For years the apartment building at 1111 Park Avenue was known as Sutton Place.
But after the property changed management recently, it got a new name: ReNew Mt. Vernon. A sign that went up within the last week spells it ReNEW.
The new name has perplexed Bolton Hill residents who say the building is in Bolton Hill, not Mt. Vernon. They note that it’s directly across the street from the Bolton Swim and Tennis club at 1120 Park Avenue, and one block away from Bolton Street.
“I always thought this was part of Bolton Hill,” wrote longtime neighborhood resident Rich Dubroff, on the Bolton Hill Community Association Facebook page. Dubroff said he walks by the block daily and noticed the new name over the weekend.
“I was surprised when the Fitzgerald identified itself as Mt. Vernon, too,” he wrote.
Others were equally perplexed.
“Sutton Place was an Urban Renewal creation,” wrote former John Street resident Barbara Coleman White. “It was topped out in 1962. All of the residents are eligible to vote in Bolton Hill. Cannot believe the Mt. Vernon sign.”
“Mount Vernon? That’s not right,” agreed Molli Simonsen.
“Seems like Bolton Hill to me!” said Carolyn Bublitz.
Bublitz said in an email message that she has a house on the west side of Eutaw Place and that’s considered Madison Park: “All sorts of inconsistencies in neighborhoods,” she said. “Makes no sense.”
“Sad application of a ‘brand’ forced onto an existing standard,” said Monty Howard. “Awkward, inappropriate & disturbing.”
“They assume they can charge more for Mount Vernon. Little do they know,” added Christian Klarner.
Klarner said in a follow-up message that he was raised in Bolton Hill and is aware of real estate prices there.
“It’s a weird re-brand, especially when houses in Bolton Hill are going for near 7 figures,” he said. “It looks pretty clear they were trying for ‘oooo, this sounds upscale,’ using…one fairly wealthy neighborhood name instead of another, similar fairly wealthy neighborhood name.”
Part of the confusion is that certain blocks of Baltimore’s Park Avenue fall within the Mount Vernon historic district, including the 500 to 800 blocks, but properties ranging from the 1100 block to North Avenue are in the Bolton Hill historic district and blocks north of North Avenue are considered part of Madison North/Reservoir Hill.
Klarner said he thinks the rebranding seems aimed at prospective tenants who are coming from outside the Baltimore area.
“Most locals will know” the difference between Bolton Hill and Mount Vernon, he said, “but for outsiders the place named after George Washington’s home sounds more prestigious than Bolton Hill.”
Trinity Property Consultants of Irvine, California is listed as the property consultant for ReNew Mt. Vernon, on the property’s website. The website acknowledges that the building is in Bolton Hill, while inviting residents to “Come Home to ReNew Mt. Vernon.”
It’s “located in the desirable Bolton Hill neighborhood,” Trinity’s website states.
“That’s one heck of an identity crisis,” said George Bareford.
Others questioned the name ReNew, with one commenter calling it ‘generic.”
The name is somewhat reminiscent of the decision made in 2017 by new owners who renamed the former Mount Vernon/Peabody Court Hotel at 101 West Monument Street “Hotel Revival.” It’s now called “Revival Baltimore.”
Trinity is also listed as the property consultant for The Social North Charles in Baltimore, the former 3900 North Charles apartment building near the Johns Hopkins University’s Homewood campus, on that property’s website. The Social’s website states that the company provides student housing “with a new take on off-campus living.”
Two employees who answered the phone at ReNew Mt. Vernon, one named Shannon McCleskey and one who identified herself only as Sydney, declined to provide further information about the new name or other changes there.
“I can’t give too much information,” Sydney said, and then hung up.
This isn’t the first time that buildings in Baltimore have been named after streets or communities where they aren’t.
The Bolton Street Synagogue is located at 212 West Cold Spring Lane, on the outskirts of Alonsoville. The synagogue was on Bolton Street before moving to Cold Spring Lane and kept the Bolton Street name.
The Woodberry, a new apartment community at 2001 West Cold Spring Lane, is located one light rail stop north of the Woodberry historic district.
Dubroff, who covers the Orioles for BaltimoreBaseball.com, notes that the same blurring of identities happens with sports teams.
After all, he points out, “the New York Giants and Jets play in New Jersey, and the San Francisco 49ers play in San Jose.”
I think the larger issues is the ReNEW part of the branding. ReNEW is more like the name for a rehab facility than an apartment complex.
That’s exactly what I was thinking. Not necessarily only a rehab facility, but something meanth to bring new life to a fallen down neighborhood. Hey, suckers, get in on the renewal plan in dirty old Bolton Hill.
Owners are desperate for a new image. Google rating is down to 2. Sutton Place was infested with mice and roaches.
I agree with Mr. Brockman: bad branding choice. The building needs a lot more than a new name, and it certainly IS in Bolton Hill, not Mt. Vernon, suggesting that the image-makers in charge are not familiar with Baltimore neighborhoods and the importance/significance of their proprietary natures!