PROJECT  Trenton Art Garage

LOCATION  Baltimore, Maryland, US​

PROJECT COMPLETION DATE  5/1/2025

Firm(s): ddbWorkshop LLC 

Design Team Members: Tamir Ezzat, AIA, LEED BD+C

Client: 101 E Trenton LLC
Contractor/Construction Manager: 

Landscape Architect: 

Structural Engineer: Brian Tarantino

Civil Engineer: 

Mechanical Engineer: Josh Nicodemus

Electrical Engineer: Josh Nicodemus

Photographer(s): ddbWorkshop LLC
Additional project support: 

PROJECT SUMMARY

THE TRENTON ART GARAGE is an architect/developer-led redevelopment of a long vacant alley block building in the community of Greenmount West in the Station North Arts and Entertainment District. The once-abandoned warehouse - formerly a horse stable and auto upholstery factory - was transformed into a dynamic hub of affordable artist workspace and workforce housing. The project stands as a model for community-driven adaptive reuse. The design focused on salvaging the industrial character of the building while adapting it to actively contribute to its context. The strategy involved maintaining/reinforcing the existing masonry and heavy timber structure and delicately adapting the structural load paths for new interior bearing walls for the new upper level residential occupancy. The failing heavy timber roof structure was delicately removed by hand and the 3rd floor head height was extended with interior framed walls and end-to-end trusses. The taller upper roof vertical plane was intentionally recessed from the primary masonry shell to respect its industrial character and history. The team cataloged all of the existing infilled masonry jack arch lintels to reintroduce daylight and doorways in creative ways to maintain the rhythm and patterns of the building while accommodating its new mixed-use occupancies. Due to its thoughtful and respectful adaptations of the historic and industrial character for newfound occupation, the project received approvals for National Park Service historic tax credits and CHAP property tax credits. While there was an extensive effort to maintain the character of this historic building, the key to this project was place-making through the integration of an artist studio as an anchor tenant on the first floor, new exterior lighting, and a 100-foot pedestrian level mural along the building. The goal of these features was to transform the adjacent alley into a pedestrian-friendly public space. The mural’s vibrant colors extend inside to the residential common areas, bringing a sense of playfulness and artistry throughout the building. Once blight to an otherwise stabilized block, this forgotten alley building
now establishes a unique sense of place, affordable artist workspace, and newfound, quality options for housing in a market devoid of it.

JURY COMMENTS (if applicable)

MEDIA FOR DOWNLOAD
Project PDF

IMAGES (Captions and Photographer Credit)
1. Entry View, Kasey Ezzat
2. Artist Studio, Kasey Ezzat
3. Artist Office Area, Kasey Ezzat
4. Artist Workshop Space, Kasey Ezzat
5. Exterior Residential Windows Adaption, Kasey Ezzat
6. 1BR Unit, Kasey Ezzat
7. Common Corridor Space, Kasey Ezzat
8. Historic Ghost Mural and New Mural, Kasey Ezzat