is with those big-picture eyes that Ms. Paul, 56, views her Clay Street neighborhood where she's writing "Yankee Princess," a book about her relationship with her father, Gabe Paul, the president of the Yankees who worked under owner George Steinbrenner.
Two and a half years ago, when she moved into her row home in the 200 block of Clay Street, she heard gunshots fired the very first night.

Tucked away just around the corner from Annapolis's historic and tourist-driven downtown is Clay Street - home of two public housing communities. It's known for open-air drug markets and other often-violent crimes, including a recent murder and numerous shootings.

Since she moved in, Ms. Paul has found that some pizza delivery places won't even deliver to her street. But the most shocking revelation came when the parents of some of her daughter's friends wouldn't let them come over to visit.

"I have no fear on this street," Ms. Paul said. "If you let your fears get the better of you, you'll never live. Either you have guts or you don't; it's in your nature."

She said she lived with fear the majority of her life, wondering if her father would ever say the three words she longed to hear: "I love you." She spent so much time dwelling on it that it consumed her life and taught her many important lessons.

It also has formed the basis of her book.

"Fathers and daughters have the most unique relationship," she said. "Everything relates back."

She's been working on different versions of her manuscript for the past six years, but as ESPN began airing the "Bronx is Burning" miniseries about the 1977 Yankees' run to victory in the World Series, Ms. Paul said she "bawled" her eyes out with each episode, sitting alone and watching a part of her life play out on the small screen.

It doesn't do her father any justice, she said.

"The more I watched it, the more I realized the real story had to be told," she said. "We never knew we were a famous family. He was just our dad."

Ms. Paul said she was about to give up on the book when she realized that sports fans still care about games that played out 30 years ago, and how the game has changed over time.

"Thirty years ago, players still signed autographs," she said. "Kids from Clay Street could still sneak into a baseball field and people with no money could go to a game."

It's evident from her modest home that sports are still a huge part of her life. There are photos of her son in hockey gear, the television is tuned to ESPN and there's a copy of Newsday Inside Sports on the coffee table.

Her extensive Yankees sports memorabilia, including her father's World Series ring, are all tucked safely away in a variety of locations far from her current house, most at the family home in Florida.

Ms. Paul, a hired chef for corporate jets, spent about 15 years in the Davidsonville area, then moved away after a divorce. She returned to Annapolis 21/2 years ago with her two children, Matthew, 19, and McKenzie, 17, and fell in love with Clay Street. She said she enjoys the proximity to downtown and the rest of the East Coast, in addition to the quaintness of the homes and the waterfront being just across the street.

Like Timm Kostenko, another recent transplant to the neighborhood who writes the "I Live On Clay Street" blog, she heard from friends and even police that she didn't want to live there, especially with children.

And Ms. Paul questions that prejudice and snap judgment she receives when people find out she's living on Clay Street.

"They may not say anything, but I know what they are thinking when they hear my address," she said. "But that's another fight for another day. You have to pick your battles."

The people on Clay Street know who she is and are willing to lend a helping hand if needed, but she said enough people speak negatively about the area to scare those who don't know the whole story.

Ms. Paul bought her home and intends to keep her roots planted deep.

"I haven't stopped hearing that this is a dangerous place," she said. "Maybe one day it will stop, but I don't know. If you go around with a jaded view - 'everything is bad' - you'll never see the good."

She hopes to finish the book within the next six months and spent the Labor Day weekend in New York to meet with her agents. She recently signed a book deal with Literary Group International out of New York, the same company that published best-sellers "Flags of Our Fathers" and "October Sky."

But writing the memoir has been a long road. She has already rewritten the manuscript to create a more sentimental tone.

She hopes the book will also become a movie, and she's telling agents that she'd like Goldie Hawn to play the title role. But she got a surprise when she mentioned Ms. Hawn's name.

"They laughed at me," she said, laughing herself as she recalled the moment. "They told me she might be able to play the Yankee grandma. So maybe then we can get Kate Hudson instead," she said, referring to Ms. Hawn's actress daughter.

Ms. Paul's sense of humor and upbeat attitude carry over to her thoughts about Clay Street.

She jokingly turns one of her father's famous "Paul-isms" into a statement about the community.

"People shouldn't look at the hole in Clay Street - unless it's a bullet hole," she said with a smile. "But they should look at the whole Clay Street."

Fiends do the funniest things part 2

So tonight I pull up to the spot after hitting the food store for the weeks groceries when I see this kid staring at the sky. He's dressed like he is the missing link from Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids. He is obviously taking an attempt at style because he is rocking a chain that looks like he stole it off of a bicycle. He had on a dirty sweatshirt that said "Capricorn" ("your style is played like Zodiac signs on sweat shirts" Gza, Liquid Swords), a pair of busted glasses, and a newport dangling from his lip.

Before I go any further, you must be thinking its a non stop fiend fest back here and it is really not. There just happened to be two funny incidents that have occured in the last few days.

Back to the story. If you have ever seen the movie "New Jack City" Chris Rock plays a character named Pooky. This kid tonight looked like Pooky, he even had a busted high top fade. Well, not a high top fade but, rather a head full of hair that hadn't been cut in a minute.

So, I ask Pooky, "you aight man?" He doesnt respond at all, just keeps staring blankly. Then all of the sudden he does this very awkward body slide then dip. Then he takes his lighter and starts searching around in the parking lot for something. So, myself and my neighbor who has come outside now, both just look on in wonder. The fiend turns to us and says "you seen my cigarette?" Of course me being the smart ass that I am ask him "you don't mean the one on your lip right?" At that Pooky says "OOPS" and brings the lighter to his face and realizes that the object of his desire is no further then the end of his lip.


I cannot make this stuff up.

Flawless Music Festival, Sept 15 at Truxton

A very good friend of mine from the Hip Hop community in Maryland, specifically here in Annapolis, Marcus aka Awnpoynt, is putting on his annual Flawless Music Festival on September 15 at Truxton Park.

For the past 4 years Marcus and his crew have been very active within both the high schools in the area as well as the neighborhoods around Annapolis working through music to give kids another way to express themselves. Specifically Marcus is dedicating his time to the Boys And Girls Club of Annapolis off Spa Road. He is putting together a music program at the club to further his mission. The event coming up will be donating all the proceeds to help kick things off for his music program.

Tickets must be purchased prior to the event either through Ticketmaster or from Marcus himself. He asked that I don't give out his phone number because he is having a hard time responding to the outpouring of ticket requests, instead he asked that I provide you all his email address to reach him there. This will give him and or someone from his staff a more streamlined method to get back to you. The email to use for ticket purchase is mdecimal@gmail.com .

The event is from 12 noon till 6pm and is for all ages. It will feature live musical performances culminating with legendary headliner Chuck Brown, live artwork, food, drinks, and good times outdoors.

We need to support this man and this movement. I have already vouched to purchase 2 tickets.

Fiends do the Funniest Things

Clay Street has a funny side, not that people being addicted to drugs and spiraling out of control in life is funny, but sometimes people do a little too much and they do some very funny things. Last night was just such a case.

Around 1030pm, I was laying in bed with the laptop checking up on the world when I started to hear a loud yelling, moaning, howling, combination. It didn't sound distressful, instead it sounded almost like when a dog is whining to come back into the house. However, it is the humane thing to do to explore and be sure no help was needed. The last thing you want is a situation that there is someone in need and everyone ignores their pleas and they suffer outside your doorstep.

So, I slid over to the window and took a look. At first, I didn't see anything. Then all of the sudden this large blondish, brownish haired "Pat" came prancing into view. If you have ever watched Saturday Night Live they have a skit in which there is a person who, named Pat, you can't quite tell if they are male or female. So, there was a Clay Street version of "Pat" popping up and down waving his or her arms in the air, flapping them around, dancing wildly, stumbling a few times, and attempting to sing. That whining dog noise was actually Pat taking a very passionate shot at Rihanna's "Umbrella". At least that's what I think I was hearing, "MMYYYY AAAAAUUUUMMMBBBBRELLLAA", howled Pat. He or she slid inbetween cars, up and down the sidewalk, all along moving very awkwardly until Annapolis finest showed up to escort Pat off of his or her stage.

Just another night on Clay Street.

Rules of Engagement

Listening to a lot of Immortal Technique lately...

I have been quite busy the last few days, but focused on the mission. Over the course of the last few weeks I have gotten to be a little more popular around town, not always in the most positive sense (those that qualify for the aformentioned company insert negating comment here). With popularity comes a certain side of detraction that is natural. No problem, we will use energy on both sides of the polarity scope, divert it how we need, and help our cause.

Let me make this abundantly clear though, I am not on some G Dub control politics, say what you want, I can respect a good idea no matter how aggressive its delivered. I do not care if you question me, toss angry comments my way, call me names, make threats, or basically disagree with me on any point or idea that bring forth but, I draw the line at kids. For example, I put up a post about a young lady from Clay Street, Tymeisha (check Clay Repping UK), and she was stepped on a bit by a few people for some of her quotes that appeared in the Capital. I won't allow that to happen. The only reason I did not delete the posts was because I wanted to make an example. That's all I have to say about that. Run Forrest Run.

On the subject of deleting posts, I accidently deleted an entire post I made last night reference to some of the artist interviews I had done as host of "The Breakdown" on ItsHipHop.tv. I was in the process of deleting some ignorant comments made by some ignorant white people. How do I know they were white? Well, I could tell, how's that for an answer? Won't tolerate racism either by the way. Honesty is one thing, racism is another, if you don't know the difference well then keep your mouth shut until you do. Not going to take it from either side of the fence mind you. These are my rules. Don't like it? Comment elsewhere, we don't want you here with that kind of attitude. We will log your energy though and apply it to good use at a point when we think of quitting.

All that aside. Here are some updates. As I mentioned I have been taking some meetings trying to figure the best method to get the Clay Street Social Club up and running. The only drama that I have been dealing with in order to move forward with a few things is the fact that we are heavy in vacation season. Bottom line is it seems that every single dotted line signer has elected now is the best time to hit the Outer Banks or Ocean City or is just not picking up the phone. Any of those reasons are fine, we will be pushing it along like A Tribe Called Quest (golden era, socially conscious, rap group from NYC). I expect that by next Friday the 7th, things will be structured enough that I'll be able to firm things up about a meeting. So, Lisa, Angela, Pamela, and Renee, I'll let you know asap when to come around the way.

The website is growing closer and closer to completion. Jen Puzio, a high school friend of mine from the Sussex County days, is the genius behind the coming design and work, she lives up in Frederick now, so upon completion if ya dig, holla, and I will get you linked up. The final touches are being stalled as we are waiting on some photos. Apparently much of the city's collection is trademarked and we would have some infringement issues. I know, I know this is web 2.0 and there should be a widget or something that allows us to use them and still give the photographer props that are deserved. Lastly though, also waiting on the word on a scanner. Yes, no scanner here and the Stanton Center in all its technological glory does not have one either. That means working on Plan C. Soon come.

There is a rumor floating about that piece of property next door, you know the one we were all bouncing ideas on how to utilize and create jobs for the neighborhood? Well, the rumor starts with an A, ends with an S, and is the chief reason why the Baltimore Orioles suck.

On to another matter, punch up the data, blastmaster. Talk to you soon.

Tymiesha Barnes! Clay Street Representing in the UK!!!

from the Capital

Clay Street 'ambassador' returns from Great Britain

Tymiesha Barnes

By WENDI WINTERS, For The Capital
Published August 27, 2007

In her 14 years, Tymiesha Barnes had rarely been more than a few miles from Annapolis. On July 12, the teen not only took her first airplane ride, she left the country for 20 days abroad as a People To People ambassador in the British Isles.
A teacher nominated Tymiesha for the program, thinking it would do her good before starting the new school year as a freshman at Annapolis High School. The teenager was attacked on Clay Street in January 2006 and beaten so badly she couldn't attend Bates Middle School for several weeks.


When Tymiesha was well enough, school administrators fearing for her safety, wouldn't let her return. Her grandmother enrolled her in Annapolis Middle School and found the money for her to commute there daily on public buses.

The People to People nomination was a wonderful gesture, but the cost for the trip was $5,679, excluding souvenirs.

Tymiesha didn't have that kind of money, nor did her family. She lives with her 46-year-old grandmother, Wanda Blake, in a tidy apartment on College Creek Terrace in the Clay Street area.

Ms. Blake spotted community activist and then-county official Carl Snowden walking in the neighborhood one day, showing the run-down housing projects in the area to John Wilson, the new executive director of R.E.S.P.E.C.T., Inc., a coalition of area African-American organizations. She ran outside and asked for their assistance in finding a way for Tymiesha to participate in the program.

Mr. Wilson spearheaded community efforts to fund the trip. He worked with several groups, including Box of Rain and Dick Franyo at Eastport Boatyard Bar & Grill, to raise money. Mr. Wilson put his own money into the project, as did members of Tymiesha's church, Second Baptist on Poplar Avenue.

There was enough raised for the trip and then some. "I want to set up an educational scholarship fund for Tymiesha, should she decide to continue on to higher education after high school," Mr. Wilson said. "If she does not, it would go to someone else. The money, when she needs it, will be paid to that institution directly."

Tymiesha describes her trip to England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales in a rush of imagery. There were so many new experiences, sights, sounds and smells. Along with about 40 other kids, she was up and out by 8 a.m. every day until dinner time.

"The plane ride was a bit like a roller coaster," she recalled. "We went up, up, up. When we landed, it was like falling out of the sky."

She had the grand tour of London, including a ride on the new London Eye. It's a giant Ferris wheel that takes 45 minutes to complete one revolution. Thirty people ride in a huge glass walled compartment the size of a boxcar. The young girl also saw her first musical on the London stage.

She rode horses, visited Stonehenge and toured deep inside a mine wearing a safety harness and a lighted helmet. The teen and her mates climbed high inside a dusty old castle tower and then repelled down its outside walls.

Tymiesha watched the changing of the Queens Guard at Buckingham Palace, and gazed upon the glistening jewels in the Tower of London. Like most American tourists, she was surprised Piccadilly Circus didn't have a circus. The House of Parliament, Big Ben, St. Paul's Cathedral and Westminster Abbey all were on her schedule.

"I went to Windsor Palace, too. The Queen has all these houses because she has money," she said. "I'd be scared to have a castle."

She discovered the Queen owns all the swans in London. They wear tags identifying them as royal property. "They were mean, too!" Tymiesha said.

Cars driving on the wrong side of the street never ceased to amaze her, as did the ever-present herds of sheep in the countryside. The rich diversity of London - traffic signs in several languages, people in African, Middle Eastern and Spanish dress - was astounding.

The group rode a ferry to Ireland. The boat featured a large shopping mall and a casino. In Ireland, she stayed with Linda and Tom Black, whose own kids were off at college. The couple took her to a performance of Irish Clog Dancers.

Sipping her tea with lemon, a taste she picked up overseas, the teen commented, "I have a lot more respect for other people's cultures. I like that everyone there had manners. Everyone was really friendly.

"I got a different perspective how other people live," she said. "They do everyday things we do."

She looked over notes she'd written before her trip: "The role of a student ambassador, to me, is to represent our country. It is to be honest and friendly. We should reflect the positives of our country and respect the customs of the places we are going to visit … I would much rather share information about our country with people who are attentive than to people fooling around, and I am sure that they feel the same way."

"I can't wait until school starts," she said. "I'm taking cosmetology courses at CAT South and I want to take cooking classes and work on the yearbook. I wan to become a biologist or heart surgeon when I grow up."

But first things first.

"My grandmother and I want to thank everyone who made this trip possible. It has meant so much to both of us," she said softly.

Pictures, Thoughts, Memories, Ideas of Clay Street

Whats good?

Okay, I been working on the new website, to be www.IliveonClayStreet.com, and we are coming to the point now that we need to populate the site with pictures, thoughts, and some of the history of the neighborhood. So, again let me thank everyone for getting on and adding their two cents to the goings on in the local area. Now, I am looking to see if we can take this participation thing another step forward. Since this is being designed as a site for the community by the community, I am asking those that have stories to share, pictures, videos, or historical facts to please add the images or your contact information to the comment list below this entry. If you have pictures that need to be scanned, we can meet over at the Stanton Center or maybe the computer learning center. I am pretty sure that one of them have a scanner we can use.

In addition to the site itself being complete with a history of the neighborhood, there will be a few other features. In my mind, the most important will be a message board that will give us all a place to create our own posts, to find out about community happenings, job opportunities, and updates on progress in the neighborhood. We will probably also have a place for the Clay Street Social Club. (more on that in coming entries).

By the way, I was at a meeting the other day in the Stanton Center and I saw the layout of the new "Old 4th Ward" dedication that is going to be erected at the intersection of Washington and West Street. It is really attractive, about 10 feet in height and full of amazing facts and photos from years past spelling out that Clay Street is the "Harlem of Annapolis".

Keep it moving.

The Clay Street Social Club

Okay...in the words of Slick Rick "heeerrreee we go!"

Now, I have been taking meetings and exploring the possibilities of mobilizing some sort of outdoor concert idea in time for September and my spidey sense is telling me bad idea. Here's why. First, the hoops we are going to have to hop to get it done are going to create a time lag and time is what we need. Plus, in my experience as a concert promoter it is not advisable to kick off something on a weekly basis and hope that you can kick up enough steam from week to week in order to see things to success. Now add the fact that I am looking at a lot of the responsiblity falling on my shoulders and the time that it will take to implement this event successfully and safely I think the timing is poor.

BUT, if the door is closed you use the window right? Okay, so follow me on this I am today introducing to the world the CLAY STREET SOCIAL CLUB. This is going to be a group of people, volunteers needed from either side of West Street, and we will get together and appropriately plan and hold events on a regular basis in and around the Clay Street area. Now I have a meeting that I have to get to by 630pm and it is 626pm so, let me get back with all the details tonight but, I wanted to make sure I updated everyone as soon as possible.

Peace and respect once again to everyone who has been logging on, leaving comments, putting forward ideas, and basically just making this a community.

no monopolies on good ideas

This blog, which as I mentioned will be morphing into a full website complete with a message board and several other functions all geared towards community, is intended to do one thing primaryly and that is to create discussion. See I don't have a monopoly on all the good ideas. So, the blog is meant to be a place where we can exchange ideas and pursue the ones that make the most sense.

The Capital article should just be the beginning. The stickers are coming, then the tshirts, then concerts on the corner, and then?

That's what I'm cooking up. Who else has got an idea that they are going to push forward back here? We need a lot of activity working in tandem, activity fosters more activity, which in turn fosters a change. By the way, creating change is not a spectator sport. Put down the pom poms, we need you in this game.

We got some momentum, lets keep it moving.

The Capital Article

Damn the torpedos, full speed ahead! By now if you have not had a chance to read the article written by Nicole Young in today's Capital, you can drop by my spot on Clay and I will give you a copy of the paper. I was so overwhelmed by the fact the article hit the front page that I went to the Whole Foods Market and copped (purchased) every single one of their copies, did the same thing at the CVS downtown, and Gary's Coffee Bean. You know the address, 51 Clay Street. I got copies for you, the caveat is you have to come back here, knock on my door and ask for them. See you soon?

The block was hot for a moment tonight a lot of entreprenuers but, didn't seem like a lot of customers. Mother Nature though, despite our differences in the past, she came through and washed all the entreprenuers away. Well, all except for one or two of the dedicated hustlers, that were perched under the awning by the Church and over by the Arundel carry out.

Ahhh...the Arundel carry out. I have to trash that place. For real, the current owners of that business are pure leeches. I say current because as it has been told to me the original owners, the mother and father of the current crew, were very friendly in the community. This second generation crew? They could care less about what goes on this neighborhood.

Don't get me wrong, you all know I am all for Capitalism. However, this is different, this is leeching. The people that run that business are no better then the entreprenuers. See they set up shop, sell their shit, and peace out (leave)without giving a damn about all the after effects. They are a major trash contributor, their place of business looks like a crack house, in fact I kid you not but, when I first got back here, I thought it was a liquor store with crack being kicked out the back. I am willing to bet any amount of money that if the FDA slid up in there they would find more than a few violations. They got to go, I am willing to sit with the owner of the business and give him a fair shake but, if he continues with the present manner he's got to go.

See, the image of the neighborhood is a projection of its pride. Think about it for a second. Think how you feel when you slide on those fresh kicks, or a crisp suit, ladies that black dress that fits your figure perfectly, its that feeling we want back here. When you turn the corner off West and travel towards Clay, you should begin to feel that proud soul. Establishments like the Arundel Carry Out destroy that pride. They got to go.

We are going to keep this moving.

Coming soon, a new website centered around the blog, with a community forum for posting events and discussions, some history of Clay Street corridor, updates, pictures, video, etc Plus, we have the CLAY stickers coming. Yes, Maritime Republic of Eastport has its MRE joints well, we are going to have our CLAY stickers. For a glimpse of the stickers to come, check www.iliveonclaystreet.com .

Get off myspace, friendster, and facebook, and get on Clay Street. We are going to build a community back here.

This afternoon's Capital, the movement to be featured

I was interviewed briefly by Nicole Young from the Capital last week with regards to some of the greater Clay Street initiatives and I had my picture taken earlier this morning. I didn't want to say anything until I knew for sure things were running. I was informed by the cameraman that the article will appear in this afternoon's edition. Do me a favor, grab a copy and spread the word, the more we have people paying attention and generating ideas the better things will be. Thanks.

Who's with me back here?

A Tale of Two Cities (from the Capital)

This was a story that ran a few months ago in the Capital that I think really tells of the history, the challenges, and the players that are involved in the amazing gap in what is desribed as "two cities". Check it out...

A Tale of Two Cities


In Annapolis, rich and poor live side-by-side, but apart

By JEFF HORSEMAN and ERIC HARTLEY Staff Writers
First in a series
Published on 03/11/07

An Eastern Shore native, Anne Harrington moved to Annapolis 15 years ago for the sailing. She still loves the city, and she now has a racing sailboat and a power boat. But sitting in her Eastport home, now valued at nearly $1 million, she can hear the gunshots and the sirens when violence hits Harbour House, a drug-infested public housing complex nearby.


"It's a strange feeling that you're living right on the water in a nice community, and that's two blocks away," she said. "And that's how Annapolis is. ...

"It's sad that this culture of violence is in such a gentle community. It taints us. It's sort of like our dirty little secret in our perfect community."

Indeed, Maryland's capital is in many ways two cities. One, the charming Colonial version pictured on postcards, draws flocks of tourists and sends housing prices soaring as people move here for the sailing, culture and shopping. In the other, more people per capita live in public or subsidized housing than anywhere else in the nation, and many feel trapped in run-down homes surrounded by violence and drugs.

"I've seen little by little the dynamics in the city change from being middle class to a place where it's the haves and have-littles," said Antonio Brown, a 26-year city resident.

And more often than not, your skin color determines what city you're in. Whites in Annapolis earned more than twice as much as African Americans, according to the 2000 Census. Of the city's

2,207 public housing residents, 94 percent are African American.

Wayne Jearld, president of the county branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said a certain class of African Americans in Annapolis don't feel valued.

"And if you're not valued, you're ignored," he said.

For many whites, the other Annapolis is hidden. A parking garage obstructs the view of Clay Street. You can't see the Newtowne or Robinwood public housing communities from Forest Drive.

That doesn't mean the two worlds don't meet. On inner West Street, black and white professionals often socialize in the trendy new bars and restaurants.

But the vast majority of poor blacks and their affluent white neighbors have little contact.

And sometimes the interaction is tragic. One of the city's most notorious murders was of Lee Griffin, a white Historic District man shot and run over in his own Jeep in 2002. A black teen from Robinwood was convicted in the case and is serving a life sentence. Another suspect, also black and from Robinwood, is awaiting trial.

Neighborhood rivalries in public housing last year were blamed for brawls at Annapolis High School and a Christmas shooting at Westfield Annapolis mall that wounded a black teen and an off-duty Secret Service agent.

Political leaders are taking note of the violence. A spate of shootings in the city's poor neighborhoods last month led to a recent summit of city, county and school officials.

Looking for causes of the violence, experts and community leaders often point to education, where the gap between blacks and whites is wider than the Grand Canyon.

While one-third of whites in Annapolis hold at least a bachelor's degree, four in 10 African-American men lack even a high school diploma.

Whites make up 80 of the student body at the private Annapolis Area Christian School but just 40 percent at the public Annapolis High, where low standardized test scores could lead to a state takeover.

Of course, the gaps are not new and certainly not unique to Annapolis.

But urban disparities nationwide gained greater attention after Hurricane Katrina, which ravaged and exposed New Orleans' impoverished underbelly.

Eric Brown is executive director of the Annapolis Housing Authority, which oversees the city's 1,104 public housing units. Having worked in housing authorities in Baltimore and Mississippi, Mr. Brown sees similarities between those areas and Annapolis.

"The problems seem larger here because it's a small city and it's the state capital," he said.

Good times

On the main streets, Annapolis is booming.

Park Place, a $250 million complex at West Street and Taylor Avenue, will bring a Morton's steakhouse and a Westin hotel, along with more than 200 high-end condos.

Downtown, trendy new restaurants are sprouting up on previously drab parts of inner West Street. Merchants say Maryland Avenue, with shops ranging from exclusive to quirky, is thriving.

Just beyond the city limits, a massive new mall and condominium complex going up in Parole will feature women's clothier Anthropologie, a new Whole Foods, a hotel and hundreds of condos. Meanwhile, Westfield Annapolis is planning a huge expansion that will send it past Arundel Mills and make it the county's largest mall.

Housing prices have skyrocketed, with $1 million homes no longer a rarity. And just in case people have any disposable income after all that home-buying and shopping, an Annapolis Porsche dealership is in the works.

It's no mystery what draws people, both tourists and new residents. As the city's economic development coordinator, Mike Miron, said, it's the history, the water, the shopping and the restaurants.

"Look at Annapolis. It's a great little town," said Roger Blau, who's lived in Eastport since 1979. "What town this size has all these amenities?"

Mr. Blau likes the fact he can walk downtown to grab some sushi and a beer, catch a play at the Summer Garden Theatre or see musician John Hiatt at Rams Head Tavern.

Those attractions and others have brought great changes to Eastport and the Murray Hill neighborhood downtown, Mr. Miron said. The next wave, he thinks, is outer West Street, with Park Place and, further out, a new retail office and apartment complex called 1901 West leading the charge.

"Twenty years ago, we didn't have condominiums in the city," Mr. Miron said. "And that's a new demographic we see coming in. That's where I see the wealth for the most part."

Though the new growth is striking, there's long been a lot of money in Annapolis, as shown by old-line stores like W.R. Chance Jewelers on Main Street or Johnson's, a clothing store at State Circle and Maryland Avenue.

There are newer stores catering to a hipper crowd. At Vertu, a new clothing shop on Maryland Avenue, a pair of jeans goes for $218 - or $178 for the kind that come with the cuffs fashionably frayed.

All this half an hour from D.C. or Baltimore and two hours from the beach, as Mr. Blau, who's been selling real estate for about a year, tells prospective buyers.

It's a compelling pitch.

Except, that is, for visitors who drive a street or two over.

Ms. Harrington, who's also in real estate, said there are certain routes an agent takes to avoid showing a client the less desirable parts of the city.

In a city of less than 40,000 people, the haves and the have-nots aren't far away from each other. Public housing is just a couple blocks from the State House.

Mr. Blau has seen people change their minds about buying homes on the spot when they saw something that didn't fit their vision of Annapolis - not just public housing, but sometimes just modest private homes.

"They think it's all $800,000 houses," he said. "It's not what they expected."

Bad times

They have elegant names like Robinwood, Annapolis Gardens, Eastport Terrace and Harbour House. But Annapolis' 10 public housing communities look anything but regal.

Smashed beer bottles, fast food wrappers and plastic grocery bags are everywhere. College Creek Terrace, one of the nation's oldest public housing communities, has dirt for lawns. Boarded-up doors and windows are common.

It's hardly an inviting scene for commerce. But there is business, if not the legal kind.

Across the street from College Creek Terrace, Ernest Brown of Clay Street watches cars - some Mercedes Benzes - swoop in to pick up drugs from dealers on street corners.

The crime and violence disproportionately affect African Americans, who make up a third of the city's population. Blacks accounted for 71 percent of the city's jail inmates in late February, two out of three city police arrests last year and six of the city's record eight homicide victims last year.

Mr. Brown, 58, who is not related to Antonio Brown or Eric Brown, said he doesn't bother the dealers and they don't bother him. "You don't want to make it hard on yourself," he said.

Mr. Brown was born toward the latter end of Clay Street's golden age, when it was known as the Fourth Ward. Back then, Clay Street was a Harlem in miniature, where you could buy groceries and dance at nightclubs featuring acts like Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington.

"We didn't have to read magazines to look at J. Lo. And Beyonce. We had them in our community," said Zastrow Simms, who grew up on Clay Street.

In the old days, Mr. Simms, 72, said you could "flush away" the bad times.

With Clay Street now plagued by drugs, "It seems like the bad times are here forever."

He blames urban renewal for destroying Clay Street. The federally funded program razed African-American-owned businesses in the 1960s, replacing them with a municipal parking garage.

While the wrecking ball went to work on Clay Street, bulldozers were busy clearing land for Robinwood and Newtowne. The rows of two-story townhomes were built with one way in and out, which led to isolation over the years and later became the perfect setup for drug dealers on the lookout for police.

Bywater Mutual Homes has a similar setup. It's not public housing - a nonprofit corporation controlled by residents owns the homes - but Antonio Brown said drug dealing and nighttime gunfire is common.

Mr. Brown, 46, said he's seen cars with Florida and Georgia license plates pull into Bywater for drugs. Some vehicles have boats in tow, he said.

Once isolated from the city's core, Robinwood, Newtowne and Bywater are off Forest Drive, the city's busiest thoroughfare. They're surrounded by pricey real estate like Kingsport, a subdivision of 172 single-family homes just south of Bywater.

Billed by its Virginia developer as a "neo-traditional neighborhood," Kingsport includes a fishing dock, pool and walking trail. Its home models have names like "Ashmont," "English" and "Evesham."

All feature stately brick architecture with columns, bay windows and huge garages. They typically sell for $700,000 or more.

Kingsport's Web site features springtime photos of downtown, which is about two miles away. There aren't any pictures of what's right next door.

Hanging on

Most of Ray Simms' neighbors don't look like him anymore.

The 47-year-old African-American grew up in Eastport, once a blue-collar waterman's enclave near the heart of Annapolis. Today, crab boats have given way to yachts, and weathered two-story homes stand next to waterfront palaces with boat lifts in back and BMWs in front. Most are owned by whites.

The wooded field where Mr. Simms used to play baseball and football now has a house on it. He hardly sees kids in Eastport anymore. The neighborhood grocery and laundromat are now restaurants. Where he used to shoot pool is now a cafe.

Returning from work as a plumber's helper, Mr. Simms sometimes can't find a parking space in front of his house. Back in the day, parking spots were respected.

Despite the changes, Mr. Simms consider himself lucky. He used to live in Harbour House and moved back home to care for his ailing father, who is now deceased.

The Simms bought their home for $8,000 when Mr. Simms was 8. Now, the four-bedroom home where he lives with his mother and nephew is valued at $672,500.

In today's market, "I would be homeless," said Mr. Simms, a distant cousin of Zastrow Simms.

Walking down Second Street Thursday, he came across a flier for a duplex on the market. He laughed at the "reduced" asking price: $948,000 for both sides.

Mr. Simms doesn't begrudge his new neighbors. But he feels bad for his African-American friends priced out by Eastport's changes.

"I don't know my (new) neighbors," Mr. Simms said. "We don't have that closeness anymore ... I wish (my old neighbors) were actually able to stand their ground and have an opportunity to buy their homes instead of being pushed out."

In Harbour House, Mr. Simms had to put up with loud music and partying. Now, he can sit on his front porch and hear the streetlights click on.

"It's still home," he said. "When I close my doors at night, I'm at peace."

When it comes to Harbour House's ills, Mr. Simms warned against blaming those who live there.

"There's people that have been living in Harbour House for a long time who have no problem, who have respect," he said. "The people who live in that neighborhood are not the problem. It's the outsiders who come into that neighborhood to make their money with their drugs and violence."

While black homeownership in lower Eastport is now rare, there still are significant numbers of African Americans in their own homes in the Parole area and other pockets around the city. Census figures from 2000 showed more than 300 black homeowners in the Parole area.

Solutions

Annapolis Mayor Ellen O. Moyer said people in public housing feel isolated from the rest of the city.

"It's public housing, school and back. That's their neighborhood," Ms. Moyer said. "We tried to push the concept that we're really one Annapolis."

To do that, Ms. Moyer said she's tried to give public housing residents a say through community forums, including a series of free-flowing discussions called "Let's Talk."

"As much as people want to make fun of dialogue, it's through talk ... that good things happen," she said.

The city has tried to work with the housing authority, but the authority's been a reluctant partner, Ms. Moyer said.

Eric Brown, the authority's director, said the authority will work with anyone who wants to improve the lives of those in public housing.

Antonio Brown believes building a bridge between the two Annapolises starts with not walling them off.

In the late 1990s, when developers sought to build Kingsport, Mr. Brown said he worked with city officials and developers to connect Bywater and Kingsport with roads and open space so Bywater wasn't isolated. Today only a traffic circle and a collection of ranch-style homes separates Kingsport from Bywater.

Though too often the two halves of the city don't meet unless it's through violence, there are people - black and white - who try to bridge the gap in positive ways.

Box of Rain, a sailing program for underprivileged kids, was founded by Ms. Harrington and other friends of Mr. Griffin, the Historic District resident murdered in 2002.

Through a seven-week summer program and a fall program with the Naval Academy, kids learn more than just sailing, Ms. Harrington said. They learn teamwork and discipline.

Over four years, about 80 kids have gone through the program, some returning to participate again.

"We've had a few kids that we've pretty much saved," Ms. Harrington said.

Each kid who completes the program gets a compass, a gift that's both practical and symbolic: "We're here to keep kids on course," Ms. Harrington said.

But it will take more than one group, Ms. Harrington said, calling solutions to Annapolis' problems "a community responsibility." More people need to help kids by mentoring them or getting involved in other volunteer work, she said.

To come together, whites and blacks need to overcome their stereotypes, said Dennis Conti, a white retiree who leads volunteer efforts on Clay Street.

Whites often view African Americans as welfare cases who don't care about crime, said Mr. Conti, the one-time interim head of the housing authority. Many African Americans in turn see whites who want to help as outsiders out to make a buck at their expense, Mr. Conti said.

Mr. Miron said private ownership might be the only way to help break the cycle of dependence that's kept generations of the same families in public housing. That raises fears of "gentrification" to some.

"That might happen, but it's not the worst thing that can happen," Mr. Miron said.

The housing authority has plans to renovate College Creek Terrace and the neighboring public housing community of Obery Court. But those plans have sparked fears residents will be displaced.

The city recently led a group of investors around Clay Street in hopes of spurring their interest in revitalizing the area. The investors walked away after negative comments about their presence appeared in the press, Ms. Moyer said.

"To pull this 'Oh, they want to steal your housing' bit - it's not only a low blow, it's totally dishonest," she said.

The public school system is promising to do its part. A legal agreement between the Board of Education and civil rights activists seeks to bridge the test score gap. Volunteers from troubled neighborhoods will try to reach problem students.

But if the two cities aren't brought closer together, those on both sides say, all of Annapolis will suffer.

"What goes around comes around. Sooner or later, it's going to come back to them," said Alice Johnson of Bloomsbury Square, a public housing community near the State House. "We're all in the same boat. When one sinks, we all sink."

Concerts on Clay Corners updates

Okay...so I've started the initiative. It is now slightly more than just a good idea. I've reached out to a few people within the community and begun the learning process as to hurdles we got to hop in order to make this idea a reality.

First things first we are going to have to get the permission from the city in order to block the road off for a few hours. With that will probably come an additional nod from the Police and Fire Department. I feel confident we are going to be able to get that done because this is a part of the city that the various agencies would like to see get up and on its own feet. They seem very open to trying new ideas so, we should have a better than fighting chance to see it to fruition. Of course I am also going to remain flexible in process so, that if the various groups within the city pose an interesting roadblock, I am creative in finding ways around it.

Next we will have to step up the talent recruitment. I have made a phone call to one person who put me in touch with another person who seems to have his finger on the pulse of the local music scene. From Jazz to Funk to Blues, this gentlemen is in tune, pun intended, with the right segment we need. Further, he has a background in event planning, promotion, and catering. Now, I will certainly put the name to this man once things have advanced past our initial discussions, which by the way occurred Friday night. We are scheduled to sit and talk formally Monday night at 6pm. Again with the initiative being such a positive one, I am confident we will gain the full participation from this gentleman that we need. However, once more I am going into the discussions being mindful that my way may require tweaking and I am prepared to listen and incorporate more ideas to make this idea as successful as possible.

Who is with me back here?

I'm still here!

Amazing right. I know you were worried. I walked two whole blocks back and forth on Clay Street after the sun went down too! On top of all the extreme walking I did, Aunt Jemima came through again and again has served as a deterrent of the entreprenuerial spirit.

All the jokes aside though, there was an interesting development in Annapolis today. A few years ago, back in 2002, there was a brutal car jacking over in the historic district which is a few blocks from Clay in the predominantly white part of town. The car jacking wound up deadly the man who's jeep cherokee was stolen was shot in the head and killed, then his body was driven over by his own jeep. Ugly, real ugly.

The killer was sentenced to life in prison today. The killer used to live on Clay Street.

It can happen. It serves as a reminder to me, keep my eyes out. Even though things have been getting less hectic on Clay for the last 5 years it can still happen.

Who's with me back here?

Aunt Jemima, Mother Nature, Taking Walks on Clay

Well, I apologize for the delays here, I have been away for a few days and had limited access to the web. Of course using a little call it "Clay Street sense", I didn't think it was a good idea to let people know that I was going to be gone. This isn't Compton but, its also not Niceville, USA either. There are some "opportunistic investors" that migrate back here. You know the type, the one's you read about how they break into a car because some dummy left his or her IPod sitting on the dash or the ones who walk around with money in their hands. Case and point the other night some dumb commuter drug buyer was robbed as he was attempting to make a purchase becuase he was holding his 20 in the wide open--dont do drugs kids it makes you STUPID. Nah, not happening to me, but again I am not so brazen to think that it can not happen back here and for that reason I am mindful. I am not however, living in fear, that is NOT happening.

Anyway, this brings me to my current feelings towards Mother Nature. Yeah, well during my hiatus there was apparently some pretty severe, knock your power out, delay airport traffic, kind of storms. Well, it was also a cleanse your BGE power box of all the syrup type of storm. Annoyed. Yes, Mother Nature, I am quite annoyed tonight because you have undone my sabatoge! So, me being the sabatouer that I am slid over to the 7-11 this morning and copped a few more bottles. Yes, Mother Nature I AM BUILDING A STASH!!! So, go ahead and rain again I have back up!
Tonight, or tomorrow morning, I have a feeling my favorite Aunt will be making her presence felt.

In a litte bit I am about to walk down to meet Don Minor. Don and his wife live over on Northwest Street which is the street that I was first shown by Kathy Ebner (to get caught up on Kathy and my feeling about Northwest Street you should read my first blog which gives you history of how I got here). Northwest is a block and half or two blocks away and yes I am going to walk there. Believe it or not but, we do walk to see neighbors back here. Crazy right?

Okay, so now that I have wildly amazed that people actually walk to see their neighbors I will tell you what Don and I are going to talk about, well at least what I think we are going to talk about. Don is spearheading the Old 4th Ward Community Association. This is, from what I understand some sort of collective Clay Street area kind of action committee. So, he is going to be briefing me on the what's what.

With that being said, I should probably be getting changed as I am still in the suit and tie from my day at the office. Oh yes, I do wear a suit and tie in and out of my house back here too! Imagine that.

Keep an eye out for a sticky middle aged african american woman with a do rag on her head...shes rumored to be on Clay somewhere.

my mistake on the comments

Being that I am somewhat new to the blog game, meaning from a publishing standpoint, I didn't realize that I had to enable people to be able to comment freely without a sign-in restriction. With that disclosure, the sign in restriction has been removed sorry for the inconvenience. Thanks for the heads up.

concerts on clay corners?

Brilliant. I'm looking for musicians, preferably jazz types, blues, acoustic, etc. As I am typing this thinking I need to stop in the Acoustica on West St. Of course because I live on Clay Street I will just walk there!

So, here's the idea. Friday nights from 8 to 10pm we organize a few musicians to play on the corner of Clay and Washington. Further, we could utilize chairs from the church and the Stanton Center to set up opposite corner from where the musicians are staging themselves. The roadway inbetween we could block off, just like first baptist does,and create a dance floor of sorts.

Here's where it gets it interesting. We start setting up the chairs around 7pm. This begins to create disturbance for our local entrprenuers on one of their busiest nights and busiest times for that matter. The event runs from 8 till 10 and we are breaking the chairs down from 10 to 11, all this spells too much activity for the entreprenuers business.

Next we start to involve 'the other side of the tracks'. Let's set up tables with refreshments like coffee from city dock, lite apps from 49 west or lemongrass, and maybe even some ice cream from annapolis ice cream company. Or we create some sort of ticket that entitles concert goers with discounts to some local eateries. Further, using the internet 2.0 buzz term, user generated content, we could ask all the concert goers to donate items they have baked.

This serves another huge purpose. It brings the neighbors together and we inadvertantly block off some of the open air drug traffic. We push them back without having to be confrontational. Somebody say GHAN-DHI!!!

Think about the possibilities, how many white people are dying to say 'yeah I was on Clay St last night!'. This gives them the chance to come over and chill as well. Further, they are going to see that ITS NOT THAT BAD back here. It also shows the Clay St corridor that all white people are not thieves.

This could be a trend because you know the most notable musician in town is? The Govenor!

One more time say 'GHAN-DHI!'

Sticky Sneak Attacks

Its amazing how you can solve problems with a little bit of syrup.

So outside of my house is this ugly green BGE above groud power box that before I moved in was a popular hangout for the entreprenuers. This was actually near the scene in one of my first entries I spoke about "barking" on one of the entreprenuers telling him "not in front of my house". Well, I've noticed that when I'm not around that people still mill there. Your logical question is "well Timm how do you know they were there if your not?" My answer, trash.

Now for the last 8 months I've told people that I have caught on or near the box that I don't care if they are purely hanging out there but, if they got trash put it in the trash can that is sitting right next to my house. Has that happened? No, and it has really been trying my patience. So, last Monday morning I came back from a trip to NJ and found just all sorts of chips, cigarette wrappers, plastic bags, snickers wrappers, and I flipped.

Now it was 330am and I needed to be in the office by 8am but, I didn't care. I got back in my car and drove to the 7.11 and bought some good old Aunt Jemima's syrup, brought it back and emptied it all over the box. You know what? Nobody has sat there all week.

Now, logic would tell anybody that it was probably me that did it. Well, I am telling you I did it. I've put it out to the public it was me, yeah I'm leaving a fingerprint on purpose. I live here. The shot clock is ticking. Entreprenuers need to start investing in some emerging markets like Randallstown, or Owings Mills, or down the Eastern Shore, because Clay Street days are numbered.

Who's with me?

Yesterday's Capital Article

First off I threw the pic up there because I think it helps drive home the opportunity a bit. Put a face with some words you know? You may have done some digging around and found a pic or two as reference. The pic above was taken by my friend Capital X while I was on stage at the Knitting Factory in NYC last Fall.

Second, I need your help. This is a cypher, a circle that we both need to contribute to in order to keep it moving. I report from Clay Street, you read and pass along to people you know. We need to let people know what's up and I can't do that without your help. All I ask is pass a link to the blog to 1 person that you think is going to get it. Maybe someone who's works in the area but, thinks there's nothing affordable in Annapolis and doesn't like the prospect of living in Glen Burnie(get over it if you live there, I did once too). Maybe someone who's an artist(this was the jazz capital of Maryland at one point)or someone who has a desire to have a bit more adventure in their life. Pass it to someone who doesn't want the ready made mundane or someone who wants to step in and be a part of CHANGE. Please pass them this link, and if they want to ask questions in a not so public forum tell them to call me 443-857-8775. Best to call me after 6pm, if you get my voicemail and your calling from a cell yourself, send me a text message, if not leave a message and I'll get back within 24 hours.

Now onto the news...did you happen to see the Capital yesterday? There was an article discussing the revitalization of the Bowman and Admiral Hts properties and in that article there were a few paragraphs on the APPROVED plan for Clay Street. Here's the juicy part (i'll give you a link to the whole article at the bottom):

"In January, College Creek Terrace and Obery Court were announced as the first housing authority properties to be rehabbed, integrating a mix of home ownership and rental opportunities, and eventually turning over the property management to the private sector.

Plans for the communities just off Clay Street include as many as 60 senior apartments, 51 additional homes and 85 additional parking spaces.

The Clay Street Revitalization Committee unanimously selected the conceptual plan for the 164 units at Obery Court and College Creek Terrace — the two properties are in the worst shape of 10 managed by the authority.

Eric Brown, executive director for the housing authority, said the work on Bowman Court and Annapolis Gardens won’t be as extensive as the work in Obery Court and College Creek Terrace.

Built in 1940, College Creek Terrace is the nation’s oldest low-income public housing building still in operation. Due to its historical significance to the African-American community, officials decided they would not demolish the property, but gut and rehabilitate it.

Obery Court, however, will be completely razed and rebuilt. Built in 1952, the development has fallen into such severe disrepair that officials said it would be more cost-effective to demolish it and rebuild using “green” building principles.

Pennrose Properties LLC, of Baltimore, will be handling the development of the Clay Street communities, with work on Phase One to begin in about a year, city officials hope.

The first phase of the College Creek Terrance and Obery Court redevelopment will include 50 rental units along Clay Street and 10 home ownership units on Clay Street near Pleasant Street. A community center also will be built at the corner of Clay and Obery and 44 on-street parking spaces will be added."

———
and here's the link: http://www.capitalonline.com/cgi-bin/read/2007/07_31-37/CAN

So you see...there it is in the paper. No Joke. The shot clock is ticking, who's going to join me back here? Pass the link, there's much more to come with the next post, I'll disclose how I am launching little sneak attacks on the entreprenuers.

Peace and Progress namean?
Grins

Out of the rat trap and into the rat race

I want to take a second to expand a bit on what I was going through towards the end of my last entry. Creating jobs that benefit the community.

Now, let me start by saying that I am not talking about a non-profit, lets help the community type of spot. Not a "where the kids go after to school to get help reading" or a "counseling center" or anything along those lines. We've already got the Stanton Center for that. I'm talking about a business that utilizes the collective strengths within the present community.

See if we can find a way to work with what is present and create opportunity we SOLVE THE PROBLEM. Think about it, we are talking about revitalizing an existing structure, giving it a fresh face, filling it with a business or buisnesses that employ people from the neighborhood thereby giving people more financial freedom (or real freedom, this is a free country only when you can afford it-be real here). When people start earning dollars it changes their outlook. They no longer struggle on a day to day, there becomes a light. Capitalism baby, gotta love it. Follow the thinking get out the rat trap and into the rat race.

So, what are we working with?

For the most part the demographic back here is African American. That much I do know, beyond that the level of education and different skill sets that are present I cannot clearly state but, based upon appearances and reputation there is a good chance that we are working with a lower educated and less discretionary spending group, generally speaking. Don't come at me with any remarks about judgements or racial profiles, I don't want to hear it, especially if you don't live back here with me.

Using this general idea as a basis, what kind of business could both both employ the local residents and serve a greater business interest? Looking deeper here we would want a business that caters to African Americans, requires manpower or womanpower, but does not have a "too time intensive" training to it. What does that give us?

Where do you put it?

On Clay Street of course. There are several commercial properties that are back here that could really stand to be filled with a business that is in line with the aforementioned profile. If you suggest liquor store I will send a resident to punch you in your mouth. Liquor stores are part of the problem back here and further could only employ a few. We need something that employs I'm thinking in the 20-40 people range.

Some ideas to get things moving.

A call center? Perhaps a local company or Maryland based company that has a customer service element to it could work in one or more of the buildings back here. By and large though a lot of these businesses are being outsourced overseas where the labor is cheaper. We have to keep in mind wages and competitive pricing elsewhere. It could work though, we need a niche player.

A manufacturer? Someone who is developing something and scaling it out, a product to be shipped? Something environmentally friendly though, we don't want a big print press coming back here and killing us with their fumes. Got to be green.

Remember we have plenty of parking, there is a garage that is right next to Clay. It can be done.

Okay if you are reading, work with me, submit some ideas in the comment sections below. I know enough people that an idea that is worth its salt could become a reality.

Hollaback (that means get at me in Clay speak)

Reclaiming Clay

Map link for viewing Clay Street area
http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=51+Clay+St,+Annapolis,+MD+21401,+USA&sll=38.980613,-76.498082&sspn=0.007039,0.014098&ie=UTF8&ll=38.980646,-76.497481&spn=0.007039,0.014098&z=16&om=1

Last night was very interesting. There were several proposals for changing the traffic patterns that for the most part all circled on creating a "choke point", in the words of Lt. Della from the Annapolis Police Department, by decreasing the amount of ways in and out of the Clay Street blocks or the 4th Ward.

To give you some background I have included a link (i also tried to input a physical map but had no luck, please add comments at bottom and help me out with this) to a map above that shows the greater Clay Street area. At present there are 3 ways in to Clay Street (from both sides of Clay on either side and Washington St) and 4 ways out (Northwest St, Clay both ways, and Washington St), by car. If you take a look at the bottom right of the map you will see Northwest Street. This is the street that was pretty much at the center of attention last night. All the proposals included changing the current flow as an exit only to an entrance only.

The proposal that gained the most traction was the closing of the Clay Street entrance and exit on the eastside. Reference the map again and you will see the intersection of Clay and Washington. There would be an extension of the sidewalk there, trees planted, etc and a barrier created, this coupled with the the change in the flow of traffic on Northwest would serve to eliminate the exit on Northwest, the exit on Clay, and create trouble for the buyer and supplier of the cheif marketable product back on Clay Street.

The entrance/exit that is in discussion is already closed some hours because of the parking garage that sits just east of the Clay/Washington intersection. The police department believes that with this concept, which has already been approved by both the fire department and the police department, would reduce crime in the neighborhood by at minimum 5%. I don't expect you to be knocked from your chair but, as was the theme of the evening, its a step in the right direction.

The other proposal which gained zero traction and I think may have been a dummy proposal (get into more on that in a minute), was again the changing of the traffic on Northwest St and the closing of Washington Street at the West Street entrance with a similar barrier to the previous proposal (trees, sidewalk, etc). This proposal was immediately shot down, most vocally by myself, I think that was the desired effect intended to sway more towards the other option.

A third option was, do nothing. However, doing nothing was viewed as insanity. Insanity by definition is the repeating of the same behavior and expecting a different result, there were no insane people at the meeting last night.

There was much debate about what needs to be done on Clay Street and at times we strayed from the original intent of the meeting which was to focus on the changing of traffic patterns. Many members from the community weighed on other ideas like increased foot patrols, a substation placed at the Masonic Temple on Clay, and setting up a table on the corner of Pleasant and Clay. All these while good ideas, only served to distract from what was the focus. This changing of the traffic pattern is to be viewed as ONE STEP towards change. Not the end all, be all but, one step.

Speaking of steps, last night was one in a series that will get to the changing of the patterns. More than likely there will be a meeting in the next few weeks to have a vote to make the change. It will be well advertised, with an ad in the paper, and flyers dispersed in the community. (Maybe this time without the guards?) This could move very quickly.

Another benefit of the meeting last night was that I met quite a few new people from the neighborhood that I hadn't met yet. Some that had lived in the area for 80 years! This is a neighborhood with a tremendous sense of history. I am going to look to be including much about the history with pictures and video as the site develops.

Clay Changes

Tonight at the Stanton Center on Washington Street there is going to be a town hall discussion about changing the traffic patterns on Clay Street. The goal of the meeting is to talk about the pros and cons of making what are currently two way streets into one way streets, this further promotes the idea that the low lying drug dealers need to be removed, to make way for the white people!

I am saying this with a tongue in cheek of course, but I have to tell you how funny it was last Thursday afternoon when there was a knock at my door and low and behold there were two white people at my door, smiling! I viewed them from my second story window but, before I could get to them they were gone! Wisped away in the daylight hours (more often then not unless you are a purchaser of the fine neighborhood goods white people don’t come back at night). Upon a little further investigation I discovered that they were passing out flyers announcing the meeting for what is now tonight. As I glanced down towards Washington Street from my back door I noticed 5 white people accompanied by 4 on duty police! They looked like guards!

Herein lies two problems that when put together create quite a conundrum. The first is that the neighborhood is still fucked up to a degree, it’s not the worst section of town but, it does have its moments. For example, last night we had a car horn beeping at 4am and some yelling about a love gone wrong, lets be honest THIS HAPPENS EVERYWHERE from time to time. The real problem is there are 4 generations, 4 generations; I wanted to repeat that to let it sink in just a second, 4 generations of people living in the public housing back here. Now that’s your Great-Grandma, your Grandma, your Mom, and your sister, who’s 17, pregnant, and running down to the social services office making sure when she turns 18 that she gets a voucher for housing. Please don’t try to tell me that this is okay, I don’t want to hear it from either side of the fence.

So, on one hand you have the impoverished community that is sitting on pretty impressive land, waterfront land. People the world over go ape shit to look at water. There is a certain stripe that is earned when you have a home on the water. The local municipality loves them benefits with a home on the water comes higher home values and higher property taxes which means more money for programs! Now I must confess when it gets to the inner workings of how local government works I am a novice, so what those programs are or how that money is spent I can’t comment. So, the other hand is the desirous waterfront land holder and they have the money.

This brings us to our conundrum. The community is a mess, there are no leaders back here without agendas, and the only way to make the neighborhood nice again is to remove those that are directly contributing to causing the despair. The concern is that usually when it comes to removal there is a pretty big broom that does the sweeping and the problem roots aren’t the only ones pulled up.

What we will more than likely see, since there is some incredible pressure being placed on this neighborhood to change, is a displacement of the people currently living and reconstruction boom for these city blocks. It’ll mean more tax dollars, more jobs, lower crime in the downtown area, and last bit will further stimulate more growth in the downtown. Live, Work, Play! This is a sociological phenomenon and not a new one, for centuries people have been moving from the country to the city, to the suburbs, to the country again, then repeat. Check your local directory of castles for more info.

Now the displacement is the part that concerns me and that’s why I make light and made the white people comments earlier. Nothing against white people really, I’m white myself. It’s just that we are not solving a problem here. We have 4 generations of ‘American people’ (like G Dub says it) that are completely misguided and it’s not going to get better just displacing. Trail of tears anyone? The Native American isn’t doing that sweet, that’s the last group that we swept under the rug. I don’t believe you should just discontinue with the current “programs” but, you need to develop a way to get people involved. We need to ladder out of them over a protracted period of time, starting NOW. Get them out of the rat trap and into the rat race.

The question that needs to be answered and discussed in my mind is how do you gather the collective energies that are present in these neighborhoods and put them to work? What are the respective qualifications that are present within the people that live here? What resources are available, structures existing that can be utilized, and how do you create a sustainable business? Capitalism baby. Hate it or love it, it’s an answer definitely worth trying.

Somehow though, I think changing the traffic patterns from two ways to one way is very metaphorical for what will become of Clay Street and its residents.

Maintaining Clay

Holding true as a responsible homeowner upon moving in, I joined the homeowners association. I started attending the monthly get togethers to discuss neighborhood politics and create solutions for the problems plaguing Clay Street and surrounding areas. Most of our focus is on the improvement of quality of life within the confines.

This past Monday we debated about the parking situation and are in the process of instituting some new rules geared towards eliminating people from parking in the lot that is reserved for residents. There are only 22 spots in the court and there are 22 row homes in our community. Now, not everyone owns a car in the community but, others own 2, or have frequent guests, or we have some who work in the area (don’t live here) and see our lot as a place to park for free, or the purchasers and suppliers (remember most commute to work here) of the neighborhood’s cheif sellable product (aka illegal drugs) have used our parking lot. This has caused a bottleneck and can result in arguments over parking spaces, anger by residents when they have to park far from their homes.

The solution we have come up with is to give each resident one highly visible parking tag to be displayed in the window of the car. The tag will correspond to the resident’s home address number. This coupled with an aggressive towing policy should serve to reduce the volume of illegal parkers back here. Of course this has some residents uneasy because they are concerned that people who they want to be here will wind up getting towed. My feeling is the responsibility of our visitors well being falls on us as homeowners, if we don’t let the people know who come to visit us that we have an aggressive parking policy and that they could be towed or if we don’t give them our parking pass and we park elsewhere, we are putting out guest at risk. Not to mention there is a sign out front as you pull into our court that states pretty clearly that the lot is not for public parking.

Other issues we are working on right now include: maintenance of the property, trash pick up, paving of the parking lot, landscape changes, tree removal, and exterior renovations to all of the homes.

Up to speed

Its been nearly 8 months since I've settled into the neighborhood and things for the most part have been calm, quiet, and non eventful. The first few weeks I was here I was occaisonally stopped by the aformentioned white tee'd entreprenuers asking if I needed a piece of the rock. Not Prudential. That has for the most part stopped. Every once in a while there is a new sidewalk pusher that mistakes me for someone looking for a way to escape reality. Easy to think that, especially since 90% of the "traffic" that comes back here that is white is here in search of that high. The other 10%? Well, they are either lost or looking to get into the parking garage or maybe they are coming to visist me!

Truth be told, most of these hustlers are just trying to make a bit get a bite to eat at the local chinese food shop located on the corner of Washington and Clay. I don't get the feeling that many of them are really that successful. There is no blinged out attire, no pimped out rides, except for the occaisonal big rims here and there. This neighborhood is one that has earned a reputation and with that many of these hustlers migrate here. None or very few actually live here, they come here because this is where the crackheads come, demand needs supply. The users are a mixed bag, some come from out of town and others do dwell in the varied housing units.

One day I actually drove 2 of the dealers to the hospital because a friend of theirs had fallen in the heat and was experiencing a siezure. During the ride to the hospital we got to know a bit about one another. Funny but, there was a slight bonding that occured. One of the dealers I had barked on (yelled at) a few months before when they were making a transaction outside my door when I was going to my car. We spoke about that day and the dealer said to me he respected my request and understood it. Its not always Hollywood, while I am not positive I don't think Tony Montana lives back here. This dealer in particular said he got caught up after high school, couldn't find work and fell into dealing as a means to keep food for himself and his fiancee. I'm not condoning the behavior here just reporting what I've learned.

I've heard gunshots twice in 8 months. There has been 1 murder in 8 months, that murder was back in College Creek Terrace one of the two public housing spots located halfway between Washington and Harwood streets. The murder was drug related, it occured inside of one of the homes. The killer was apprehended a week or so later.

Speaking of the public housing, the two public housing units are actually the oldest on record in the United States. They are a tragedy, they look like they could crumble any day now and you wonder why despair has gripped this neighborhood over the years. Funny but, Obery Ct Houses are located directly on the water back here. They are slated for demolition in the Spring of 2009, rumour is they are not going back up. The other rumour I hear is that College Creek while not slated for demo and instead slated for rehab is not going to make it. Some of the people that live in those houses have lived there for 3 generations. Scary how the cycle plays itself out over and over again in some families.

So 8 months and barely a peep. So far, Clay Street isn't as rough as they make it out to be. Knock on wood.

My name is Timm Kostenko, a native of Sussex County New Jersey, for those that are not geographically inclined I grew up in between the Sopranos and the Orange County Choppers. I am the newest resident of Clay Street, Annapolis and this is my story.

About 12 months ago I was coming off a tumultuous ride as a budding rap star who had spent the better part of the previous 2 years in a 30 foot land yacht (an RV for those that don't know the science) criss crossing north america in promotion of what I thought was the beginning of a long and prosperous music career. One member quitting, one member beating up the DJ, and the one member administering the beating winding up in a mental hospital later, I was alone in that 30 foot dream machine heading nowhere, fast. After some serious soul searching and a deep intake of reality I decided that it was time to head back to corporate America. With that it was back to Annapolis, MD and the career that I had left as a financial advisor for Morgan Stanley.

Now, at first I was still somewhat hopeful that all would work itself out., so I rented a basement apartment Eastport. For the next 6 months I clung to somehow ego bruisings from physical bruisings would subside, bandmates who sought love would find their way back into the mix, that mental illnesses were not permanent, and that we would wind up back in the yacht and back in the pursuit of the glamour that being a rap star would deliver. However, as time carried its ugly load it became more and more apparent that the days of the touring rap artist were closed and that I should look to focus on the padding the 401(k). Enter the home buying part of my life cycle.

Everyone always tells you that owning a home is the first part of the American dream and that once you are ready to (gulp) settle down, buying a home is a mandatory part of the equation. No more throwing good money at rent, it was time to stand on my own and own. Unfortunately, during my time on the road the housing market had been enjoying its finest few years in history and home prices were well off the reasonable charts. Everywhere I looked for a home it was well beyond not only what I could afford but, beyond what I considered appropriate. The country was in the thros of the real estate frenzy and it was definitely not the time to buy but, I was sick of renting.


So one Friday night, I made a right off West Street onto Washington Street and took a left off Washington onto Clay Street and parked my car. I got out and took a walk. I walked up and down Clay Street from the corner of Washington to Harwood at the far end of Clay and all I saw was opportunity.

Backing up a bit let me establish a bit further who I am exactly. In my world of Hip Hop I am known as Timmy Grins, lead "singer" for Arcane, promoter of the uber successful "Elements Party" in Baltimore, co founder of ItsHipHop.tv, and manager of several fledging Hip Hop artists. Suffice to say that Clay Street was a neighborhood that I have seen many times before from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Bedstuy Brooklyn, NYC, to Compton, California, to closer demographically Baltimore, Maryland. It wasn't as great a shock for me as it may be for others to see enterprenuers in long white tees working street corners or to see the twisted effect that the chief sellable product that neighborhoods like this has was having on the local community.

Clay Street is not North Avenue. Clay Street is not 125th and Lennox, but, it is to be respected. While it is not the deathbed that the South Bronx once was it does have a penchant for and a history of violence like either of the previous mentioned streets. It has not earned its reputation purely on fantasy there is a very poor and generationally difficult group of people in these streets. Despair is well travelled up and down this corridor. Drugs are here, guns are here, prostitutes are here, and beggars are here.

Getting back to the original program though, I started checking out all the homes for sale. My agent Brad Luke up at Caldwell Banker on Church Circle met me in front of every one, he helped me research the neighborhood, the crime, and did all he could to find the best situation for me. We looked in no fewer than 10 homes for sale on Clay Street, every single one of them priced under 250,000 and every single one of them less then a 10 minute walk to City Dock in one direction and less then 10 minute walk to Naval Stadium in the other direction and every single one of them a block from the water of College Creek. Closing my eyes and using my own internal Google maps, I could not picture a better situated neighborhood in all of Annapolis. There is nowhere else that you are more centrally located with the 3 amenities that I mentioned then Clay Street.

I started putting in offers, all below market value. The scorching housing market knows no boundries even the homes relatively speaking on Clay were priced at a premium I thought to be too generous. Brad and I had a few nibbles but, nothing got serious. Nothing got serious until during one of the greater Clay Street meetings that I was becoming a frequent fixture I was introduced to Cathy Ebner from Homes for America. Cathy told me she had a few homes that were going to be made available if I were serious about my desire to live on Clay Street. Of course my answer was yes.



She showed me one off Northwest Street but, the view of the graveyard was a turn-off. I don't care how historically significant that graveyard is it is still dead people there and I saw way too many horror flicks growing up. Then she showed me #51 Clay Street, I wasn't even halfway through looking at it when I told her I would take it. It was perfect. The quaint 2 bedroom rowhome type had been internally restored with a new kitchen and bathroom, new washer and dryer, new carpet, and all it needed was someone who wanted to make it home. I volunteered for the job and in December of 2006, nearly 6 months after the demise of my rap career I was settling (still scared) into my new home on Clay Street.