The Packing House not only preserves a piece of local history but also acts as a vibrant hub that connects the ongoing revitalization of downtown Cambridge with the busy highway leading to the Maryland and Virginia beaches. Within its walls, a blend of commercial, research, production, and retail spaces flourishes, providing meaningful employment for the community while simultaneously promoting essential nutrition and public health programs across the Eastern Shore. The Packing House stands as a testament to the area’s potential for growth and innovation, all while honoring its agricultural roots.
Visit The Packing House website here
NTCIC – Packing House/Phase 1 project highlight
NTCIC – Packing House / Phase II project highlight
Redeveloping this historically significant building into an entrepreneurial hub for the Cambridge community celebrates the area’s unique heritage while preserving the legacy of the Phillips Packing Company. The Packing House is a 60,000-square-foot vacant warehouse located in a neglected industrial area of Cambridge. It is the last remaining factory from the Phillips Company’s empire of vegetable and food packing businesses, which once employed thousands of people in the region. The company closed in the 1960s, and the building has been deteriorating for decades.
The Packing House is situated in a targeted revitalization area known as the Packing District, just 50 yards from Route 50 and easily recognized by its pair of smokestacks. Adjacent to the building is Cannery Park, a 6.6-acre property that is a collaborative project that creates a new central park for the town, restored the headwaters of Cambridge Creek flowing through the property, and potentially serves as a trailhead for a new rails-to-trails system. Phase 1 of this project was completed in Q4 2022.
The City of Cambridge, Dorchester County, the Governor’s office, the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy, and Cross Street Partners all recognize the Phillips Building as a crucial piece of Eastern Shore history. Transforming The Packing House, once a symbol of Cambridge’s manufacturing legacy, into a hub for innovation and social connectivity represents a significant shift in the economic outlook for this rural region. The project aims to leverage the inherent assets of the Eastern Shore to propel the City of Cambridge into the modern innovation economy.
Tenants Include:
– The Department of Housing and Community Development
– Four Eleven Kitchen
-Blue Oyster Environmental
– MERGE
-Atrium
Watch Unpacking Cambridge: A Story of Rebirth and Reconciliation here
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