2100 Block of E. Chase Street Profile

2127 E. Chase Street interior after renovation. The living room walls are painted beige and the area is staged with a white rug, wood coffee table, two gray chairs, and a flat screen TV. The photo looks into the kitchen and at the stairs going to the second floor.
2127 E. Chase Street interior after renovation. Photos from Mark Reed.

The 2100 Block of East Chase Street

By the end of this year, the entire 2100 block of East Chase Street will be transformed, thanks to Mark Reed and his development team. Mark owns 12 of 17 houses on the block; five of them were purchased through One House At A Time. To date, three homes have been rehabbed, six are in process, and the final three will begin renovation on March 1st.

2127 E. Chase Street interior before renovation. Baltimore City brick shell rowhome.
2127 E. Chase Street shell before renovation.

“There is nothing more satisfying than seeing a house that has been vacant for 25 years, burned out and an eyesore, become a vibrant place with people enjoying it,” said Mark. “It’s a business, but I also get a lot of personal fulfillment out of it. It’s a great feeling to do work that is useful and purposeful.”

The two most recent rehabs, 2127 and 2129 East Chase Street, were derelict, vacant properties in receivership, purchased for $5,000 each at a One House At A Time auction. They are now beautiful homes occupied by tenants. “Except for the external walls, these houses are 100% brand new,” Mark explained. Each home features two private suites consisting of two bedrooms and two bathrooms, a half-bath on the first floor, washers and driers on the top floor, a private patio, and driveway.

Before discovering Baltimore and falling in love with the architecture here, Mark had rehabbed properties in Los Angeles and Washington, DC. Prior to that, he had a corporate position that involved considerable business travel, experience that he used when designing spaces for future residents. “I was going for comfort, function, and attractiveness,” he said. “I envisioned hard-working nurses coming home after a long, hard shift. I wanted rooms to promote ease and relaxation, to feel spacious even though they are not particularly large.”

All of the properties will be rental homes, at least at first, with an eye toward stabilizing the whole block. Once that has happened and all of them are occupied, Mark might consider selling a few of them. “We have received great feedback from the tenants who have moved in,” he said. In fact, one nurse on temporary assignment at Johns Hopkins is considering extending her stay because she loves the house and the area. A neighbor at 2109 is “very excited and is encouraging others to move to the area.”

2127 E. Chase Street interior after renovation. The image shows the kitchen looking to the front door. The kitchen is painted white with marble countertops and steel appliances.
2127 E. Chase Street Interior after renovation.

"There's a lot to be said about Baltimore. I am happy here and a true believer in the city."

All projects have challenges, of course. There were some hard lessons learned on the first one, particularly related to access to skilled labor. “I would recommend that someone starting out in Baltimore work with a mentor or someone who has experience here,” he suggests. “It will save you money and time.” 

Another tip? “It will take you longer and cost you more than you think.” However, his current projects at 2105 and 2107 East Chase “will be much quicker because we learned so much.”

One House At A Time auctions have “helped him find a whole community” of rehabbers and investors who share experiences, discuss critical issues like financing and permitting, and generally support each other, further solidifying his attachment to his adopted hometown.

“I am all in,” said Mark. “There is a lot to be said about Baltimore. I am happy here and a true believer in the city.”

 

 

 

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