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Project:
Proposal for
redevelopment of properties along Pennsylvania Avenue into a
mixed-use complex anchored by the B.A.L.L. House (Black Athletes and
Lost Legends) museum, devoted to Negro League baseball teams and
players.
Responsibilities:
ArchPlan provided the required materials for
a proposal to the Baltimore Development
Corporation (BDC) for the Druid Heights
Community Development Corporation (DHCDC)
to receive site control. The DHCDC will
partner with the B.A.L.L. organization to
manage the museum and café.
Approach and Design:
Pennsylvania Avenue, known simply as
“The Avenue”, was once the heart of
African-American entertainment in
Baltimore, and was known worldwide for its
jazz clubs, theatres, and nightclubs. One of
these legendary venues, the Sphinx Club, a private club
known for its after-show parties, opened in
1946 and closed nearly 50 years later in
1992. ArchPlan's proposal would revitalize
Pennsylvania Avenue with a bold new museum building on the corner of
Bloom Street, which would house one of the largest collections of
Negro League artifacts in the country; this would be connected to a
restored Sphinx Club, which would house a sports-themed cafe.
The plan assumes that the Sphinx Club
buildings could receive historic landmark
status and
preservation tax credits.
The project would
also include a performance space, incubator offices for small
businesses, and an outdoor dining area. The revitalization of
the Pennsylvania Avenue corridor will be complemented and reinforced
with the Gateway Housing project, incorporating rowhouse renovation
and new construction, for which
ArchPlan is also retained by DHCDC, and the new construction of
Baker's View townhomes, designed by Design Collective.
Client:
Druid Heights Community Development
Corporation (DHCDC).
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