The Sun reportsthat the American Brewery is getting money for development. This building is gorgeous, in the Eastern District, and in complete disrepair. $35 million to convert the five-story former brewery into office space for a nonprofit social service. It’s good their going for office space rather than residential. The Eastern District is littered with failed residential conversions (the old school just off North Ave being the worst failure).
One of the nice things about being a cop is you can go explore any urban wreck you want. The interior is falling apart, there are feral fighting dogs living in part of it. And the upper reaches are caked in pigeon shit. It needs a lot of work. But these building also need love. They need to be saved because they will never be built again. Here’s a good 3rd-party account of exploring the building. Mind you, it was 10 years more decrepit when I explored.
The brewery wasn’t in my sector, but I loved it every time I passed it on the way back to the district. The most veteran cop I worked with remembered when it was still making beer and the friendly brewmeister serving on duty cops at his house across the street. Those were the days…
The Baltimore Sun did a great series on the neighborhood around the brewery.
Thanks for the compliment, Peter. Your book is definitely on my list to buy for my husband when it comes out – I used to live around the corner from The Corner, and your book will end up on the shelf next to that one.