Former Schuster Concrete Building Used as ‘Baltimore Peninsula’ Billboard, Future Uncertain

The Baltimore Peninsula development team recently hired DUO Signage + Graphics to add a painted “Welcome to Baltimore Peninsula” sign on the roof of the building at 151 W. McComas St. This 97,000 sq. ft. industrial building was previously home to Schuster Concrete and Lyon Conklin & Co., but sat vacant for years before being acquired by Sagamore Ventures of The Baltimore Peninsula development team in 2014.

The exterior of the building was given a facelift in 2018 with new paint and windows. It has a large metal warehouse attached to a four-story brick building. It sits adjacent to Swann Park.

DUO designed and installed the sign, which features 13 ft. white letters, last month. The north-facing facade of the roof, which faces I-95 South, was also repainted maroon.

John “Woody” Wood of DUO told SouthBMore.com he had six members of his team stenciling the letters and five painting them. The letters required 11 gallons of paint. Woody rented a 85 ft. aerial lift to install the sign.

Woody, who has installed many signs around South Baltimore and in the metro area, was excited to have his and his installers work visible from I-95.

The former Schuster Concrete building, which was eyed as an event space in recent years, was part of a 2017 pitch by The Port Covington development team (now Baltimore Peninsula) to have Amazon open its second headquarters in the area. Amazon eventually chose Arlington, VA.

MaryAnne Gilmartin of MAG Partners, a development partner of the Baltimore Peninsula development team, said to SouthBMore.com: “We have some really big ideas. The building itself requires a massive investment so we really have to have a purpose to do something with it. Right now I think it’s a canvas upon which we’re promoting the project by putting Baltimore Peninsula on it which you can see beautifully from 95.”

She noted a redevelopment of the building is “down the road” and said an adaptive reuse of the building is a possibility.

Gilmartin said the current focus is on the east side of the development where Chapter 1B is wrapping up, but said they will eventually move their focus to the western section of the development where the former Schuster Concrete building sits.

Photos below courtesy of DUO Signage + Graphics

John “Woody” Wood

About the Author: Kevin Lynch

Founder and Publisher of SouthBmore.com, longtime resident of South Baltimore, and a graduate of Towson University. Diehard Ravens and O's fan, father of three, amateur pizza chef, skateboarder, and "bar food" foodie. Email me at Kevin@InceptMM.com and follow me on Twitter at @SoBoKevin.