In the last year one of the co-founders of Make Mistakes relocated to Baltimore, Maryland, and when he manages to leave the studio and take a break from his life of hermitude, he has met several of the folks that make dance music in the city tick. One of those fine people is DJ/Producer Lomez. Here’s a piece we had passed onto us, talking a little about the changing landscape of a storied city.

Baltimore’s vacant buildings are ripe for potential new venues, according to DJ/Producer Lomez

For club goers of modern deep house and techno, Baltimore is undoubtedly in need of a new venue that is dedicated to their taste in music programming. It’s a city that was once vibrant with dance music in the mid-1990′s, although the current club landscape has left many music lovers with much to be desired, and pushed parties into warehouse spaces and art galleries. The images included here are just a few shots of buildings within a one mile radius of Lomez’ studio, where we joined him on an early morning walk.

The photos are taken in the developing Station North neighborhood, an area in Baltimore which may have some of the best potential for a new club. Big investment from the Maryland Institute of Collegiate Art and other small businesses have begun to sprout new life into a once troubled neighborhood. The photos show just a few of the unique and inspiring spaces that can be found around North Ave. Although one of the most interesting elements of Station North is that it was arguably the birthplace of house music in Baltimore. In the 1980s, the street was home to the infamous club O’dells, where the Basement Boys got their start DJing.

So, what is the best size for a good venue that’ll feature weekly music programming consistenting exclusively of house and techno? Not going too big is the key according to Lomez. He says “200-300 people” is the ideal size for a club that he’d like to see pop up. And the interior design is just as relevant as any other factor. The design of the DJ booth, the location of the bar, lighting, and sound quality are of course paramount.

“For someone with a decent marketing budget to come and invest in a venue geared towards deeper sounds, I see a lot of opportunity in Baltimore. There’s so much development going on in Station North daily – additions to colleges, new housing, more restaurants and retail space – but when it comes to clubs, people want more. Nightlife is so important to tourism and quality of life.” he added.

However, regardless of the fact that many clubs in Baltimore play top 40 on the weekends, it’s clear that Charm City’s vibrant warehouse scene is a testament to what people want: uncompromisingly underground dance music.

Lomez released a new EP titled Equestrian Ottoman on the Better on Foot label today, available exclusively at Beatport. Buy and Download the full release for a taste of his sound: http://tinyurl.com/cw82sfm