The 400 Park Ave Redevelopment

At the center of Baltimore’s historic Chinatown district revitalization, sits 400 Park Ave, a new mixed-use redevelopment that spans nearly half a city block. The conversion project sets to transform seven city-owned properties and 4 main feature elements into multifamily residential units, retail, restaurant, and office space that will resurrect and modernize the historic district.

As part of the redevelopment, a vacant parking garage will be razed to make way for a 5-story multi-family residential building. The first floor will contain 1-story retail space and will integrate a portion of the historically-significant Martick Building.

Additionally, 5 existing rowhomes along Park Avenue will be converted into restaurant space. The former electric substation, known as the 409 Tyson building, is slated to be converted into a multi-use facility with about 40,000 square feet of commercial space.

As the prime consultant for the redevelopment of 400 Park Avenue, McLaren Engineering Group is providing structural and civil engineering as well as helping coordinate with the Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation (CHAP) to maintain and preserve any contributing historical elements.

The McLaren Difference: Applied Ingenuity

McLaren coordinated with CHAP to preserve the site’s historically significant facade. As part of this effort, McLaren will engineer temporary stabilization for the existing facade using the partially-remaining demising walls until the new floor and roof framing can be installed.

The new multi-family building on Mulberry Street will be constructed tight to the historic Martick Building, which is being partially maintained, and positioned adjacent to the building at Tyson Street. The planned configuration of the buildings and reuse of existing components will inevitably produce a tight area behind the development. To work around these constraints, McLaren was able to optimize the loading access within the site’s tight turning radius.

For the 409 Tyson building, McLaren assessed the existing soils to limit foundation upgrades for the new floor area and rooftop amenity. The existing multi-height space, which was likely used as a former BGE equipment bay, will be infilled with new structural floors to make for a more rentable floor area.

McLaren was able to incorporate all stormwater management requirements within 400 Park Ave’s new courtyard space while also maximizing the occupiable area.