| As many old maps show, there
are a number of streets that have ceased to exist thanks to redevelopment.
While this is often good for the economy, it does have the often detrimental
effect of taking away another slice of Old Baltimore.
Franklin Lane is a classic example.
This street, which lacked any street signs, is only identified as such
on older street maps. For the past several years, it and neighboring
Cheapside Walk were two interesting examples of Belgian Block paving immediately
above the tourist mecca called the Gallery at Harborplace. These
streets were two nice aspects of Old Baltimore that seemed somehow to complement
the new Baltimore pretty well, until they were demolished....
A redevelopment rears it's head, and
spreads out to the areas surrounding the harbor, it could be reasoned that
these age-old thorofares were on borrowed time. Thus, it came as
really no great suprise when in late 2001, both Franklin Lane and Cheapside
Walk were obliterated to lay foundation for new development on the site.
What follows is a timeline.
In September of 2001, Franklin
Lane continued to be a neat vintage slice of old Baltimore, with Belgian
Block paving, very narrow sidewalks, and restriction signs mounted directly
on the neighboring building! |
GONE! With the parking garage
in the background as a benchmark, and the water main visible beneath the
pile of dirt in the center, Franklin Lane's once path is still traceable
if only for now.
|
This recessed curb on Lombard
Street at the perimeter of the construction site shows where Franklin Lane
used to intersect the busy thorofare. Time will tell if this last
trace of this charachteristic alley will endure to mark it's former path.
|
With curbs and sidewalk entirely redone, there is no
evidence whatsovever that an alley once plied a path through this
parking garage. With this, another neat portion of the old city
vanishes without a tangible clue.
|
This 1897 City Atlas segment
shows the original length of Franklin Lane between Pratt and Water Streets.
The lower segment vanished many years ago, while the little remnant between
Lombard and Water Streets is the segment featured here. Note also
little Guilford Street. When this map was drafted, current day Guilford
Avenue was called North Street.
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