FAQ
What is this capital campaign for?
The campaign will restore nine acres of Druid Hill Park, rehabilitate the historic buildings on the site and build a new, "green" (LEED Platinum) building that will serve as the center of all of Parks & People's greening, recreational and educational programs.
Where is the project located?
The project is in Druid Hill Park at the corners of Liberty Heights Avenue, Reistertown Road and Auchentoroly Terrace. The neighborhood, Greater Mondawmin, is also home to Coppin State University and Mondawmin Mall.
What will take place on the site?
- The Parks & People Foundation and our partners will host hands-on educational programs and workshops for children and adults.
- City residents, teachers, schoolchildren and volunteers will learn how to create, care for and utlilize parks and green spaces.
- Low-income students will gain valuable work experience and educational opportunities through our on-site green jobs training and environmental education programs.
- The new, natural landscape and nature play area will be open for use by the community.
- The restored Superintendent's House will be used as a community meeting and special events location and feature exhibits chronicling the history of Druid Hill Park and the surrounding communites.
- The new green building will also house an ecology center and serve as the programming hub for all of Parks & People’s youth programs including our afterschool environmental education programs that serve 125 students each school day; SuperKids Camp, our six-week summer literacy and recreation camp program serving 750 children each year; and our four sports leagues (59 teams) based in 34 City schools and three City Rec Centers that serve 1,200 middle school students annually.
What is happening on the site now?
This corner of Druid Hill Park is considered by the surrounding community to be a dangerous eyesore. Until recently when Parks & People’s work teams (funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009) began clearing the site, the historic Superintendent’s House, which is now a ruin, was not even visible from the street. Now it is visible, but there is still much work to be done.
What is the historic Superintendent’s House?
The house is a charming piece of gothic stone architecture built in 1872 and designed by George Frederick, the same architect who designed Baltimore’s City Hall. A small carriage house on the site also dates to 1872. Originally the home of Druid Hill Park’s Superintendent and later the Superintendent of the Baltimore Zoo, much of the interior of the house was destroyed by two fires. Parks & People will rehabilitate the Superintendent’s House and stabilize the neighboring Carriage House in keeping with their historical character and in accordance with the Secretary of Interiors’ Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties and LEED protocol. The Superintendent’s House will be used for educational programming, professional and community events and exhibit space.
Will the site be green?
Yes, we felt that it was critical that the entire site be certified LEED Platinum. The project will meet the highest standard of LEED protocol, Platinum, and will demonstrate environmentally responsible features including a green roof, geothermal energy and permeable asphalt.
What will the grounds be like?
The landscaping plan is designed to re-establish the original views from the Superintendent’s House across to Druid Hill Park, bring back the pastoral “Olmsted” feeling of the property and provide a modern setting for outdoor classrooms, scientific investigations and events. The property will also act as an outdoor laboratory space for natural resource management including storm water management and urban forestry demonstration areas. The grounds will also be available for community enjoyment and will include a model nature play space.
Where is the funding coming from?
Parks & People is raising $12.2 million dollars from public and private sources and has $2.1 million in private gifts yet to raise.