CALVERT STREET RESIDENCE
LOCATION: Mount Vernon, Baltimore, Maryland
YEAR: 2020 - 2023
SIZE: 3,560 SF
CLIENT: Private Client
2024 Baltimore Heritage Preservation Award
2024 Home & Design Award, Baltimore Magazine
Originally constructed in 1883 as a single-family brownstone with servants’ quarters, the Calvert Street has been carefully restored and reimagined as a private residence. The renovation is guided by a commitment to historical integrity, informed by extensive research into late Victorian architecture and decorative arts, and paired with a sustainable approach rooted in salvage and reuse.
The project returns the house to its original residential use after decades as a single-tenant office, reviving defining features such as the central stair hall with its latticed woodwork and copper-faced corner fireplace. Eight historic mantels, wood pocket doors, windows, and extensive moldings were restored, while new millwork faithfully matches original details. Discovered elements, including servant bell annunciators, were repaired, rewired, and returned to service. A contemporary kitchen and garage are discreetly integrated at the rear, along with planted roof decks that support pollinators and food production. Modern systems, including underfloor heating, heated towel rails, and a tankless hot water system, provide contemporary comfort while preserving original ceilings, finishes, and spatial character throughout the historic structure.
“I like when a house gets a little bit weird, and I like it even more when it gets weird within the boundaries of a preexisting Victorian weirdness, as is the case here. Also, Baltimore is a weird city. It should lean into that more.”
— Kate Wagner, journalist and jurist, 2024 Baltimore Magazine Home & Design Awards