SoBoBlog.com: news, rumors and oddments by and of the citizens of South Baltimore

by Colleen Wolfe
soboblog@baltimoreguide.com

I’m starting this week’s column off with a serious alert to neighbors in South Baltimore. If you haven’t heard by now, the city closed Swann Park, 296 W. McComas Street, last Thursday due to very high levels of arsenic found in the soil. What is most astounding is that the contamination in the park has been there since at least 1976 but has gone without investigation until now. City officials held a public meeting at Digital Harbor High School last Sunday afternoon to address concerns, chiefly possible health risks associated with longtime exposure to arsenic.

The waterfront park, which is used heavily by the track and field, baseball and football teams of Digital Harbor High School and other city sports leagues, is next to the former Allied Chemical pesticide factory. During the operation of the Race Street plant, from the 1930s until it closed in 1976, arsenic was a common agent used in the manufacturing of its pesticides. Testing done last Thursday identified soil contamination of 2200 parts per million of arsenic. Levels that are considered safe are normally in the range of five to 10 parts per million.

City Health Commissioner Dr. Joshua Sharfstein was at the meeting to explain the situation and what is being done to protect the public. Sharfstein explained that the danger isn’t with acute arsenic poisoning, which is caused by swallowing large amounts of arsenic, but what exposure to small amounts of arsenic in the dirt will do to person’s health over time. The people thought to be most at risk would be the Parks and Recreation workers who maintain the park, the residents who live closest to the park, and the athletes who use the playing fields on a regular basis. Although skin exposure to arsenic isn’t dangerous, Sharfstein explained the danger comes from arsenic getting on a person’s hands and then ingesting the substance because of unwashed hands touching food or your mouth.

To conduct a more thorough investigation into the problem, Sharfstein called in scientists from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, which operates under the Center for Disease Control. They started more in-depth testing on Monday and should have preliminary results in a few weeks.

The real question on everyone’s mind is why is this just coming to light now? Apparently a crack developed in the clay-and-asphalt cap that Allied put down on the site to protect against contamination leakage. During talks with the Maryland Department of the Environment over cleaning up the property, Honeywell, which merged with AlliedSignal in 1999, found documents from 1976 that included arsenic test results in the park in the 6600 parts per million range. And apparently there was a committee formed in 1976 made up mostly of Maryland Department of the Environment officials to work on the situation. But there are very few records to show the findings of the committee or why they chose to reopen the park that same year.
According to a flyer put together by the City Health Department and given out at the meeting long-term exposure to arsenic has been associated with various types of cancer, numbness and skin changes. More information about arsenic exposure can be found at www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts2.pdf.

Until a definitive answer can be obtained regarding the safety of the park, expect it to stay closed. If you’d like to stay informed of the progress of the investigation you can go to   http://www.baltimorehealth.org/swannpark and sign up for email updates. Sharfstein assured us that there will be more meetings to keep the public informed of the testing and results and next steps to be taken. Sharfstein hopes the next meeting may come as soon as this week where citizens can speak to the scientists from the CDC about the situation.

I attended Sunday’s meeting and I have to be honest and say I was very impressed with the speed with which Sharfstein took action. Test results came back on Thursday and the park was closed within a few hours. And he brought the CDC in very quickly to start further testing. I am going to continue to track this story very closely. But I urge anyone who uses Swann Park to get on the City Health Department’s email list for updates as well.
Switching gears a bit, Locust Point was the center of a very interesting situation last weekend. According to police, the owner of a newly built rowhouse at 1350 Towson Street hired a property management company to rent the house out for parties where admission was charged and liquor was sold. The party ended around 2:30 a.m. on Sunday after police got a call for a double stabbing at the address.

The line of people gathered outside the house and the dozens of cars crowded into a trucking company’s parking lot around the corner raised the eyebrows of more than a few residents in the usually quiet neighborhood. That of course prompted the usual rumor mill to start grinding at full speed. There were rumors about possible prostitution in the house and reports of more parties planned. Turns out police found no evidence of prostitution. But there was a bridal show by Premier Bride being advertised at that address. Although the event location was still listed on their website as of Sunday evening as 1350 Towson Street, a call on Friday to Premier Bride confirmed that they will be moving the location.

Another interesting rumor that came out was that word of these parties makes its way around town under the radar screen by referring to the party as a baby shower. Deputy Major Mike McDonald of the Southern District said he hasn’t heard of anything like that happening and he hasn’t seen similar parties taking place in the district so far. I’m chalking this up to another rumor.

Kudos really go out to the Southern District police who not only quickly responded to the stabbing but also worked with Locust Point Civic Association president Paul Silberman in getting in touch with the property owner, Richard Akwo, and Troy Holland, owner of the property management company, Holland Residential, to mitigate the situation. I could not find a phone number for Richard Akwo, and Troy Holland would not return calls—but the police talked to them. Deputy Major McDonald said Akwo and Holland pleaded ignorance when told the zoning code doesn’t allow renting out a residential home for parties. Akwo and Holland said that any future events will be cancelled. But Deputy Major McDonald said he’s a little skeptical that problem will go away so easily. He urges residents in that block to keep an eye on the house and if anything suspicious happens to call police immediately.

Just a reminder that Federal Hill Main Street’s spring block party will be this Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Cross Street on the north side of the Cross Street Market. Ten bands will play on two stages throughout the day. So bring your friends. If the weather next weekend is anything like we had this weekend you owe it to yourself to get out and have a little fun. Just leave Fido at home. Dogs are not allowed in the festival. Admission is $5.

Federal Hill Main Street Design Committee bestowed their fourth annual Federal Hill Design awards on April 2 to M Salon and M Vanity, 1131 S. Charles Street. The Design Committee especially liked the modern feel incorporated into the traditional storefront. The natural light coming in from the large glass panel window at the front of the store was enhanced by using transparent materials for the furniture and a frosted glass partition to allow light to filter throughout this converted row house. Congratulations to M Salon and M Vanity.

And a bit of exciting news, Federal Hill business owner Brooke Hagerty will be a contestant on Wheel of Fortune tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m. on channel 2. The owner of Dinner At Your Door, located in the Cross Street Market, tried out for the show back in 2004 when open auditions were held in Baltimore at Pier 5. I’m not giving anything away. You’ll have to tune in to find out if she’s a big winner.

And yet again another new business is open in our area. The BP gas station on Key Highway opened last week. It includes a Chesapeake Convenience Market, a Quiznos Subs, and car wash. I don’t know about you but nothing says meatball sub like 10 gallons of gas and a wash and wax.

And finally, Andre Street reconstruction continues. The city is just about done its part of repaving the road. The road closure to fix the railroad tracks will happen as soon as the new loop road is opened. It should take place the beginning of May. Once Andre Street is closed expect it to stay that way for about four weeks.