On Oct. 4th & 5th, the Fells Point area held its annual festival, despite being hit very hard by Isabel. This is a celebration of the life in this section of the city. It usually features the bars and restaurants that make this such an upbeat neighborhood. This year a lot of the establishments are missing in action.
While the storm itself was not that severe, the accompanying tidal surge raised water levels in the area and flooded the Fells Point neighborhood. The water height, at street level, was less than a foot. However, the bars and restaurants, located in rowhouses, utilize the basements for storage. Some places lost their reefers, freezers, dry stores, liquor, and wine cellars, as well as their heat and AC units. Some of the places estimate loss in the tens of thousands. Nobody closed up, but some restaurants are undergoing such a massive rebuild that they are considering opening as a different entity.
The odd thing is, the city and the media are paying more attention there(inside city limits) than in parts of the area that were harder hit. Some places in Essex and Dundalk,(in the county) people lost homes. Everything that they owned and treasured, was swept away, or ruined. As a person in the business, I feel very bad for the bars of Fells Point, but its a lot easier to recover a business than a life.:eek: :mad: