William Donald Schaefer, governor and mayor, dies -- Championed Harborplace, Camden Yards, the National Aquarium and other projects that changed the face of Baltimore

story by Baltimore Sun
written by Michael Dresser

William Donald Schaefer, the dominant political figure of the last half-century of Maryland history, died Monday after a "do-it-now" career that changed the face of Baltimore while bringing a new burst of energy to the city he loved.

Mr. Schaefer was 89.

In four terms as mayor and two as governor, he was a champion of big projects that transformed Baltimore: Harborplace, Camden Yards, the National Aquarium, the Convention Center and the light rail among them. Yet he was also intensely involved with the mundane details of city neighborhoods. As mayor, he would patrol the city at night and on weekends, calling city officials to demand immediate action to fill a pothole or clean a garbage-strewn alley.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-ob-schaefer-20110418,0,72461.story20110418,0,72461.story