A Kilduff's look at buildings in Baltimore.


    This page is not intended to be a history of Baltimore architecture. It is simply a look at some of the buildings around town, some lost and some still standing. Buildings that are well known and popular are shown, but lesser known buildings and structures are shown as well. The page order is A to Z, and as I get details on the buildings, it will be updated. ( WARNING !  I tend to edit online ).
 Last Update 8-1-2009. 
As always, comments corrections, suggestions are welcome !

    In 1904, much of Baltimore 's downtown area burned down in the Great Baltimore Fire. The rebuilding of the City gave Baltimore a chance to show the advances of architecture in the 1900's .These pictures are of the ruins of the City, as downtown was nothing but a burned out shell.


AAA Building
Mount Royal Avenue and Cathedral Street
Razed


Built in 1917 ;  Torn down in 1972.
...........AAA Building  Baltimore

B & O Building
Charles Street and Baltimore Street  
( Northwest Corner )

Still in use - Just converted into a hotel.
...................B&O Building Baltimore

BG&E Building


Boumi Temple
North Charles Street
Razed


     The Boumi Temple on Charles Street at Wyndhurst seemed to be one of those buildings you always saw and figured would be there forever. Situated on a nice parcel of land, away from downtown in a heavy residential area, the building, which spread over acres and had rooms, ballrooms and meeting rooms all over, looked like something out of the Wizard of Oz. The building was razed in the late 1990's as Loyola College built a sports complex on the site.



................................Boumi Temple Baltimore Maryland North Charles Street

Bromo Tower
The Giant bottle which had been perched on top was removed in 1936, as it had been developing cracks.
Still in use, minus the giant bottle on top.

..............................

Candler Building ( Coca Cola Building )
Also seen called the Chandler Building
Still in use
   
The Candler Building is one of the survivors in Downtown Baltimore. Also known as the Coca Cola Building for years ( They had their offices here ) , the building was intended to look like the drawing seen below, but for reasons unknown, as built like the postcard to the right. The background on the postcard is funny, as the Chandler Building, while a bit to the East of most of Downtown's construction, has never stood alone like this card would suggest. The building is still open and appears to be doing quite well today . It was also used for many years as the Social Security Offices, before they moved out to Woodlawn.





.......Chandler Building Baltimore
.............Chandler Building Baltimore

Calvert Building
Razed



 
The Calvert Building, SE corner of St. Paul and Fayette Streets. Built, 1900, to a design of Sperry, York and Sawyer, it was restored after the 1904 fire and later razed in 1971.

....................................Calvert Building Baltimore

Baltimore City Circuit Court House
Still in use
     Recently, there have been complaints about the Circuit Court Building in downtown Baltimore City. It was renovated on the inside a few years back, but the air quality inside has been said to be poor. For now though, there is no talk about replacing the structure, which to this day, along with the " old post office" across the street, continue to serve as Baltimore's Circuit Courthouses.
.....................................................Baltimore Circuit Court Building

....Baltimore's Courthouse Building

.........Baltimore old post office Circuit Court Building
   Then known as the " new post office " above right , the main post office later moved to Fayette Street near I-83. Baltimore City converted this old building into Courthouse East, which it is used as to this day.

Baltimore's City Hall
Still in Use



......Baltimore City Hall Building
....baltimore City Halll







....Baltimore's City Hall

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Baltimore's City Hall


City Pier  Fell's Point Baltimore
Still standing !
   IfIf you remember the Television show " Homicide ", this was the building of which you were to believe was the Police Headquarters.  There is still a Baltimore Police door decal on the front doors from the filming days. However, the building has never been used as a police building, and has always been listed as the Recreation Pier. At the foot of Broadway, parking in this area is tough, but the old building is still in nice condition ( on the outside ) , although I've heard rumors the foundation may have some issues.  Currently appears to be used by the City.

................................................................City Pier Baltimore

Civic Center
Liberty and Fayette Streets

 Opened in the early 1960's.  In 1964, there were two performances at the Civic Center by the Beatles.


..................................Baltimore Civic Center 1963


Continental Trust Building

    The Mercantile Trust Building was at One South Calvert Street in Baltimore. It was build in 1901 as the Continental Trust Building. Daniel H. Burnham & Co. were the architects. The building was at the hottest point of the 1904 fire and totally consumed. However, the steel frame survived, allowing the existing structure to be rebuilt. By the year 2000 the building was known as One Calvert Plaza. Burham had been the major architect of the "White City" during the Columbian Exhibition in Chicago in 1892. He later designed the Union Station in Washington, DC.

............................////////////////////////////////////////////...............Continental Tust Building Baltimore

Fidelity & Deposit Co.

       
If you look carefully at the facade of this building, you can see the outline of the older Fidelity & Deposit  Building. The " newer " building was built around the old building.
.

...........................................................................................Fidelity Deposit Building Baltimore

Fifth Regiment Armory ( and Convention Hall  )
West Hoffman & Howard St.
Still in use.
   
 I'm not sure exactly what the Fifth Regiment Armory is used for anymore, but the neat old building was used for years for the traveling Circus shows , car shows, etc. The roof caught fire years ago, and has since been replaced, but the building stands to this day and looks to be in great condition.


....

............





....
....

Garrett Building
..........................................................Baltimore Garrett Building .........
..............................................................................Garrett Building, Baltimore Maryland Circa 1914

Greyhound Bus Station
Part of  Maryland Historical Society Complex
.......................

Hazazer's Hall
111 West Franklin Street
Razed


Had Been one of the City's oldest dance halls. Known also as the Maryland Academy Dancing Academy. Also had been used as a Cathlic orphanage. Razed in the mid 1920's, for the building of the new Pratt Library Central Branch. 

..................................................................Hazazers Hall Baltimore

Industrial Building
Greenmount Avenue and Preston Street

Apartment Building
..............................................Baltimore's Industrial Building

IOOF Building Hall 
When I first saw this building, I thought it was a old bank. Later, I found out ot was an old IOOF Meeting hall, but that's all I know about it so far.


                         
IOOF Building Baltimore            
....







IOOF Building Druid Hill Baltimore 2008

Keyser Building
................................................................Keyser Building Baltimore

Lake Clifton Value House
2801 St Lo Drive , Clifton Park
Still Standing !


....................................................Lake Montebello Pump House 2006

..............Lake Clifton value House Baltimore




...........Lkae Clifton Pump House Baltimore

Lake Montebello Pump House
Still in Use !







.....Lake Montebello PumpHouse Postcard Baltimore
.......Lake Montebello Pump House

Malvern Gas Holder
West Cold Spring Lane At I-83
  This giant gray tank is actually the Malvern gas holder tank, constructed by BG&E to store gas at times of low usage. There was another tank next to Eastpoint Mall that was torn downa few years back. BG&E gave the tank the name Malvern , to identify it's location.
Thanks to Joe for the Info!

....................................................Malvern gas Tank  Baltimore

Maryland Casualty
711 West 40th Street
The old insurance building seen below was converted in the 1970's to a retail shopping mall. The Maryland Casualty building seen on the right was the Tower Building and a description can be found under the title Tower Building.

...........................................Md casuality 40th Street ..............
//








///////Rotunda md casuality

//////////Md Casuality topwer Buildiing

Masonic Temple
................................................Baltimore's masonic Temple

Monumental Life Building
.............Baltimore Monumental Life Building

Motor Vehicle Building
Guilford and 22nd Street

..................Motor vehicles Building baltimore 1920
......Baltimore Motor Vehicles Building 2005

Mutual Benefit Society of Baltimore  Building
407 West Franklin Street


Mutual Beneifit Society Building Baltimore



......Mutual Bebefit Society Building Baltimore

Munsey Building







A photo of Mead, McKim, and White's 1913 Munsey Building at the southeast corner of Calvert and Fayette streets. It was redeveloped into residential use in the late 1990's, and is still standing to this day
.
.

..................................Baltimore Muinsey Building ...........................

News American Building
( Razed )


The old News American Building survived into the 1980's on Pratt Street. The block was razed for the building of a new hotel.

News American Building Baltimore Harbor

Oliver Street Water Treatment Complex
Corner of Oliver Street and Wolfe Street



...........Oliver Street Water Planr Baltimore





Oliver Street Water Plant

Polish Hall
Fairhaven and Filbert Streets
South Baltimore
Apparently a old meeting hall, the Polish Hall appears to have been getting little use these days.

................................South Baltimore's Polish Hall 2006

Post Offices
Top two images are the old post office, built 1890's - razed 1930's.
Second row of  images are the new old post office, built 1930's - closed 1970's
( Now used by City Circuit Courts ) .
Third row of images are the old Post Office garage , on Preston Street , and the last is  our current Main Post Office, located on Fayette Street , built in the early 1970's.
The City's first post office was built in the 1750's, a very small wood frame building on Front Street, near the location of today's main post office, and was razed many many years ago !

.....Baltimore's Old Post Office

.......Old Post Office Baltimore
...New old post Offcie Baltimore Calvert Street
......Baltimore Main Post offcie Calvert and Fayette



Post Office Shoip Building Preston Street 1934

......ew Post Office Baltimore Fayette Street

Roland Park Water Tower
Roland Avenue and University Parkway.

The landmark for Roland Park, it has been vacant but in good condition for years.
...............................................................................................
oland Park Water Tower

Below, Baltimore's "other " water tower, just off of Garrison Avenue in Northwest Baltimore City, which is not in such good condition these days. 
..........................................Water Tower Baltimore




................Baltimore Water Tower

Scottish Rite Memorial
North Charles Street & 39th Street

.................Scottish Rite Building Baltimore

Shot Tower
I-83 at Fayette Street

Built in 1828 , 234 feet high.




........Baltimore Shot Tower


.................................

.......................................Baltimore Shot Tower ....................

Standard Oil Building
............Standard Oil Building Baltimore

St Mary's Seminary
....................St Mary's Seminary Baltimore

Sun Building
Charles and Baltimore Streets
Razed 1960's
.........Baltimore Sun Building

Tickner Building
Pennsylvania Avenue @ North Avenue
 ( Northwest Corner )



An old funeral home, the building is used by several small businesses and offices on the upper floors.

.........................Tickner Building Baltimore

Tower Building
Baltimore Street At Guilford Avenue ( Northwest Corner )
   
     Below, the Tower Building going up on East Baltimore Street, around 1910. The grand old building would last until the 1980's, when it was torn down.
In my mind, the Tower Building was perhaps the most attractive building in the Baltimore skyline.
.
...............................................................................Baltimore's Tower Building

..........Baltimore Tower Building
......................Baltimore's Tower Building

........................Baltimore's Tower Building
................................Baltimore Tower Building
...............................................................end of the Tower Building < Baltimore 1980's
    AA 1980's look at the Tower Building , during "deconstruction" . There was a lot of talk about the fate of the clock back then, but I'm not quite sure what ever happened to it.

.......................................................
   ....////////////////////////////////.....  Looking out over the City skyline, one can clearly see the Tower Building.

Trailways Bus Station
West Fayette Street
Getting ready to get razed. ( 2009 )


.............Trailways Bus Station ad
....



............Trailways Bus Station Downtown Baltimore City

Union Bus Terminal
Liberty and Redwood Streets


It appears that the Civic Center was built right on top of the intersection. That sports arena, now known as the First Mariner Sports Arena appears to be getting ready for change, as talks are in the works of replacing or rebuilding the old Civic Center. No signs of the old Union Bus Terminal exist to this day.


.....................................Union Bus Terminal Ad

Union Trust Building
Baltimore And St Paul Streets

Union Trust Building Baltimore

USF&G Building
.............................USF&G Building Baltimore 1914

Walters Art Gallery
...............Walthers Art Gallery Baltimoere

Water Street Garage ........................Water Street Parking Baltimore 1927

Westerogle Building




.....Westerogle building Baltimore
......Baltimore's Westerogle Building Druid Hill avenue 2008



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