About Us

19 October 2009

History

Originally home to the Baltimore City College, the building was designed by the city's premier architects in the late nineteenth century and served as one of the first high schools in the country.

The exterior with its rich ornamentation, along with some interior brick walls, original wainscoting and tin ceilings were preserved. A complete new interior was built featuring the most uncommon contemporary elements.

Culture

Chesapeake Commons remains an outstanding architectural achievement in Baltimores' West Side Renaissance. Bordering the historic neighborhoods of Seton Hill and prestigious Mt. Vernon, Chesapeake Commons is ideally situated amidst the city's premier cultural and education institutions and attractions

Meyerhoff Concert Hall
Lyric Opera House
Walters Art Gallery
University of Maryland Graduate Schools campus

Shops, theatres, museums, concert halls and first class restaurants are all within walking distance. Just up the street, the city's Meyerhoff Concert Hall is home to the world class Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. The city's acclaimed Center State repertory theater and the Walter's Art Gallery, as well as the popular Inner Harbor shops and restaurants are also nearby.

From High School to Rental Apartments

19 October 2009

In the early years of the nineteenth century, the burgeoning port city of Baltimore felt a responsibility to expand its free public school system to accommodate the growing numbers of residents drawn by the flourishing shipping industry, Although this attention was limited at that time to the education of white males, it was nevertheless a pioneering venture, In 1839, the Baltimore City College, a public high school. Was founded-the third-oldest high school in the country. After several moves, it settled at what is now City Hall Plaza in 1843, A new City College building was completed in 1875, but that building was condemned in 1892 because the construction of a tunnel weakened the building's foundation, Immediately afterward, in 1893, the Baltimore School Board called for a new building to "increase the number of class rooms, and to furnish more light and ventilation, and other facilities which are essential for the future success of the college," The commission for this task was given to the firm of Baldwin and Pennington, Baltimore's premier architects of the late nineteenth century, The firm designed many of Baltimore's more significant buildings, including the Maryland Club, the Fidelity Building, the Mount Royal Station, the Camden Station, and part of the Pier Four Power Plant

Get to Know the Chesapeake Commons Staff

17 November 2009

Leasing Office

ana Ana Cruz - Assistant Property Manager

Ana Cruz has worked at the Chesapeake Commons since 1994 and has been the Assistant Property Manager of the building for the last three years. She is originally from El Salvador.

sara Sara Barnes - Leasing Specialist

Sara Barnes hails from Kansas City, Missouri and moved to Maryland in 2004 to attend the Maryland Institute, College of Art. She received her Bachelors of Fine Art in 2008 and has been working with the Chesapeake Commons since April 2009. In addition to working at the Chesapeake Commons, she purses freelance illustration and design.

steve Stephen Gioioso

Stephen Gioioso was born and raised in Baltimore. After working for Chesapeake Commons in 2003 and 2004, he took a brief hiatus and returned to the company in April of 2008.

Front Desk

elisa Elisa Howie

Elisa Howie is originally from Panama, Colon and retired from the Federal Government working on Capitol Hill. She started working for Chesapeake Commons in May of 2009. She likes to bowl, cook and listen to music.

michael
Michael Flint

Michael Flint’s hometown is Chattanooga, Tennessee. He has been working at the Chesapeake Commons Front Desk since November 2008. Michael enjoys socializing and being around other people.