Urban Discoveries Baltimore

It seems, to us anyway, that renovation projects are pretty popular these days. Maybe we just weren’t paying attention in the past, or maybe bloggers, in all of their televised glory, have sharpened our awareness. Whatever the case, we appreciate a renovated rowhouse; it’s better than building new for a number of reasons: it’s more environmentally sound, it’s less expensive, it contributes to revitalizing the urban core, it reduces urban sprawl, and, let’s be honest, if Baltimore is ever going to reclaim its status as a major city, then something has to be done about the plague of vacant homes around town. So pick a rowhouse, get a 203(k) loan and get started already!

And once you get started, you’re probably going to find The Loading Dock (2 N. Kresson Street), a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, very quickly. The South Baltimore organization/shop is dedicated to “improve[ing] living conditions for families, neighborhoods, and communities, while positively impacting the environment, through redistributing surplus building materials.” Furthermore, “The Loading Dock operates out of a 42,000 sq. ft. warehouse in southeast Baltimore and serves as the state’s central clearinghouse for salvaged surplus building materials that are otherwise headed for landfills and redistributes them.”

But beyond their super-cool mission statement, The Loading Dock is full of stuff that you can actually use to renovate your home: everything from cabinetry to banisters to shingles to insulation is available, and since it’s a nonprofit organization, everything is reasonably priced. It should be noted that memberships are required to purchase materials; a year costs a hefty… $10. And if you’re not sure what to do with all those supplies you picked up, rest easy, The Loading Dock offers a variety of workshops — covering everything from basic home maintenance to fixing drywall — for do-it-yourselvers, first time homeowners and the general public. So head on down and get started on your own renovation project today.

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