B&O Railroad Museum Meets with Baltimore City Urban Design & Architecture Advisory Panel
Milestone moves design closer to completion in preparation for the 200th anniversary of American Railroading in 2027
BALTIMORE, MD – The B&O Railroad Museum (Museum) today announced it has submitted design plans for the restoration of its South Car Works building, the oldest continuously operating railroad repair facility in the United States (1869-1990), located on the Museum’s campus, to the Urban Design & Architecture Advisory Panel (UDAAP) for Baltimore City. This marks the first major milestone of the Museum’s campus redesign in preparation for the 200th anniversary of American railroading in 2027. The plans, now public, are being prepared by Design Collective. UDAAP will now review the plans and respond with any comments or questions.
Kris Hoellen, Executive Director of the B&O Railroad Museum said, “This project is not only about bringing back to life the South Car Works, a magnificent 33, 000 square feet building with a significant role in American railroading history, but also about serving as a community anchor. Once completed the Museum will use this newly restored building as its main entrance and will reconfigure its campus flow to face Southwest Baltimore with the goal of catalyzing community economic development. We look forward to the Advisory Panel’s feedback and finalizing the design for the Museum’s South Car Works building.”
The project kicked off with a $5 million dollar lead gift from CSX to build the “CSX Bicentennial Garden”, a tiered, tree-lined amphitheater and multi-use space that can host local organizations, hold community gatherings, and even just serve as a nice place for the community to eat lunch.
Once restored, the South Car Works will contain an Innovation Hall on the top floor of the building displaying the present and future of railroading technology. The first floor of the building will contain state-of-the-art educational space, as well as house the Museum’s extensive archives collection.
The project is on schedule to be permitted by the end of 2023 and under construction in early 2024, with construction completion planned for 2026, in time for the 250th anniversary of the United States and 2027, the 200th anniversary of the American railroad.
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About the B&O Railroad Museum
The B&O Railroad Museum, located in Baltimore, Md., is the birthplace of American railroading. The Museum is a full affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and was also designated a National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Site by the National Park Service. 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 the first mile of commercial railroad track in America. The Museum welcomes guests from all 50 states and 40 countries every year. For more information, please call 410- 752-2490 or visit www.BORail.org.
Media Contact:
Stephanie Jayakanthan
B & O Railroad Museum
sjayakanthan@borail.org
520-233-3947