Baltimore City District Courthouse

About This Project

Located at 500 N. Calvert Street in Baltimore, the Shillman Office Building (circa 1972) was purchased by the State of Maryland in 1993 and has housed various State agencies over the last several decades.  The project consisted of a complete demolition of the floor plates and the exterior masonry skin.  The new exterior is clad in a combination of curtainwall, ground face masonry, sintered ceramic panels, and insulated composite aluminum panels to provide an image of justice and equality under the law while improving energy performance. The USBGC LEED Silver design incorporates high-efficiency HVAC equipment, LED lighting, water-saving plumbing fixtures, and a vegetated roof to reduce the impact of stormwater.

Entry to the building is via the public lobby on the 2^nd floor from the adjacent hardscaped plaza to the north of the building, accessible from Calvert and Centre Streets.  Public functions of the courthouse, such as the cashiers, clerks, and Self-Help Center, are located on the 3^rd floor, accessible from the main corridor running parallel to North Calvert streetscape.  The eight courtrooms are located on the 4^th and 5^th floors. Secured parking for the judges and commissioners is located on the 2^nd floor, accessible from E Franklin Street.  The existing parking on the first floor was reconfigured for designated staff.

A judicial conference room is located on the 5^th floor, overlooking the street from the southeast corner of the building.  This conference room has direct access to the 2-story judges’ suite, which houses the judges’ chambers with large glass openings to the south.

24-hour access to the Commissioners is provided from the hardscape plaza through a dedicated entrance point with security screening.  Adjacent to Hargrove Street, a vehicular sallyport on the 2^nd floor allows for the secure transfer of detainees to the courtroom holding areas via a dedicated detainee elevator.