To Curtis Bay residents, their South Baltimore neighborhood has
always been worth fighting for. That was true in the 1880s, when
the community campaigned to have the bay dredged so that
steamships could navigate along the piers. And it was true in
the late 1970s, when they warred against pollution from the
industrial plants that line the waterfront. The community has
been in a constant battle. Like many city dwellers, Curtis Bay
residents are fighting to keep crime and drugs off their
streets, while maintaining their older homes and roads. They
also hope to cope with urban flight by attracting new homes and
more jobs. "This is a struggling community that's basically
fighting back," said 42-year-old Curtis Bay native Duane E.
Tressler, who is the fourth generation of his family to live in
his Pennington Avenue rowhouse. "This area is teetering on the
edge. We can build all the houses we want but unless we deal
with the crime, drug and social problems -- especially
prostitution -- we're going to lose the neighb