Dawn Jourdan, dean of the University of Maryland School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, joined Howard County Executive Calvin Ball, leaders from Preservation Maryland, and community stakeholders to break ground on the adaptive reuse of the county’s historic Ellicott City Jail.
The ceremonial “wood signing” marks the launch of the building’s new chapter, which includes Preservation Maryland’s new headquarters and a “living laboratory” for UMD’s Historic Preservation Program. The new space will create new opportunities for students to explore traditional building practices, new technologies, and climate resilience strategies, and collaborate with preservation practitioners across the region. The multimillion-dollar effort will be led by Preservation Maryland and funded by state and private funding.
“We hope this becomes a hub for communities across Maryland,” said Jourdan, “a place where the University and Preservation Maryland can develop new knowledge, train the next generation, and demonstrate how preservation can help communities understand their past while imagining a more resilient and inclusive future.”
Built in 1851, the jail held freedom seekers prior to Maryland’s abolishment of slavery; it later became the site of documented and nearly prevented lynchings. In a statement at the signing, Ball said that the project will preserve the site's difficult history while creating a space for future generations.
“Telling those stories honestly is central to this work,” he said.
Read more about the project here and the groundbreaking here.