The Markley Hotel is a long-standing Baltimore landmark in Lauraville, Beverly Hills and the 4500 Block of Harford Road. It’s unclear whether the building ever had overnight guests.
The former D. Markley Supply Co. general store, seed warehouse and D. Markley Supply Co. seeds and supplies is now a hub for community activities with the Morgan State University student residences next door.
The Markley Building, which is located on a former three-acre industrial lot that Baltimore-based MCB Real Estate bought in 2022 would be transformed into a place where entrepreneurs from the food and retail industries could run stalls or kiosks. This $7 million project will also transform a loft on the second floor into an event and gathering space for young entrepreneurs, as well as offices. The construction is scheduled to begin this summer.
Hamilton-Lauraville Main Street began to plan the 24,000.00-square-foot facility after MCB gave the Markley Building to the nonprofit organization.
MCB will build a 151 unit Class A apartment complex on the remaining site land to accommodate students who live less than a half-mile away from Morgan State. Apartments are scheduled to be open in summer 2025.
Daniel Doty said that the Main Street Group’s executive director Daniel Doty saw the revitalization of the 4500-block, which had long been plagued by vacant buildings and decaying structures, as an important link in the redevelopment of Harford Road, with new restaurants and stores, both to the north and the south.
Doty explained that the property was “a huge piece of land which was difficult to deal with.” Redevelopment is “helping to breathe life into the whole area.”
The Main Street Group is redeveloping The Markley, with the assistance of MCB. The Cube Cowork is an existing Harford Road business which calls itself “the nation’s biggest Black women-run coworking space.” The Cube Cowork will become an anchor tenant at the Markley, where it will lead the efforts to retain and attract entrepreneurs. The Cube will maintain its Harford Road location where entrepreneurs can rent its offices, conference rooms, and event spaces.
When we saw the space, we immediately thought it would be an excellent expansion. The demand for other services is so great, and we are small business advisors, Tammira. This gives them a place to call home. “They need a stable place to live, but without the high overheads of brick and mortar.”
MCB is the Development firm which has purchased Harborplace and is developing it. Amy Bonitz said that MCB, as the vice president for community development, decided to donate and repurpose the Markley in order to promote neighborhood growth.
Doty explained that the idea behind this new building is to provide space to companies so they can grow, and then potentially open up their own shops or restaurants along Harford Road. Doty said that the vision is to offer affordable space for entrepreneurs, media, pop-up cafés, and small food businesses.
He said, “We want to create something that is truly meaningful here.”
This group is also relying upon the help of Morgan State’s Graves School of Business and Management’s business and entrepreneurship programs.
A $2.5 million historic tax credit was granted by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, as well as an additional $1 million from its Department. The plans call for the restoration of the two-story porch that wraps around this building.
Around the turn-of-the century, the building was used for a general shop, which sold farm equipment and seed to farmers traveling to Baltimore markets, as well as a coal warehouse, according to Reni Lawal. She researched the history of the building when she applied for the historical tax credit. Markley’s family lived upstairs. Lawal believes that the Markleys moved out of their home in 1955.
Later, the Markley housed a magazine and an adult daycare program. It was also used as a church. The Markley has sat vacant for more than a decade.