Neighbor: Whiskey Warehouse Demolition, Future Park Welcome

Business owner John Heagy watches demolition progress at the former Pikesville Rye warehouse nearly each day.

He's watched since last month as machinery was removed, as rebar and wooden beams were removed and bricks were torn down and hauled away.

To him, Baltimore County's demolition of the antiquated building signals the end of flooding in front of his business, caused by the building and the area around it, the owner of John Heagy Remodeling Restoration & Construction, said Wednesday.

"It gets rid of an eyesore, gives me exposure to the road," and in the end will leave a natural park area as a neighbor, next to his business at 10921 York Road in Cockeysville.

Baltimore County plans to regrade the area, plant trees and leave it in its natural state.

That warehouse at 10919 York Road, known as the whiskey warehouse, was where whiskey was once stored after it was produced at the distillery next door. 

The distillery itself, once Pikesville Rye, is located behind Heagy's business and is the next to be demolished, Heagy said.

Demolition, regrading and plantings are all part of Baltimore County's plan to mitigate flooding in the Beaver Dam Run area. That includes $4 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency funding.