The Fells Point Hysterical Society

45 years ago, the Fells Point Preservation Society was created to prevent interstate 95 from wiping out the neighborhood. In the end, I-95 was routed under the harbor ($40M under budget no less), Fells Point was saved and one day James Rouse decided to build a mall on the harbor front and the Baltimore Inner Harbor was born. Not bad for a bunch of plucky locals.

Today, the FPPS is still very active. From their website:

$ They sell booths for the Fells Point Festival, an annual event that typically draws 700,000 people.
$ They host a monthly flea market where, for a fee, you can sell your stuff in the public square.
$ They sell tours for tourists where you can hear some of the most outrageous lies ever told for $10.
$ They manage the Historic House Tour where, for $10, you can look into other peoples houses. (The people with the houses are not paid)
$ They deny tax credits to people who are trying to rehab their homes
$ They sell lectures, christmas ornaments, postcards and historic kitsch (made in china)
$ If you don't like any of these things, they also take donations.

In short, they collect money. A lot of money. For $50,000 you can be a supporting sponsor of the festival. If you're short on cash, you can get a 10x10 foot space for $5,000, according to the sponsorship package. Not to worry, though, because the money gets spent on, well, nothing.

A quick look at the FPPS web site lists dozens of ways that your dollars can contribute to the cause, but precious little in accomplishments. They have been active in keeping the mexicans above fleet street and being a general pain in the ass but otherwise I couldn't find a single reference to a recent accomplishment or even a project in progress, save the current fund raiser.

True, 10 years ago they agreed to stop protesting the destruction of the old Ruckert Marine Terminal in exchange for being able to buy the Historic London coffee house for $1. The result? The evil developers who tore down the historic building built this while the London Coffee House fell into such disrepair that it became structurally unstable. Fortunately the FPPS was awarded a $200,000 grant to remodel it in 2000 and we expect construction to start any day now.

Well, there is always the St Stans demonstrations.