Edgar Allan Poe House Museum
Helping to Bring a Vision within Reach
One of the most rewarding aspects of our practice is being able to help shape and realize the future of communities and organizations. Our work with Poe Baltimore for the preservation and expansion of the historic Poe House Museum is a clear example of how proactive engagement can help non-profit organizations succeed.
Edgar Allan Poe lived in Baltimore in the early 1830’s, during a pivotal period of his literary career. It was in Baltimore where Poe likely transformed from a poet to a writer of imaginative short stories. And ultimately, it was in Baltimore where he tragically died and was buried. The humble brick row house where Poe lived is still standing and is designated as a Historic National Landmark. Today, it is operated by Poe Baltimore as a house museum open for the public to visit. Inside, the house is furnished with period pieces to demonstrate the basic living conditions of that day. Otherwise, with limited space, there is not space for other uses aside from a small area designated for the front desk and museum shop.
The house was nearly raised in the 1930’s for the construction of the Poe Homes public housing project. Had it not been for the intervention of the Edgar Allan Poe Society, we would not have the house with us today. Still, the project proceeded and, as a result, the small house was subsumed by the development which to this day occupies the entire city block. In fact, the Poe House is physically attached to the public housing as units were built in place of the pre-existing row house next door.
For 95 years, the Poe House and Poe Homes have coexisted in the Poppleton neighborhood in southwest Baltimore. But recently, the Housing Authority has initiated plans to redevelop the housing site with new buildings in accordance with the HUD Choice Neighborhoods Initiative. While it is protected as a landmark, with new construction planned immediately adjacent to the house, it was important for Poe Baltimore to consider how best to protect and preserve the historic structure.
In 2017, the Museum enlisted Davin Hong to conduct a feasibility study for a potential future for the site. Davin, having previously worked on the Choice Neighborhoods plan with the Housing Authority, was already familiar with the Poe House and had advocated and planned for space to be allocated for future expansion of the museum. With only the historic house, the Museum lacked basic facilities such as storage, office space, or a proper museum shop. Moreover, it was universally recognized that the redevelopment of Poe Homes presented an opportunity to reimagine the museum’s future.
Davin helped Poe Baltimore craft a compelling message for a grant in support of capital improvements of historic sites. Poe Baltimore won the grant, positioning the organization to advance its vision for the museum towards realization.
Through open conversations with the Executive Director and Board of Directors, we were able to identify specific uses that would improve the operation and mission of the Museum. Together, we toured and interviewed leaders of other small urban museums such as the Star-Spangled-Banner Flag House and the Babe Ruth Museum, both in Baltimore City. We also engage remote museums such as the Poe Museum in Richmond and the Sherlock Holmes Museum in London.
Also, through engagement and research we saw another opportunity for the Museum. In expanding facilities, the Museum could better serve its community by hosting educational programs and other community uses. Also, the storytelling of Edgar Allan Poe, his life and his literary work, could be developed to better reach the greater public. Through this, we distilled specific program elements that would shape and support the vision of the organization. This included a small auditorium for storytelling and community use, exhibit space, space for a new museum shop, exhibit storage space, offices and a reading room open for public use.
We then worked with Poe Baltimore to develop a concept design for the site. In order to avoid damage from any demolition work next to the historic site, we worked with the housing authority to permit a portion of the attached apartment building to remain for use by the Museum. By only partially demolishing the adjacent structure, the remaining portion could be reappropriated to become support space for the Museum. Additionally, it presented an opportunity to expand the story of the site to include the important history of public housing in Baltimore City, recognizing Poe Homes as one of the first public housing developments in the country.
For additional space, the concept proposed a new wing extending from the back of the remaining housing units. This addition would avoid physically engaging the Poe House itself and instead, would wrap around the house and extend to Lexington Street. Doing so created an open space at the corner, helping display the Poe House and also creating outdoor space at the corner for use by the Museum and the community.
To develop the concept design to a level of realism, we brought on a supporting team of structural engineering, MEP engineering, and construction cost estimating consultants. Together a comprehensive feasibility study was created to understand the potential scope and cost of realizing the vision. The study would be a valuable tool in communicating the Museum’s vision to stakeholders, partners and grantmakers.
With timing, a grant became available in support of capital improvements of historic sites in Maryland. Using the findings and vision in the feasibility study, Davin helped Poe Baltimore craft its message and compose a compelling application. Poe Baltimore won the grant, positioning the organization to advance the vision for the museum towards realization.
