After tearing down the former Carnegie Institute laboratory building on University Parkway and announcing plans to tear down its Mattin Arts Center on Charles Street, the Johns Hopkins University is now eying for demolition a row of buildings on the south side of its Homewood campus.

The buildings threatened with demolition are seven large rowhouses that Hopkins owns at 5-19 West 29th Street, near Wyman Park Dell.

The houses are vacant and stand just west of Dell House, a 14-story commercial building that Hopkins also owns and that has been vacant for years.

The Charles Village Civic Association has scheduled a “Community Input Meeting” on Zoom for 5 p.m. today to address the pending demolition.

“Just learned that JHU plans to demolish a row of historic houses across from the [Wyman Park] Dell,” multiple preservationists are posting in messages on Facebook. “There are currently no plans for the vacant lot other than grass and lighting.”

“As a historic home owner in Charles Village, I’m so sad that this can happen,” one poster said.

Gateway to the Park?

Because of their prominent location on 29th Street, the buildings help frame Wyman Park Dell and form a gateway to the mostly residential area south of it.

Preservationists say the houses are in poor condition and may have been built over a stream that could be undermining their foundations.

The Brew reached out to ask why Hopkins wants to tear the buildings down, what will take their place, has an architect been selected, etc.

“These questions will be addressed in tonight’s meeting,” a Hopkins spokesperson, Karen Lancaster, said.