(I should know better, but...) Learn Me Baltimore

Was contacted by the recruiter that originally got things rolling; I'm lined up to receive a job offer for a role in Baltimore, MD, in the next day or two.  Job is basically at the main airport, BWI, where I will be working for a known aerospace/defense company.  I've not had a lot of time to really think about this and do research. 

I've seen two threads here over the last, say, three months that speak not so fondly of Baltimore.  Do we have anyone here that likes it?  My sister is in Washington DC and has coworkers that shared very positive thoughts on the city.  I would probably live somewhere around the Inner Harbor, thinking on the western side, as it seemed alright and wouldn't be that far from work.

I'm very interested in the role although I'm a little bit 'eh' about the amount of travel (about 25% of the time, on company aircraft which does make it easier to deal with, and should be about 100% domestic) and then a concern that I may be shorting myself due to a continued down-grade in seniority that started with my current role at an entirely separate company.  That was out of necessity, this is due to the seniority of the role as advertised continuing that trend. 

SO, thoughts?  Comments?  There's a lot of stuff rattling around my brain about this and I'm eager to soak up more opinions and such.

Here's one of those recent threads

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/off-topic-discussion/moving-from-baltimore-md-to-tampa-fl-and-i-am-so-e/155059/page1/

In reply to pres589 (djronnebaum) :

Judging from your entire post, you're either already in the Aerospace business or familiar with it. I worked for an Aerospace manufacturing company for 6 months. 

It was literally the worst job I've ever had...........like "I need to wake up and slam some whiskey before going in."  

The people in the IAMAW made life hell for anyone who wasn't a member. 

The POTUS recently called it a rat infested expletive. It isn’t that bad but picking where to live nearby is important. 

There are many areas between Baltimore and DC that are pretty nice and would be an easier commute. 

I’m not sure what part my aunt and uncle are in but they like it and it seemed nice when we visited.  Looks like it had been a run down mess but was turning around.

This thread is already delivering! 

The last time I was in Baltimore, I actually really enjoyed it. Granted, this was my honeymoon and that was....11 years ago now, and we are no longer married, so take that for what you will. However- I really enjoyed the harbor. The aquarium was super cool- and there was a ton of excellent seafood available. Lots of other things going on if you enjoy the downtown type culture. Camden was right down the road from where we were staying, the Orioles were out of town at the time or I'd have gone to see a game. I don't give two E36 M3s about baseball, but Camden is historic. 

I will say that I saw a lot of desperation in the lower classes while I was there. Tons of transient folks, and a lot of panhandling. Not as bad as I see daily in Orlando, but- that was 11 years ago. According to a lot of threads, that has not improved. 

My take on it is this- If you go into any place with a closed mind and a negative attitude towards the town, you're gonna berkeleyin' hate it. Case in point- the aforementioned Orlando. No one is actually from here, despite living here- and as a result I meet new people all the time, and they fall into two categories. The kind that embrace the E36 M3show that is this place (I've been trying really hard- it started with finding things I know I like. Food, booze, cars, art- turns out Orlando is pretty berkeleyin' good for all that) and followed my path to things I have past ignored due to my own comfort with my previous home. I have to imagine Baltimore is quite the same way. You gotta find your peace, and go in with an open mind, or you're berkeleyed.  And that brings me to the other type of person I meet here- the miserable shiny happy person. All they talk about is how much their town had this, or was better at that, and how much they hate it here. Ok, leave. I get it- disney magic left your ass at transport and ticketing. Turns out, Disneylando has real people, with real problems, and real jobs. There's also a lot of REAL problems. Drug issues here are nuts. True story- we hired a cashier. Or- we attempted to. By day two, we knew she wasn't making day 3. So, we pull the plug on day 3, and cash her out. She goes out to her van (that turns out to be stolen) gets high, crashes the thing into some concrete posts less than 300 feet from the store, cops show up, find out the van is stolen, she has no DL, her boyfriend has no DL... it was a mess. She was 19. I see this E36 M3 all the time. If you let the attitude eat you, it's gonna do it. I refuse to roll like that- and I'm doing ok here. I have at LEAST two facebook friends that live here (Including one real live floridian!). I have a job, I go do fun stuff sometimes. More than all of that, I've learned to be content with my decision and make it work regardless of the negative factors. 

Find some stuff you like and work from there. The internet is pretty good at sussing out what's worth your time. 

Plenty of places closer to BWI, unless you really want to live in the city, not suburbs. 

Baltimore is very much a city of neighborhoods. I think there's something like 200 individual neighborhoods in the city. Some of them are quite nice; others I wouldn't (and dont) walk through in broad daylight. 

A lot of the neighborhoods in the county are the same way. So it pays to be picky. 

We moved here and pretty much isolated our search to Carroll County. Good schools, lower crime, smaller towns. From where I live I can be at bwi in 45 minutes if there's no traffic. Howard County (HoCo) and even Frederick (Fred Neck) are doable. Lots of people's like th east side too- Harford County (Hazzard County) is popular. But then you have to deal with bridges or tunnels to get to BWI. One accident can ruin a commute. 

The mass transit in the area isn't good enough to really recommend city living. That said, if you prefer walkable neighborhoods and the like, where I work in the riverside/ federal hill area is pretty nice. I can be at bwi from work in 15 minutes. Arbutus/Relay is a pretty decent area, too, and in the county so lower taxes. Also 15 minutes from bwi. Catonsville and Ellicott city are great, too. 

Canton seemd cool and would be where I'd look first personally for the city proper.   Bar wise and small walkable safe at night looking.  

West North Ave and N Fulton St intersection looked straight Wire late at night but good bones otherwise.  I wouldn't think it's too safe but it also wouldn't bother me too much.

TIL there is actually a neighborhood called Middle East.  oof.  

I thought West Arlington had a nice old suburban feel to it but seemed close to a pretty sketch commercial area.

As stated above.  A ton of different neighborhoods.  

I actually think the city is a million times more interesting than DC with far better 'bones' but there are some grotty trash filled areas for sure.  

My takeaway from this so far is I'd rather live in Baltimore than Orlando.

ultraclyde said:

My takeaway from this so far is I'd rather live in Baltimore than Orlando.

+1 Million.

If working at BWI, I'd opt to live down in Crofton or Bowie, especially if you like the coastal plain vibe and feel.

United Karting is at BWI, real karts, not kid karts. There's a $65 Friday night drop in league. 

Fairly accurate:

Flying in and out of BWI was the high point of my Baltimore experience.

 One trip was doing a Walmart site in Glen Burnie  that was on the approach to BWI.  You could almost count the rivets in the fuselage.  This was fairly convenient to BWI, but know nothing about the area.

I used to have to hit up the county offices in Towson, which was a nice area.  Probably full of hipsters now.  

I noticed the interstate loop was usually a parking lot in the am commute.  

ultraclyde said:

My takeaway from this so far is I'd rather live in Baltimore than Orlando.

Other than Maryland being an inspection state, and the whole winter thing, I would almost agree. 

In reply to z31maniac :

I've been in the aviation industry as an avionics/electrical engineer for over a decade.  Some shops are worse than others regarding the things you've mentioned.  I don't feel like the facility I will be working at is like what you experienced.  I did once interview at an engine manufacturing facility where it sounds exactly like what you're talking about.  Ended up passing on that but for different reasons.

In reply to ultraclyde :

I'm much more interested in something approximating New England and not Florida.  I know Maryland isn't considered New England, just go with it.

In reply to volvoclearinghouse :

Industrial Wasteland it is!

Interestingly enough I'm flying into BWI tomorrow, and back on Thursday. I have to do product demos at a Home Depot on Thursday morning in....uhh...I think it's Westchester, MD?  Hotel in Owings Mills for the night.

So the judgemental map above seems really helpful at the moment.

Think of it as just another big city that lost its main industry, like most places in the rust belt. From my last visit in May, the places that have been gentrified by hipsters are just as scummy as the places from the Wire, just in a different way. 

Don't take sides when it comes to crab cakes, sports teams, pit beef, or fishing areas. Everybody and their brother will have an opinion, but they're really up to personal preference and taste. 

Oh, and the subway ticket machines give change in dollar coins. DON'T put a $20 in to buy a ticket.

In reply to ultraclyde :

The map is specific to the Baltimore city limits.  Keep away from anything that had a genuine Baltimore address and you should be fine.  Personally, I have spent a lot of time in Annapolis, MD which is 30 miles from Baltimore and while there you would never know the problems of Baltimore exist.  

Even BWi is not in Baltimore city limits.  

ultraclyde said:

Interestingly enough I'm flying into BWI tomorrow, and back on Thursday. I have to do product demos at a Home Depot on Thursday morning in....uhh...I think it's Westchester, MD?  Hotel in Owings Mills for the night.

So the judgemental map above seems really helpful at the moment.

Do you perchance mean Westminster?  That HD is 15 minutes from my house.  I drive past Owings Mills every day on my commute.

John:  I was in Baltimore proper around Camden Yards and while some of the area wasn't very attractive or quiet some of it seemed fine.  It reminds me a lot of the Kensington/Fish Town area of Philly where I lived briefly a decade ago.