300 East Pratt Street facts for kids

300 East Pratt Street was a plan for a tall building in Baltimore, Maryland. It was first meant to be a hotel that would reach about 640 feet high. The idea was to start building in 2007 and finish by 2010.

The plan for this building first came up in 2003. However, the state of Maryland did not approve it then. In 2006, the idea was suggested again, and this time, Maryland gave its approval. The building was planned for a spot where the Hearst Production Building used to be. Later, the plans changed. The new design was for a 40-story building with offices and a hotel. This hotel would have 270 rooms. The site for 300 East Pratt Street is in Baltimore, between Commerce and South streets. It used to be the home of the Baltimore News-American building. For many years, it was an empty space used as a parking lot. A company called InterPark LLC bought the land in 2013. This happened after an earlier building plan did not work out.

The Story of the Land

The land where 300 East Pratt Street was planned has an interesting past. After the News American building was taken down in 1990, the spot became a parking lot. Over the years, two different owners tried to build there. They had ideas for offices, hotels, and apartments. But none of these plans ever came true.

Then, in 2013, a company from Chicago called InterPark bought the land. They paid $16.4 million for it. InterPark is known for building and running parking garages. After buying the land, they looked for other companies to help develop it. In 2014, InterPark chose Comstock Partners to work with them on the project. Comstock Partners started working on the plans. However, Comstock Partners later decided to leave the project. The building was expected to start being built in 2016.

Building Design and Plans

The plans for 300 East Pratt Street included a modern and sleek design. The building would have been tall and slender. This would have made Baltimore's skyline look much better. The building was expected to be 48 stories high. This means it would likely rise over 500 feet into the sky.

The plan from InterPark LLC and Comstock Partners suggested a building of at least 38 stories. This would be about 425 feet tall. This height would make it one of the tallest buildings in the city. The design included a hotel with 200 rooms. It also had plans for about 400 apartments. There would be at least 500 parking spaces too. Plus, the building would have up to 20,000 square feet of shops. The apartments would have one, two, or three bedrooms. They would also have their own separate entrance from the hotel.

There were some worries about the building's design. Some people thought that having parking and service areas on the first floor might make it feel disconnected. This could separate the main business area from the Inner Harbor. To meet new rules for floods, the building's entrances needed to be 8 feet off the ground. This was to protect against flooding during big storms. Because of this, Comstock Partners had to make the building's base smaller. They lost about 10,000 square feet of space for shops. To make it still welcoming, designers made the steps lower and wider. They also added wide stoops where people could sit and enjoy the view of Pratt Street.

Location of the Project

The proposed 300 East Pratt Street building was in the heart of downtown Baltimore. It was located between Commerce Street and South Street. This spot is very close to the famous Inner Harbor.

Project Goals

The companies involved had clear goals for this project.

• Development Goals:
  • InterPark wanted to find a partner to build a mixed-use project. This means a building with different uses like homes, shops, and offices.
  • The land was the last open spot by the water in downtown Baltimore.
  • InterPark's main goal was to work with a top development company. They wanted to make the most of the land's potential for different uses.
• Opportunities:
  • All kinds of building ideas were considered. This included apartments, shops, offices, and hotels.
  • The land's zoning allowed for many types of buildings. There were no limits on how tall the building could be. There were also no rules about how far back it had to be from the street.
  • It was even possible to make the building site bigger. This could be done by buying a front piece of land owned by the city.