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The Dripby Ed Gunts1:28 pmNov 2, 20150

Interest expressed in historic Camden Station

BREW UPDATE: State receives two expressions of interest in Camden Station where the Sports Legends Museum closed abruptly last month

Above: Camden Station has received interest from two prospective tenants.

Two potential users have expressed interest in leasing historic Camden Station in response to a Request for Expressions of Interest by the Maryland Stadium Authority.

October 31 was the state’s deadline for groups or individuals to contact the authority if they had interest in taking over all or part of the four level building at 301 West Camden Street next to Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

The tenants would replace the Sports Legends Museum, which closed last month, and Geppi’s Entertainment Museum, whose lease expires next year.

The Brew reported that Sports Legends Museum owed the state more than $300,000 in back rent and other charges when it closed.

Michael Frenz, executive director of the stadium authority, declined to say who the prospective tenants were or what uses they had in mind, on the grounds that the state was in a “pre-negotiation phase” of discussions with prospects.

He said both prospects expressed interest in occupying the entire building and that either one would be new to Camden Station, meaning it’s not an existing or previous tenant.

One prospect put its interest in writing, Frenz said, and one prospect toured the building three times and expressed interest through “back and forth” discussions but is also looking at other locations in downtown Baltimore.

Frenz said the Maryland Stadium Authority board is scheduled to meet later this week and likely would discuss the Expressions of Interest in general and recommend how the stadium authority staff should proceed.

He said he also will be talking this week with representatives for Geppi’s Museum. “We certainly want to talk to Geppi’s,” Frenz said.

Entire Building Available

This is the first time since Oriole Park opened that the entire train station has been available for lease. The stadium authority has said it would consider leasing the entire building to one tenant or leasing parts of the building to separate tenants.

The Sports Legends Museum at Camden Yards, an affiliate of the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum, occupied 22,551 square feet on the first level and basement level.

Geppi’s is a pop culture museum that occupies 16,055 square feet on level two and part of level three.

The train terminal opened in 1856 and was preserved and restored by the state as part of the Camden Yards sports complex. It served passengers using the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad to travel to New York, Chicago and St. Louis for more than a century. For a period of time, it was Baltimore’s tallest building.

State officials have said they are looking for uses that draw people and activity to the area and take advantage of the building’s proximity to Oriole Park, the Baltimore Convention Center and other destinations.

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