The Stafford Hotel, now The Stafford Apartments, is a historic building in

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

which was constructed in 1894. The Stafford Hotel building was the tallest building on Mount Vernon Place at the time of its inception. It was designed by architect Charles E. Cassell (1838–1916), who was a founding member of the AIA

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

chapter, and also designed the Christian Science Temple, Chamber of Commerce building, and Chateauesque House in Baltimore. The building itself is clad in brown Roman brick, and features arched windows and balustrade balconies – all of which is done in the Richardsonian/Romanesque architectural style. The building is located on the north face of Mount Vernon Place, a cross-shaped park composed of 4 landscaped squares, featuring the

Washington Monument The Washington Monument is an obelisk shaped building within the National Mall in Washington, D.C., built to commemorate George Washington, once commander-in-chief of the Continental Army (1775–1784) in the American Revolutionary War and th ...

at its center. The park itself is located in the heart of

’s historic district, and many of the most historically and architecturally significant structures in

line its sides. Mount Vernon Place represents Baltimore’s history and development during the 19th and 20th centuries, and can be seen as the finest surviving example of Maryland’s 19th century urban planning efforts. The hotel opened on November 5, 1894, and was considered the grandest hotel in all of

. The hotel opened with highly decorated halls,

foyer A lobby is a room in a building used for entry from the outside. Sometimes referred to as a foyer, reception area or an entrance hall, it is often a large room or complex of rooms (in a theatre, opera house, concert hall, showroom, cinema, etc. ...

, dining rooms, a bar, a café, a ladies reception, a

drawing room A drawing room is a room in a house where visitors may be entertained, and an alternative name for a living room. The name is derived from the 16th-century terms withdrawing room and withdrawing chamber, which remained in use through the 17th cent ...

, smoking rooms, lounges, a barber, a coatroom, a newsstand, offices, a writing room, private dining rooms, reception rooms, 140 bedrooms, 30 private parlors in suites (with 80 baths among the suites on the upper floors), a basement finished in marble, and a central rotunda featuring an open curved stair illuminated by a large rooftop skylight. It was preferred by the famous and wealthy while visiting Baltimore.

F. Scott Fitzgerald Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald (September 24, 1896 – December 21, 1940) was an American novelist, essayist, and short story writer. He is best known for his novels depicting the flamboyance and excess of the Jazz Age—a term he popularize ...

is even know to have resided in the hotel from 1935-1936. Throughout the years the hotel received numerous renovations, and in 1968 the building was sold at auction. At the time of sale, it had 117 guest rooms. It is a

contributing building In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing property or contributing resource is any building, object, or structure which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic distric ...

in the

Mount Vernon Place Historic District Mount Vernon is a neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland, located immediately north of the city's downtown district. Designated a city Cultural District, it is one of the oldest neighborhoods originally home to the city's wealthiest and most fashio ...

, a U.S.

National Historic Landmark District National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, c ...

designated in 1971. Today, The Stafford is a 96-unit apartment building; housing primarily students from the nearby Johns Hopkins University's Peabody Institute. While it is owned by the university, it is managed and leased by LandMark Property Management, Inc. In 2016, Stafford Capital Partners, LLC, an investment group led by Luis A. Cozza purchased the leasehold interest in The Stafford from Apartment Investment and Management Company (AIMCO). The community consists of studios, 1-bedroom, and 2-bedroom apartments, that range from 390 sq ft (36 m²) to 696 sq ft (64.7 m²). Community amenities include a fitness center, laundry facility, and common room. While the interior has been recently renovated, the historic exterior is very much intact and in good condition.

Gallery

Image:Stafford exterior.jpg, The Stafford facade Image:Stafford facade.jpg, The facade of the historic Stafford apartment building

References

External links

*{{Commons category-inline, Stafford Apartment Building Apartment buildings in Baltimore Buildings and structures in Baltimore Mount Vernon, Baltimore Mount Vernon Place Historic District Historic district contributing properties in Maryland