A New Canvas for Baltimore: State Funds Revitalize Vacant Historic Structure and Bring New Jobs to Baltimore

In the coming months, Baltimore’s University of Maryland BioPark will add another tenant. The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development provided $250,000 in Strategic Demolition Funds, $4.2 million in New Markets Tax Credits and a $1,080,000 loan from Neighborhood BusinessWorks, for the renovation and repurposing of the historic Lion Brothers Building in the Hollins Market neighborhood. The building, being redeveloped by Cross Street Partners, represents an important step toward Baltimore’s revitalization.

Some portions of the complex were first built in 1886 and originally used as a livery stable. Following a large fire that swept Baltimore in 1904, the Lion Brothers Company moved into the location as a textile and garments factory. Upon leaving the site in 1958, the Lion Brothers Company was the world’s largest manufacturer of embroidered emblems, serving such nationally-known clients as NASA, the Boy Scouts of America and the U.S. military. The building has been vacant since 2002.

Upon completion, a number of complementary organizations will occupy the building, including Enterprise Community Partners, Baltimore Community Lending, and the University of Maryland Baltimore County’s digital arts graduate program. Cross Street Partners will also establish its offices there. As a result of this project, 100 temporary construction jobs were created at a living wage. In addition, Cross Street Partners was able to add 37 new full-time employees and retain 86 full-time employees and two part-time employees. Currently, the BioPark hosts around 800 employees; additional jobs created by tenants in the Lions Brothers Building are expected when construction is complete.

“A New Canvas for Baltimore” is a regular series covering Project C.O.R.E. (Creating Opportunities for Renewal and Enterprise). Project C.O.R.E. will clear the way for new green space, new affordable and mixed use housing, and new opportunities for small business owners in Baltimore City. The initiative will generate jobs, strengthen the partnership between the City of Baltimore and the State of Maryland and lead to safer, healthier and more attractive communities. For more information on Project C.O.R.E., visit http://dhcd.maryland.gov/ProjectCORE/.