AREA 405
Home to more than 45 artists and creative businesses, 405 E Oliver Street is a 70,000 SF historic, non-profit-owned-and-operated building in Baltimore’s Station North Arts & Entertainment District.
Studio spaces occupy the upper floors while the ground level is activated by the Station North Tool Library, gallery, and event space.
Client
Central Baltimore Partnership
Design
L2 Design Studios
Property Management
Cross Street Partners
Project History
Originally constructed for Albion Brewery in 1848, the historic structure served various light industrial users over the 20th century. In 2002, the building was purchased by 3 Square Feet LLC, who built their home at 405 E Oliver which they shared with countless artists via the Artist Run Exhibition and Arts @ 405 (AREA 405). Under 3 Square Feet, the building evolved into a longstanding hub for artistic production and anchor for Greenmount West, Station North, and the Baltimore artist community at large.
In 2022, Central Baltimore Partnership acquired the building, in partnership with Ernst Valery, with the purpose of preserving the affordability and vitality of this historic building for its community of artists and makers. The reopening of The Gallery in 2023 has ushered in the next chapter of this unique industrial venue and a rededication to providing an accessible platform for exhibition, performance, and community-based programming. Planned future phases of the project looks to expand additional artist studios and creative office space.
Our Role
Cross Street Partners serves as the property manager for AREA 405, leading day-to-day operations, tenant engagement, and strategic oversight to support a well-maintained, collaborative, and thriving creative environment.
As ownership looks toward future expansion, our Construction Services team is engaged to support the adaptive reuse of underutilized portions of the historic structure to expand artist-maker space.
