Ridgely's Delight Neighborhood, Baltimore Maryland

620 South Paca Street
Owner: Susan Clayton photo of house

A few years ago, the Baltimore Sun chronicled how Susan Clayton took a wrong turn and found herself in Ridgely's Delight. That fortunate turn led to her purchase of this former rental property in 2000. The gabled roof indicates that this house was constructed around the 1830s. Several of the doors from this period still exist. While preserving the historic character of the house, Susan has replaced the carpet and the living room floor. She has also opened up the two fireplaces on the ground floor and moved the original mantels to their rightful places from the centers of the rooms, where the previous owner had placed them. Visitors will marvel at the hip, urban garden Susan has created on the cement slab in the rear, which she has enclosed. Susan is proud of her art collection, which is creatively accented by musical instruments she has received as gifts. Susan believes that her home once housed slaves, and as an African-American, feels that she has brought it full circle.

690 Washington Boulevard
Owner: Ken Hoefer photo of house

This architectural gem, built around 1900, originally housed a restaurant in the front and a pool hall in the back. By 1984, it was a deteriorated, vandalized, vacant building with extensive water damage. Completely gutted by Bimini Builders, the house won first place in the commercial exterior and residential interior categories of the 1985 Contractor of the Year Awards. The highlight is the two-story atrium with skylights, a glass block light shaft and a woodburning stove. Originally part of the alley, this room has a floor of marble that was salvaged from the building next door. Other notable elements include the custom spiral staircase that leads to the third floor, the reconstructed storefront that preserves the building's historic charm, and a spacious kitchen that was once a parking pad. Ken updated the kitchen's décor after moving in in 2001. He plans to install a rooftop deck in the near future.

Ken says, "I'm glad somebody had the courage to re-do this building. It would have been easier to tear it down." During your visit, don't miss the album that contains photos and details about the reconstruction.

600 West Conway Street
Owner: Mark James

Despite its very modern interior, this house was built in 1890. While Mark is unsure about its early history, he has photos and diagrams of the major renovations performed in 1990 by former owner Ashin Raheeb, an architect who designed the Muvico theatre at Arundel Mills. The living room's pillars and sunken floor as well as the glass shelving and excellent use of storage space illustrate Mr. Raheeb's expertise.

After buying the house in 2001, Mark divided the third floor studio into two bedrooms to accommodate a roommate. He also painted all of the walls in vibrant colors that blend tastefully from one room to the next, accenting the theme he's chosen for each area: peppers in the kitchen, glassware in the living room, artifacts from his native Canada in the TV room, and boats in the studio. While the property includes a deck and fenced-in patio, Mark and some neighbors recently refurbished a public courtyard behind his house to create an outdoor haven that he and his friendly dog Chinook share with the community.

624 South Paca Street photo of house
Owners: Barney and Suzanne Farnham

The Farnhams didn't research Ridgely's Delight before buying a home here. They just saw the potential in their property despite its abandoned state, and they purchased it in 1991. It took a consultation by the Maryland Historic Trust and $35,000 in renovations to restore the home to its original late federal style. It's no surprise that the Baltimore Sun has featured this dream home in its real estate section. Now, this three-story, five-bedroom masterpiece boasts five fireplaces, hardwood floors, and two full baths. Augmented by antique furniture, it brings a sense of family and tradition to the neighborhood, much like its owners. Whether they're entertaining grandchildren in the downstairs playroom, volunteering at the local schools, or attending community meetings, they promote a true sense of neighborhood. The Farnhams, a retired Episcopalian minister and the executive director of a non-profit organization, consider the neighborhood's diversity to be its most valuable asset.

663 Portland Street
Owner: Erica Loller

Erica moved into this house as a student renter in 1996. She remained here after graduation and ended up buying the home, which includes a basement apartment, in 2001. She has since replaced the living room and bathroom floors and painted the living room bright yellow to complement the beautiful stained glass windows on the front of the house. She was pleasantly surprised to find the fireplace intact when she uncovered the wall beneath the original mantel.

A volunteer for Cat Rescue of Maryland, Erica provides a temporary home for abandoned cats she finds in the neighborhood until they are adopted. Several of Ridgely's kitties seem quite at home in the fenced-in yard where she plans to add potted plants and replace the grass with bricks. When the cats allow her a little more time, she will finish painting and refinishing the floors upstairs. Then she'll start working on the house her boyfriend purchased next door.

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