International experts are nearing completion of structural repairs to the iconic smokestacks of the Phillips Packing House in Cambridge, Maryland visible all the way from Route 50.
This August, Preservation Maryland toured the active preservation-site of the Phillips Packing Plant. The site visit is part of Preservation Maryland’s partnership, through our Six-to-Fix program, with Cross Street Partners and the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy to provide amplification of the significant and technical preservation work being done, as well as, the team’s community-based approach.
Plans for the completed project include an array of food-related uses that acknowledge and support local hunger and nutrition needs, building off of the Eastern Shore’s agricultural resources and a growing local food economy of growers, makers, distributors, retailers, and restaurants. During the redevelopment process, project partners are actively seeking to bring in the stories of former Phillips workers and Cambridge residents to create a meaningful connection to the community.
The Packing House project has drawn the attention of Senator Ben Cardin, who toured the property in 2017, as an example of the catalytic impact that the state historic tax credit can have in Maryland’s historic communities.
STRUCTURAL WORK ON THE SMOKESTACK
One of the main components of the current work at the Packing House has been the structural repair and rebuilding of the pair of smokestacks that are visible from Route 50. Experts from Structural Preservation Systems have scaled the interior and exterior of the 90′ stacks to remove unstable bricks to be repaired and rebuilt with custom-made and dyed replacement bricks.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation supported the structural work with a $25,000 from The Bartus Trew Providence Preservation Fund, a grant specific to Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The Eastern Shore Land Conservancy has also received funding from the Department of Housing and Community Development and the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority, among other sources.
Project partners are planning a future public unveiling of the repaired smokestacks in October 2019 while important planning and preservation work continues throughout the 60,000 square foot structure.