Sowebo

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Sowebo (South West Baltimore) is a community-chosen name for a historic area in the South West of Baltimore City. It encompasses the historic neighborhoods of Union Square and Hollins Market. At one point, the area suffered from decades of urban decay but, in recent years, this community has seen tremendous growth, improvements, and skyrocketing real estate values. On the main streets, spacious three-story row houses predominate. Most are pre- and post-Civil War Italianate in style, but there are many examples of Early Victorian Greek Revival and Late Victorian Romanesque Revival. A majority of these homes have ten- to fourteen-foot ceilings, tall distinctive windows, wood floors, and plaster walls. Exteriors are brick and mortar facades with attractive cornices and marble steps. On the side streets and alleys there are an additional variety of charming two-story and two-story-with-attic rows. House prices range from $40,000 to $400,000. An uncommon synergy prevails in the neighborhood as residents, both longtime and newly-arrived, work together through various committees and forums to enhance the area’s quality of life. An annual arts festival, called the Sowebohemian Arts Festival, is held in the streets around Hollins Market on the Sunday afternoon of the Memorial Day weekend. Less than a mile from Camden Yards – the finest baseball stadium in the land – Sowebo is within walking distance of the Inner Harbor, B&O Railroad Museum, M&T Bank Stadium, and University of Maryland, Baltimore. A state-of-the-art BioPark is a recent addition, with portions still under construction. A public golf course is nearby, next to the newly-renovated Montgomery Park office building. Access to I-83, I-95 and the MARC commuter train to Washington, D.C. are minutes away. The Union Square/Hollins Market District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, as is the H.L. Mencken house, which is located in the neighborhood at 1524 Hollins Street.