Medfield, Baltimore

Houses along Newport Avenue, August 2011

Medfield is a neighborhood located in north Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America. It is located to the north of the trendy Hampden neighborhood and south of affluent Roland Park neighborhood. Its unofficial boundaries are Coldspring Lane to the north; Jones Falls Expressway (Interstate 83) to the west; Falls Road/Hickory Avenue to the east; and West 41st Street to the south.

History

Most of Medfield was developed from the 1920s through the 1960s. The southern section of the neighborhood (that adjacent to Hampden) and the northern section (off of Cold Spring Lane) were the first areas to be developed. The middle was developed from the 1940s - 1950s. Many of the first residents of Medfield were longtime residents of Hampden, who wished to move into newer houses, some of which had larger yards. Many of such residents still refer to the area as "Lower Roland Park".

Despite the suburban flight and subsequent urban decay experienced in Baltimore starting in the 1950s, Medfield continued to be a desirable and comparatively safe neighborhood for blue-collar and middle-class families. As a result of urban renewal efforts and the "boom" in the housing market experienced in the 2000s, the neighborhood received much investment and rehabilitation, and thus attracted an increased amount of young professionals. There are currently several development projects still planned for the neighborhood.

Housing stock

Medfield contains a variety of types of houses, far more variety than most Baltimore neighborhoods. Most of the neighborhood consists of brick rowhomes, most of which include front porches. There are also many single-family detached houses throughout the neighborhood, as well as several apartment buildings.

Schools

Medfield is home to Medfield Heights Elementary School, which boasts test scores above city/state averages. The neighborhood is also adjacent to the campuses of Baltimore Polytechnic Institute and Western High School, 2 well-regarded public magnet schools.

The community is also about 1 mile from Loyola College and about 2 miles from Johns Hopkins University Homewood Campus.

Parks

Medfield Heights Park is located directly behind Medfield Heights Elementary School, and is overseen by the Principal of the Elementary School. This park contains 2 baseball fields, basketball courts, and green space. The neighborhood is also walking distance to several parks in Hampden (Roosevelt Park on Falls Road and W. 36th Street; and a playground on West 42nd Street at Buena Vista Avenue). It is also about 2 miles from Robert E. Lee Park in Baltimore County.

Transportation

Medfield is easily accessible by many methods of transportation. The community is located directly off of Exit 9 of the Jones Falls Expressway (I-83), and is walking distance from the Cold Spring Lane station of the Baltimore Light Rail. Nearby bus lines include the #27 (Falls Road), #33 (Cold Spring Lane), #22 (W. 41st Street), and #98 (Hampden Shuttle).