Sagamore Pendry
The Sagamore Pendry Baltimore is located on Thames Street in the 1700 Block and has an interesting history. It was built in 1914 as a commercial pier by Theodore Wells Pietsch I, costing over $1 million at that time (equivalent to $24 million USD today). The pier was originally known as the Recreation Pier and served as a landing point for thousands of new immigrants who were processed across the Patapsco river at the Locust Point immigration station. The pier was also used as a ferry that connected the Fells Point and Locust Point communities, and it was a popular meeting place for early 20th-century Baltimore immigrants. The pier even had a rooftop playground for children.
Over time, the pier was used as a maritime radio station and a parking garage. Despite its rich history, the pier was difficult to transform due to its costly restoration needs. One of the major restoration works involved replacing the pilings that are driven underwater and into the Baltimore harbor bed, which was a very expensive process. Over 200,000 worker-hours and $250,000 worth of asbestos and $300,000 worth of lead paint removal were required to restore the pier. The developers also had to comply with preservation rules and deal with potential flood risks. In March 2017, the pier was reopened as the Sagamore Pendry following a renovation project led by BHC Architects, Whiting Turner, and Patrick Sutton Design.
