The Justice Thurgood Marshall Amenity Center @ PS103
Breathing new life into Upton’s most illustrious elementary school, the JTMAC @ PS103 has established a protected, cultured asset, living museum, and community resource center for future generations.
Client
Beloved Community Services Corporation
General Contractor
Mahogany Inc.
Owner’s Representative
Cross Street Partners
Design
Sulton Campbell Britt
Financing
Reinvestment Fund, US Bank, Neighborhood Impact Investment Fund, Discover Bank
Walking in the footsteps of giants
Located in the heart of Baltimore’s historic Upton community, the Henry Highland Garnet School (PS 103) was constructed in 1877 as a segregated elementary school for African American children. Among its most notable students was Justice Thurgood Marshall, who attended from 1914 to 1921 before becoming the first African American appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court. PS 103 remained a cornerstone in the community until its closure in the early 1970s., later served as a recreational center that provided nonprofit office space for community organizations until the early 1990’s. After more than two decades of disinvestment, a devastating fire in 2016 left the historic structure severely damaged and its future uncertain.
Honoring Legacy
Before Beloved Community Services Corporation stewarded the $15 MM rehabilitation of PS103, the landmark’s future remained uncertain. Completed in Dec 2024, the project has transformed a building of historic significance in the Upton Community into The Justice Thurgood Marshall Amenity Center at PS 103, a cultural asset that provides resources and programming to a historically divested neighborhood. Anchored by a partnership with the University of Maryland: Judge Alexander Williams, Jr. Center for Education, Justice and Ethics, the Project honors the legacy of Justice Thurgood Marshall and other civil rights leaders who called Upton home by providing community services, resources, and educational resources.
Our Advisory Role
Cross Street Partners was engaged by Beloved Community Services Corporation (BCSC) to help steward the rehabilitation of PS 103, serving as both Development Advisor and Owner’s Representative.
As Development Advisor, CSP supported BCSC through key early phases of the project—facilitating building acquisition, guiding real estate due diligence, assembling project partners and consultants, and structuring a complex capital stack. Funding sources included grant funding, state and federal historic tax credits, New Markets Tax Credits, and bridge financing. Through the strategic layering of these tools, BCSC is positioned to achieve debt-free ownership at the conclusion of the seven-year New Markets Tax Credit compliance period.
In our role as Owner’s Representative, the CSP team worked closely with the design team and general contractor, Mahogany, Inc., to bring BCSC’s vision to life—ensuring the restoration aligned with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards while maintaining the project’s historic integrity.
