Sheppard Pratt House in Ruxton
May 5, 2011 by Marney Kirk
Filed under Baltimore, Blog, Ruxton, Towson
As of April 28, 2011, Sheppard Pratt now owns the house at 1506 LaBelle Avenue, according to a letter sent to the Ruxton-Riderwood-Lake Roland Area Improvement Association by Bonnie B. Katz, Vice President Business Development and Support Operations at Sheppard Pratt Health System.
The sale of this house to the institution has created a lot of backlash and speculation because of Sheppard Pratt’s intended use of the property.
The intended use for the house, according to a letter from Sheppard Pratt to the RRLRAIA is to:
provide living arrangements for individuals who are transitioning from their treatment stays at The Retreat at Sheppard Pratt (a concierge level of care program for people seeking voluntary, privately funded treatment for mental health problems), and who wish to stay in the area to extend their outpatient treatment with the Retreat. Both the Retreat and this community residence are/will be occupied by affluent individuals who chose to receive services in elegantly appointed surroundings.
The RRLRAIA takes issue with the fact that due to the nature of the center, it will apparently not have to go through traditional Baltimore County Zoning Laws (for example, current Baltimore County zoning law prevents more than three unrelated people from living together in a non-commercially zoned house or condo, but would not apply in this situation because it will be licensed as a small group home through the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene).
Kathy Frederick Palencar, Zoning Committee Chair for the RRLRAIA neighborhood association wrote an editorial to the Baltimore Sun in response to the concern:
We believe that this sale is nothing more than another commercial transaction which should be subject to the traditional zoning process. For Sheppard Pratt to hide behind the protections of federal disability laws is disingenuous. Patients benefitting {sic} from this particular treatment program pay out-of-pocket $2,000 a day; it is a “retreat” in every sense of the word. This high-end program is not a treatment program supported by insurers or Medicare, it is a for-profit business.
We do not dispute the need for such a program, but we do dispute the characterization of this facility as anything other than a for-profit business that more appropriately belongs on the Sheppard Pratt campus. As such we are working with our legislative representatives to seek a solution.
On April 20, 2011, Sheppard Pratt held a public meeting, where Delegate Bill Frank, Nancy Surosky from County Executive Kevin Kamenetz’s office, and County Council representatives, Vicki Almond and David Marks were in attendance, and were addressed by Ms. Palencar in a prepared statement.
There is a website and a facebook page devoted to stopping “The Retreat” in Ruxton, created by neighbors vehemently opposed to the planned use of the house.
602 Meadowridge Road Towson
February 28, 2011 by Marney Kirk
Filed under Baltimore, Baltimore County, Blog, Homes For Sale, Ruxton, Towson, West Towson
602 Meadowridge Road is a five bedroom cape cod in the Riderwood Ridge neighborhood of Towson, MD.
**UPDATE! House went under contract in less than a week on the market!**
Meadowridge Rd is a cul de sac street located just off the bridge from West Joppa Rd that crosses N. Charles St. The next street over is Greenwood Rd, where the Baltimore County Board of Education sits. It is on the cusp of both the Ruxton neighborhood and the West Towson neighborhood.
602 Meadowridge Rd had recent work done, including a large kitchen with beautiful granite counters and cabinets, and a mud room with built-in cabinets. An addition was done to create three bedrooms on the second floor, one of which is a master bedroom with bath, and laundry room.
It has a screened porch overlooking the large, level back yard.
602 Meadowridge Rd is the first house to come on the market on the street since the last house sold in 2002!
Contact me for more information on 602 Meadowridge Rd or other West Towson homes for sale. I live in the area and know it well!
Listing Courtesy of Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
21204 Home Sale Statistics Past Six Months
November 18, 2009 by Marney Kirk
Filed under Blog, Towson, West Towson
My compilation of the 21204 real estate market statistics for the last six months are here! The full chart includes data on sales, contract, and active homes from May 25-November 8, 2009.
What this shows is that the lower priced Towson homes are the ones that are selling best. The first week in June the median sales price was over $1M, but since then, it has been generally under $500,000. West Towson house values are continuing to be strong, while the higher priced areas of the 21204 real estate market, such as Ruxton home sales, are not as solid.
Another interesting spike is the “under contract price” for the second and third weeks in August, but even more notable is the lack of corresponding “settled price” spikes, suggesting those homes did not go for their asking prices.
Consistently, there have been over 80 homes for sale in 21204, while on average only 2-3 of those homes are going under contract each month, and only 2-3 are settling each month. There is definitely a large inventory for Towson homebuyers, with an average of only 3.75% of listed homes going under contract each month.
These 21204 home sale statistics show that pricing correctly, having the home in showplace condition, and good marketing are imperative in this Towson housing market.
Please note that these are statistics from the multiple list. The chart is an overview of the zip code and does not take into account the type (condo, townhouse, single family) or condition of the home. To have a true value understanding of your Towson home or neighborhood, these factors need to be taken into consideration. If you would like a Towson home price evaluation, please contact me today.
Fall Festival at Graul’s at Ruxton Village Shops — Another Great Reason to Live in Towson
The Graul’s Market at Ruxton Village Shops will be having its Fall Festival this Saturday, September 26, 2009 from 11 am – 3 pm.
The Festival benefits the Maryland Humane Society, and you will be able to meet pets who are available for adoption!
The Festival will showcase live music, kids’ entertainment, pit beef, crabcakes, plus local food samples. A good time sure to be had by all, this is a don’t miss event for this Towson neighborhood!
The Ruxton Village Shops, located at 7701 Bellona Avenue in Ruxton, include Graul’s Market, Graul’s Wine Shop, Wilmington Country Store/ The Pink Crab, and Needles and Threads of Ruxton.
