Community Opposition Kills Apartment Proposal

Community opposition has killed plans to turn a single family home at 3849 Roland Ave. into a 12-unit apartment building.

Eric Dashner, of Finer Remodeling and Builders, said he’s no longer interested in pursuing the project that neighbors feared would cause traffic and parking problems in Hampden.  

“If they don’t want me to improve the neighborhood, then I don’t want to be there,” Dashner said.  

Dashner, who had a contract to purchase the home contingent on the city approving his plans, said he has withdrawn from a hearing with the Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals scheduled for March 6.

Nancy L. Tranter stood outside of her home at 3827 Roland Ave. on Tuesday afternoon where she has lived for 52 years. The thought of all the construction needed to turn the house into an apartment complex horrifies her.

“This is going to be a nightmare if we have bulldozers and trucks coming back here,” Tranter said.

Jerry Raitzyk, who has lived in Baltimore for 70 years, said that Dashner should have approached residents first to gauge their feelings about the home being converted into apartments. 

He said that residents of Hampden have been living here for generations and don’t appreciate someone trying to strong arm the community.

“We’re not going to quit… and let them run rough shod,” Raitzyk said.

Alice Ann Finnerty, owner of the at 3855 Roland Ave., was also unhappy with the proposal.  She said the area doesn’t have the ability to handle the traffic or the parking needed to make adding 12 apartments feasible.

Finnerty, who has owned the store since 1978, said Hampden has developed a master plan and that it wants to maintain the kind of community it is today.

“We don’t want to be another Fells Point,” Finnerty said.

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