The renovation and adaptive use of the historic Lion Brothers Building, one of the oldest buildings in Baltimore’s Hollins Market neighborhood, has been recognized with a 2019 WaveMaker Award from the Baltimore chapter of the Urban Land Institute (ULI). The annual WaveMakers Awards recognize outstanding achievements in local real estate development projects.
Designed by Quinn Evans, the rehabilitation of the Lion Brothers Building transformed the long-abandoned, three-story structure into Class A office, studio, and retail space. The circa-1885 building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was originally constructed as a livery stable and was then occupied for several decades by the Lion Brothers embroidery company. Developer Cross Street Partners saw promise in the boarded-up building as a modern workspace that could play an instrumental role in revitalizing the community.
Based on careful research into the building’s original construction and past use, Quinn Evans created a flexible design for a contemporary workplace setting while preserving many of the building’s original features. Misaligned floors and multiple interventions from a variety of architectural eras challenged the development and design team to create a cohesive, efficient plan allowing for multiple tenants and uses. The interior features a new central core with an open stair, exposed brick walls and duct work, refinished concrete and wood floors, and the original sliding, steel-clad fire doors. Vibrant colors and environmental graphics enliven the tenant spaces, inspired by the terra cotta medallions along the exterior that depict embroidered patches once made in the factory.
The building offers a variety of workplace environments, including traditional office, open concept, and cutting-edge co-working spaces, all benefiting from abundant natural light. The historic factory windows were restored and the stable building windows were replicated. The project included all new building systems, a new elevator, and extensive exterior upgrades. In addition to Quinn Evans, consultant team members included Kovacs, Whitney & Associates, Inc., for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering; and Skarda and Associates, Inc., for structural engineering.
The Lion Brothers building is fully leased and now serves as a home to a dynamic mix of tenants, including programs at the University of Maryland, Enterprise Homes, and several other businesses and organizations.
About Quinn Evans
Established in 1984, Quinn Evans provides services in architecture, planning, urban revitalization, and historic preservation, including sustainable preservation and stewardship. The firm has more than 170 professionals in offices in Washington, D.C.; Ann Arbor and Detroit, Michigan; Madison, Wisconsin; Baltimore, Maryland; and Richmond, Virginia. Nationally ranked in its sustainability practice, Quinn Evans is a charter signatory of the AIA 2030 Challenge and a member of the Center for the Built Environment.
Quinn Evans specializes in cultural, institutional, commercial, and educational projects, including museums, historic parks, theaters, mixed-use buildings, schools and campus facilities, libraries, and civic landmarks.
Current projects in Maryland include the redevelopment of Baltimore Penn Station, design of the Ruth R. Marder Center for Matisse Studies at the Baltimore Museum of Art, a new community center and amphitheater for the Maryland Center for the Visual and Performing Arts, and the renovation of the Percy Julian Science Building at Coppin State University. Other projects for the firm include the modernization of the National Air and Space Museum and the renovation of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.; renovation of the Old City Hall and Virginia Commonwealth University’s new STEM building in Richmond, Va.; upgrades to the Cincinnati Art Museum; and modernization of the historic Southeast Library in Minneapolis, Minn. Quinn Evans has also recently been selected by Ford to design the restoration and adaptive use of the landmark Michigan Central Station in Detroit. Other projects in Detroit include the restoration of the historic Wurlitzer Building, renovation of 985 Michigan Avenue for the U.S. General Services Administration, and the adaptive reuse of the historic Brewster Wheeler Recreation Center. For more information, visit www.quinnevans.com.
