Jade Clayton praises the redevelopment of the National and Gunther breweries in Baltimore into mixed and residential uses.
"Architecturally, the Brewers Hill area, north of Boston Street, is an exciting mix of new and old, taking advantage of green design and architecture to meet historic preservation requirements. Bottle cap signs, neon monikers, and metal louvers, tie all of the buildings to the brewing theme, whether the buildings are new or old. Some of the original vats, heavy doors, and smokestacks were cleaned up and kept as features both inside and outside of the Gunther Apartment Complex, in addition to themed building names like the 'Ale' and 'Barley' buildings and a parking lot labeled as the 'Fermenting Cellar.'"
According to Clayton, the adaptive reuse projects are an example of Baltimore "embracing its history as a way of branding the city."
