Originally built in 1876, the Hebrew Orphan Asylum was in such poor condition that it first had to be stabilized before the design team could safely survey the building. Southway joined the project nearly six years before construction began, installing $250,000 in temporary shoring, scaffolding support towers, and repairs to establish a safe path forward.
During preconstruction, Southway worked with multiple development teams and numerous budgets while continuing to advance the project. Once construction began, Southway provided extensive exterior shoring around all three wings before meticulously demolishing the interiors down to the perimeter walls. New steel framing was then woven into the existing masonry structure to support the new floors, along with entirely new MEP systems, masonry stairs, elevator shafts, and base building finishes.
The completed core and shell preserves the historic 1876 structure while providing a new foundation for its next chapter.
Awards:
ABC Baltimore Award of Excellence (2021)
Baltimore Business Journal Best of Real Estate Perseverance Award (2021)
Baltimore Heritage Adaptive Reuse Award & Award of Special Recognition (2020)
Preservation Maryland Phoenix Award (2020)
ULI Baltimore Wavemaker Award (2021)
Project Type
Client
Coppin Heights Community Development Corp.
Year Completed
2019
Value
$8,215,966
Surface Area
26,053 SF











