Baltimore's housing construction boom has produced a wealth of first-rate preservation projects, judging by the latest list of winners in the annual preservation awards program sponsored by Baltimore Heritage Inc.
Seven of the 11 building projects selected to receive an award this year involve apartments aimed at city renters, and an eighth is for a restored rowhouse.
The residential buildings can be found in a variety of neighborhoods, including Fells Point, Bolton Hill, Midtown, the west side and Baltimore's central business district.
Other award recipients are a recycled church and a converted silver factory in Hampden, a restored monument in Patterson Park and a downtown nightclub created inside a bank that survived the Great Fire of 1904.
Baltimore Heritage, a citywide preservation advocacy group, holds its awards banquet to recognize designers, developers and contractors who work to preserve the city's architectural treasures.
This year's banquet, recognizing projects completed in 2001, will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. June 25 at the Redwood Trust nightclub, one of the winners.
"Without people who invest time, money and hard work, there'd be no historic preservation," said Baltimore Heritage president John Maclay.
This year's list of winners is longer than in most years, and that reflects the high number of quality preservation projects completed throughout the city in 2001, he said.
The winners include:
The Factory Apartments, 510 S. Ann St. Owner: Ken Klotz of Ann Street LLC. Architect: Gant Hart Brunnett. Contractor: Ann Street LLC.
Grace-Hampden Methodist Episcopal Church, 1014 W. 36th St., now headquarters of Gilden Integrated. Owner: Gilden. Architect: Ziger/Snead. Contractor: Hencken & Gaines.
Redwood Trust, 202 E. Redwood St. Owner: Nicholas Piscatelli. Architect: Kann & Associates. Contractors: Spears/Votta Inc. and Mincin, Patel, Milano Inc.
Queen Anne Belvedere Apartments, 1214 N. Charles St. Owner: Queen Anne Belvedere Revitalization Limited Partnership. Architect: Kann & Associates. Contractor: Southway Builders.
300 North Charles Street Apartments, renovation of the former YMCA at 300 N. Charles St. Owner: Savannah Development Corp. Architect: Cho Benn Holback + Associates. Contractor: Harkins Builders.
Lancaster Square, offices and apartments at South Wolfe and Lancaster streets. Owner: Mason-Dixon Capital. Architect: Gant Hart Brunnett. Contractor: Cam Construction Co.
Cecil Apartments, 1123 N. Eutaw St. Owner: Omega Development LLC. Architect: Diesselhorst Group. Contractor. Baltimore Contractors.
Charles Roehle House, 2219 E. Pratt St. Owners: Jean-Luc Renaux and Kathy Helzlsouer. Architect and contractor: Winner Construction Group.
Pulaski Monument restoration, Patterson Park. Owned by the city of Baltimore and restored by Baltimore's Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation (CHAP). Conservator: Steven Tatti.
Stieff Silver Building, offices at 800 Wyman Park Drive. Owner and contractor: Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse. Architect: GWWO Inc.
The Atrium, apartments in the former Hecht Co. department store at Howard and Lexington streets. Owner: Southern Management Corp. Architect: Collins & Kronstadt. Contractor: James M. Jost & Co.
In addition to the building projects, Baltimore Heritage is presenting Preservation Honor awards to The Baltimore City Heritage Area Management Plan, developed by CHAP and HRG Consultants of Bethesda, and three organizations active in and around Patterson Park: the Friends of Patterson Park, the Patterson Park Community Development Corp. and Banner Neighborhoods.
The Douglas H. Gordon Award for Preservation Advocacy will go to William J. Pencek Jr., deputy director of the Maryland Historical Trust.
Successful conversion
One of the first downtown apartment projects to be almost completely leased is 300 North Charles Street, the $7.6 million conversion of the former YMCA building that dates from 1877. Since last fall, 32 of the 36 apartments have been leased at monthly rates from $750 to $1,475.
Betty Jean Murphy and Sally Stark of Savannah Development Corp., the developer, said the residents range from empty nesters who moved in from the suburbs to young professionals who work downtown and wanted to live nearby. They said one-third of the residents came to Baltimore from another state and more than a few contacted the leasing agents after reviewing their Web site.
Murphy has long advocated that the best way for Baltimore to increase the number of residents downtown is to start by encouraging construction of a number of small "boutique-sized" apartment buildings in historic structures such as the former Y. If those succeed in drawing people downtown, she says, then the market will be in a better position to absorb larger residential developments that might follow.
Murphy attributes the rapid lease-up of 300 North Charles Street to its affordability, amenities, architectural character and location within easy walking distance of restaurants, businesses and cultural attractions. She said the management offers services for busy professionals such as a hotel-style concierge, apartment cleaning and laundry service, and the lobby doubles as an art gallery.
"People are getting more than what they're paying for," she said. "It's a really good value. It's a level of sophistication that's just coming to Baltimore."