First opened in 1914, the historic Hippodrome Theatre has been a centerpiece of downtown Baltimore for more than 100 years. Designed by famous theater architect Thomas Lamb, the Hippodrome was originally used as a movie palace and vaudeville venue and now showcases top Broadway performances and world-class concerts. After a brief closure in the 1990s, the historic theatre received a major restoration and expansion, reopening in 2004 as the heart of the new France-Merrick Performing Arts Center. As civil engineer for this $58 million rehabilitation project, CEI prepared site plans to renovate the original Hippodrome Theatre and combine it with three other buildings to create a state-of-the-art performance venue. The project included the renovation of three historic buildings – the Hippodrome Theatre, the Western National Bank (c. 1887), and the Eutaw Savings Bank (c. 1888) – and construction of a new addition. CEI provided full civil designs for this redevelopment, which followed Baltimore City CHAP, Maryland Historical Trust, and Downtown Partnership regulations.
