Bright Colors and Quiet Walks in Eager Park / Middle East

The Live Baltimore staff relished our tour of the Eager Park/Middle East neighborhood, just north of the Johns Hopkins Medical Campus. Located on Baltimore’s East side, it is home to many new and renovated homes.

Tight-Knit and Walkable

We met Eager Park neighbors Lynn, Traci, Lauren, Deandra, and Justen on a tight-knit block of Madeira Street. Coming from all over the region, they were all attracted by the area’s proximity to family and/or work. Many took advantage of down payment assistance programs to purchase their homes such as the $10,000 Vacants to Value booster, the $5,000 Buying into Baltimore incentive, and the Live Near Your Work program.

All expressed a love for the neighborhood’s peaceful atmosphere, abundant green spaces, and walkability. With a walk score of 92, Eager Park is ideal for those who like to walk for exercise, mental health, or with their four-legged friends. These neighbors described how accessible Eager Park is to amenities such as Penn Station, the stadiums, and the waterfront in Fells Point. They also take advantage of Patterson Park being “shockingly close,” less than 10 blocks away.

These neighbors keep in touch through group chats and enjoy block parties in the warmer months. They have received a warm welcome from the area’s legacy residents, including the “Mayor” of Eager Park, Mr. Boo.

Community Landmarks

The centerpiece of Eager Park is the three-block-long public park completed in 2017. Featuring an amphitheater, playground, splash pad, and walking trails, neighbors enjoy live music and other programming at Eager Park throughout the summer.

Bright murals bring color and joy to Eager Park. The “The Immortal Spirit of Community” by Latoya Peoples and the new Henrietta Lacks mural by Shawn Perkins with Nosreme Baltimore caught our eye. Color can also be found at Northeast Market. One of Baltimore City’s six public markets, Northeast Market dates back to 1885 and remains a staple for area residents.

The campus of Elmer A. Henderson School:  Johns Hopkins Partnership School has served as an anchor in Eager Park since the building opened in 2013. Known as Henderson-Hopkins, the school serves students in Pre-K through 8^th grade. The campus also houses the Weinberg Early Childhood Center operated by Downtown Baltimore Child Care and the East Baltimore Historical Library (EBHL), a nonprofit that shares the rich history of the community. The Eager Park Neighborhood Association meets at the school.

Another Eager Park landmark is the A. Hoen & Company Lithographic Complex, built in 1885 and once home to the oldest continuously operating lithographer in the United States. A recent renovation has transformed the sturdy brick building at the corner of N. Collington Ave. and E. Biddle St. into the Center for Neighborhood Innovation (CNI), a collaborative workspace for mission-driven organizations.

25 Years of Revitalization

The neighborhood has seen an enormous transformation over the past 25 years, corresponding with its name change from “Middle East” to “Eager Park.” Decades of disinvestment led to high infant mortality, crime, and poverty rates by the latter half of the twentieth century. Blocks of vacant rowhouses in Middle East gained notoriety when they appeared on The Wire. Then-Mayor Martin O’Malley initiated what became East Baltimore Development, Inc. (EBDI), a massive public-private partnership with city, state, and federal agencies as well as Johns Hopkins University and the Annie E. Casey Foundation, in the early 2000s. EBDI led the charge to revitalize 88 acres north of the Hopkins Hospital, investing $1.8 billion to remodel or build 2,100 homes in the area.

We hope you enjoyed learning all about the Eager Park/Middle East neighborhood. You can view more content from our tour in our Facebook Album. Learn more about Baltimore City’s 250+ unique neighborhoods on our Neighborhoods Page. Want to give us a tour of your neighborhood? Email us at hello@livebaltimore.com to set up a Live Baltimore staff visit. We can’t wait to meet you!