> We're definitely open to it - but the Under Armor campus nearby makes me think it might be a tech-like corporate bubble (and the houses I've seen are more expensive and look a bit more like generic flips or newer builds).

This is extremely, extremely far off. There is no tech-bro corporate bubble anywhere in Baltimore. The UA campus there is also on the way out.

I don't mean to be rude, but I think you need to reconcile the HGTV stuff with reality. Especially if you're looking to have kids. Depending on what kind of lifestyle you're after (accessibility to other families, schools, need for a car, etc.) there are some neighborhoods that might be much better suited to you. I would put architecture as a very low priority, personally.

Alleys are extremely common in Baltimore, BTW. They're everywhere and range from clean pseudo roads wide enough for two cars to narrow, dark passages out of a murder mystery.