Robin Godwin: Renovation To Bring 10 New Apartments and Retail to Federal Hill

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Renovation To Bring 10 New Apartments and Retail to Federal Hill

The former Shofer’s Clearance Center at 1007 S. Charles St. in Federal Hill is about to get new life as owner Hank Shofer is planning a redevelopment of the property in addition to 1009 S. Charles St. Shofer, along with architect Robert Gisriel, is planning a Baltimore City Commission for Historical & Architectural Preservation (CHAP) renovation that will include 10 new apartments and 3,300 sq. ft. of renovated retail space.

Shofer and Gisriel have teamed up on five other historic mixed-use renovations in Federal Hill, all of which have received neighborhood support and experienced close to 100% occupancy rates according to Gisriel. Shofer also owns Shofer’s furniture store, which remains open across the street at 930 S. Charles St.

The two Charles St. properties extend all the way back to Patapsco St. Along Charles St. a third story will be constructed to the property and two residential entrances leading to six three-bedroom, two-bath apartments will be added. Gisriel said the units will rent for about $2500/month.

At the rear of the property facing Patapsco St. the one-story structure will be demolished and replaced with a new-construction building. The new three-story building will include two two-story, two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartments and two one-story, one-bedroom, one-den, one-bathroom flats. Gisriel said the apartments would feature wide open spaces.

Four gated parking spots, one per apartment unit, will be available underneath the new Patapsco St. building.

The Charles St. apartments will include a parking spot at the Shofer’s furniture store parking lot across the street. Extra spots will be available for rent for all the units.

While the apartments on Patapsco St. will be eligible for neighborhood Residential Permit Parking (RPP) passes, Shofer is signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Federal Hill Neighborhood Association (FHNA) stating that the residents of the Patapsco St. units will only be eligible for visitor permits. The residents of the Charles St. apartments will not be eligible for RPP passes.

Gisriel said they have not yet begun marketing the retail spaces and would be open to leasing the entire space to one tenant or subdividing the space for up to three tenants.

The FHNA membership will vote on the plan at its March 15th meeting and the plan will go before Baltimore City Municipal Zoning and Appeals Board (BMZA) on March 22nd.

Construction is expected to start in the summer and last 12 months. Along with following CHAP guidelines, the team is hoping for LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.