From Ruins to Revival: The Packing House Project

Today's episode is all about the Packing House in Cambridge, MD.  From the owner's side I'm joined by Bill Strever, CEO of Cross Street Partners and Margaret Northfleet-Neff, development partner at Cross Street Partners. From the Quinn Evans design team I'm joined by Ethan Marchant, a principal who served as the lead architect on the project.They share their experiences and insights on this remarkable project. The Packing House was once part of a cannery empire, and now it's a hub for innovation and sustainability.  If you've been curious how a building can be programmed to be a catalyst for change, fostering new opportunities and revitalizing the local economy, this episode is for you. Links:Packing House website MERGE website Before and after photos Quinn Evans Historic Tax Credit Guide Packing House project page - Quinn EvansTangible Remnants on InstagramTangible Remnants WebsiteLinkedTr.ee for resourcesEarn CEUs for listening to this podcastSignup for Ask Me Anything w/ Nakita ReedGabl Media NetworkSarah Gilberg's MusicBio: Ethan Marchant, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Principal, Quinn EvansEthan is skilled in the creation and development of clever, contemporary and powerful designs that engage people. He is adept in repurposing architectural artifacts to create memorable spaces, and promoting the brand identity of tenants and building owners through artful design. He has designed many notable educational, cultural, and commercial projects, including modernizations and new structures that reflect a strong appreciation for local heritage and community context. Ethan’s projects are characterized by a simple and minimalist elegance in design, incorporating fresh ideas and inventive solutions.Bill Struever, Principal / Partner / CEO - Cross Street PartnersBill Struever is a visionary real estate pioneer who has spent his entire career finding creative ways to re-imagine urban properties. He has extensive experience in developing and evaluating real estate transactions and ROI economics, preparing and evaluating financial proforma, public-private partnerships, and funding and investment strategies. At Cross Street Partners, Mr. Struever is responsible for the company’s new business pipeline for real estate development and tax credit consulting services, sustainable construction practices, and strengthening public/private relationships. In 1974, Mr. Struever founded a company that would become Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse (SBER). The nationally-acclaimed development, construction and property management company’s legacy was to adapt and reuse economically obsolete industrial buildings and reclaim under-productive urban brownfields. Struever has played a vital role in sustainable development through his passion, creativity, and commitment to rebuilding cities. In 2010, Mr. Struever wound down the operations of SBER and formed a new partnership with former executives, Cross Street Partners. Cross Street Partners has built on the legacy of SBER with a fresh focus on revitalizing urban neighborhoods around centers of innovation and entrepreneurship.Bill Struever was the driving force behind community revitalization efforts that bolstered entire neighborhoods and extended beyond individual projects. Struever played a crucial role in sustainable development through his passion, creativity, and commitment to rebuilding cities. His vision is to lead the country in Green urban revitalization, setting new LEED-certified standards for all new projects.Mr. Struever has received numerous awards for his business leadership and devotion to urban communities, education, the environment, and the arts. Recently, he accepted the prestigious Urban Land Institute’s Award of Excellence for the preservation and redevelopment of Clipper Mill in Baltimore, Maryland and the Dayton Arcade in Ohio. Margaret Norfleet-NeffAs the Cross Street Partner (CSP) development partner, Margaret Norfleet-Neff takes on challenging projects that create synergy and economy in targeted distressed communities where people and place are the key players. Margaret is a highly respected thought leader who brings a unique ability to develop project understanding from macro and micro social and economic impacts.Margaret’s intense sensitivity and passion for community-based goals and values, along with her critical sense of design, makes her a vital CSP leader and resource to all on the CSP team, project partners, tenants, funders, and vendors across the CSP platform. Margaret actively guides CSP strategy and policy company-wide. Margaret works across the CSP projects with a focus on vision, design, and material contributions, connecting mission-aligned partners that catalyzes economic growth. Margaret has developed and deepened the CSP’s sustainability focus on its projects. Environmental stewardship is central to CSP’s mission and vision with a major focus on maximizing benefits from tax credits and other renewable energy incentives that dovetail with sustainability rating systems such as LEED, TRUE, and WELL. Margaret and her company, Beta Verde LLC, began partnering with CSP in 2015 on several adaptive reuse projects in cities across the country. Margaret is a producer at heart, and her previous projects, widely varied, share a common goal of creating new opportunities for jobs and an inclusive community. Her extensive experience in developing for-profit and nonprofit businesses includes Beta Verde LLC, The Good Stuff, Periwinkle LLC - a landscape architecture company focused on environmentally sensitive and historic properties, the Lycee Francais de Chicago, and the nationally ranked Cobblestone Farmers Market.**Some of the links above maybe Amazon affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you.** Mentioned in this episode:UnstructShe Builds