And so concludes our Photo Week(s) … I hope you enjoyed.  There has been some talk between Barry and myself about making it a more regular feature, but we’ll see. Back with full length articles and other essays maybe as soon as . . . tomorrow. Thanks. ~jb

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A Rooftop Deck Brewer's Hill Baltimore

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AKA: Vernacular or Not, the Rooftop Deck Speaks My Language . . . Hon or . . . Baltimore’s Rooftop Decks

Location: Baltimore, MD (Brewer’s Hill)

In This Photo: A few blocks north of the iconic Brewer’s Hill complex, and shooting west, a rooftop deck with various flags of international significance flying.  Fairly typical Baltimore scene with Legg Mason and other downtown landmarks in the background.

Additional Information:  I have had rooftop decks on my editorial todo list since the early part of 2010.  And my hope is still to do a feature.  While I don’t know if they are in fact anywhere near unique to Baltimore, I do know that you’ll find quite a few of them around.  Especially in the neighborhoods that surround our Inner Harbor.  With good luck, the right elevation … and orientation — one can provide a mean view of the water.

I’ll admit, I have never been involved personally with a rooftop decking project.  I have however hung out on a few.  And the Super Bowl winning ticket of course is the 4th of July invite — where partygoers and other types can enjoy the fireworks and other festivities minus the groping of the insane crowds downtown.

The Decks of Baltimore’s Rowhomes — a photo essay for sure (and even more slam dunk if someone would be willing to hire me for a day) . . . from the most utilitarian, almost slapped together, to the highly engineered and architected (though all do require official-like papers).  Multi-tiered or a simple pier, you’d find many in pressure-treated and some that employ materials seen only in commercial applications and/or in a hospitality setting.

As far as cost versus value:  The simplest of decks (say 12×18) can run, what?, two to five grand.  But some I’ve seen hitting $15-$20 easy, with the majority probably running in the $5 to $10 range. A quick and absolutely unscientific survey of the real estate agents I know yielded this: “They really don’t add a ton of value, about $5k for a pretty basic deck.  They’re a dime a dozen now.  But still . . . everybody wants ‘em . . . though nobody uses them.”

Additional Links:  Brewer’s Hill — Baltimore &  Nice resource featuring a deck posting (minus cost info) & Permitting info & A note on usage.

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Thanks, happy weekend, and comments welcome. ~jb