Renovation

Building Renovation

SBLC

For years, South Baltimore Learning Center was literally bursting at its seams. For over ten years it had "made do" at 28 E. Ostend St. with small, cramped rooms and inadequate administrative space in a building in constant need of repair. Increasing numbers of learners seeking help from SBLC created a critical need for expansion to meet their needs. In 1999, SBLC was able to acquire ownership of its home at 28 E. Ostend Street and set out to renovate the Police Station. Constructed in 1896 for the Baltimore police department, it is a Romanesque Revival style steel-frame building faced in stone and brick. The building name, “Southern District Police Station,” and its date of construction, “1896,” are carved over the center bay of the front (south) facade. The Southern District Police Station was designed by Jackson Coale Gott, a Baltimore native. His commission for the Southern District Police Station is typical of his body of work, which includes institutional, commercial, and industrial buildings such as the Maryland Penitentiary (1894), stations for the Western Maryland Railroad at Glyndon and Union Bridge (1894), and the Johnston and Rombro loft buildings (26-30 and 22-24 South Howard Street, 1880 and 1881). At the time of his death, he was recognized as the “dean of Baltimore architects.”
The Learning Center renovation expanded the program and administrative space in the building by over 50 percent. Today, the Center makes use of two floors. The administrative offices, and a large multipurpose room (the former cell block) are located on the first floor. One of the original 14 jail cells remains and is incorporated into the design of the multipurpose room. The second floor of the center houses five state of the art classrooms with computer access, a computer lab comprising 18 work stations, a library, student lounge, and private tutoring rooms. The original station district maps from 1896 have been restored and are hung throughout the building.

The Center exceeded its original capital campaign goal of $1.75 million to renovate the historic building that served as the original South Baltimore police station up until the 1980s. Just when construction was ready to begin, SBLC learned of significant changes to the Heritage Preservation Tax Credit Program administered by the Maryland Historic Trust. The tax credit makes nonprofits eligible for a cash refund equal to 25% of rehabilitation costs of a certified heritage structure. However, the changes and certification needed delayed the construction process by five months.

After design changes were made to insure that as much of the original fabric of the building would be retained as possible, the building was nominated by the Maryland Historic Trust and approved by the Department of the Interior. On January 25, 2002 the rehab officially began. Old partition walls and drop ceilings were torn down and debris removed, providing a glimpse of how the new space would look when completed. The initial demolition uncovered several architectural treasures from the original 1896 design, including hardwood floors, original wainscoting, tin ceilings, and a series of arches in the first floor lobby area that had been concealed above the drop ceilings. These features were incorporated into the final design. The project was completed less than one year after its January '02 start and SBLC moved back into the completed building on January 17, 2003. If you are interested in a tour of the building please contact the Center at 410-625-4215.

28 East Ostend St. Baltimore, MD 21230 410.625.4215 410.727.8316 (fax)