South Baltimore Gateway Partnership Announces Transformational $1 Million In Fuding To B&O Railroad Museum Capital Campaign
BALTIMORE, MD — September 26, 2023 — The South Baltimore Gateway Partnership (SBGP) is proud to announce significant funding of $1 million to the B&O Railroad Museum in support of the Museum’s new master plan to restore the South Car Works Building on their property and to create open community space as part of the redevelopment.
The B&O Railroad Museum, the birthplace of American railroading, plans to restore the South Car Works building, the oldest, continuously operating railroad repair facility in the United States if not the world, 1869 – 1990. In restoring this nationally significant 33,000 square feet building and making it the new entrance to the Museum, the Museum will reconfigure its campus flow to face Southwest Baltimore. The Museum’s campus extends 40 acres into Southwest/West Baltimore.
Brad Rogers, Executive Director of the South Baltimore Gateway Partnership, expressed the organization’s enthusiasm for this partnership, stating, “we’re delighted to support this initiative, which knits the B&O Railroad Museum seamlessly into the neighborhood of Pigtown. The museum is literally tearing down a wall and replacing it with a vital new public space. In doing so, it is also helping its many visitors to enjoy the food and shopping along Pigtown’s beautiful Main Street.”
Kris Hoellen, Executive Director of the B&O Railroad Museum, also shared her gratitude, saying, “This funding from the Southwest Baltimore Gateway Partnership is particularly meaningful to us as we wanted to create a design that would be supported by the community. Our goal for creating a beautiful entrance and accessible community space and turning the Museum’s face to Southwest Baltimore, is to help catalyze further investment in the community and to improve overall community quality of life. We are not aware of another cultural institution actively factoring community development into its campus plans to this extent.”
The SBGP’s commitment to this significant financial support underscores its dedication to fostering community growth, supporting historical preservation, and strengthening Baltimore’s cultural heritage. This partnership between SBGP and the B&O Railroad Museum is a testament to their shared commitment to uplifting Baltimore as a vibrant and historically rich destination with a source of civic pride for residents and visitors alike.
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About the South Baltimore Gateway Partnership (SBGP)
The South Baltimore Gateway Partnership was established in 2016 to help implement the South Baltimore Gateway Master Plan, a sweeping plan to improve neighborhoods near the Horseshoe Casino Baltimore, with funding provided by the Local Impact Grants generated by video lottery terminals. Under its Strategic Plan, SBGP works to improve the vitality of its communities by focusing on three crucial elements of the South Baltimore Gateway Master Plan: Community Development and Revitalization, Environmental Sustainability, and Health and Wellness. To achieve the agenda laid out in the Strategic Plan, SBGP has established three interrelated program areas: Community Grants, Enhanced Services, and Transformational Projects. For further information about SBGP, please visit www.sbgpartnership.org.
About B&O Railroad Museum
The B&O Railroad Museum, the birthplace of American railroading, located in Baltimore, Maryland is a full affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, and a National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Site. It is dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of American railroading and its impact on American society, culture, and economy. The museum is home to the oldest, most comprehensive collection of railroad artifacts in the Western Hemisphere including an unparalleled roster of 19th and 20th century railroad equipment, the 1851 Mt. Clare Station, the 1884 Baldwin Roundhouse and first mile of commercial railroad track in America. For further information on the B&O Railroad Museum, please call 410-752-2490 or visit www.borail.org.
