Baltimore Visitor Center Renovation
Baltimore
Region MidAtlantic
Small Project (under $10 million)

Project Team
Owner Visit Baltimore
Lead Design Firm Ayers/Saint/Gross
General Contractor Wohlsen Construction
Engineers Structura (structural) and Mueller Associates (MEP)
Consultants The Sextant Group (audio visual) and Enterprise Electric Co.

The $1.3-million renovation is a small project with a big impact. The 8,000-sq-ft center is an information hub for 11 million annual tourists and stars in Baltimore’s annual Light City Festival.

The new interactive LED lighting package, which responds to drumbeats, had to be ready for the 2016 festival, leaving four months to complete the project. The team successfully procured several customized elements with long lead times by requiring vendors to provide weekly status updates on each deliverable. Superintendents even visited suppliers to ensure on-time deliveries and found new vendors when necessary.

Ultimately, every interior and exterior lighting fixture, including custom fixtures that illuminate new custom millwork displays, were replaced. Completing the electrical work required the removal of the slate flooring. The team located the quarry that provided the original floor’s slate to prevent the replacement stone from looking piecemeal. The team also worked 12 consecutive, 14-hour days to install the steel-and-glass sculpture that is suspended from the building’s ceiling.

Best of the Best Projects 2016