Morabito Consultants provided structural engineering services for the renovation and adaptive reuse of the Maryland Institute College of Art Fred Lazarus IV Center, a historic former factory building on West North Avenue in Baltimore, Maryland. The project transformed an aging industrial structure into a modern academic facility supporting graduate-level studio programs and creative collaboration.
The renovated center accommodates studio spaces, offices, instructional areas, fabrication workshops, spray booths, galleries, and a café, requiring flexible and adaptable structural solutions for academic, creative, and public-facing uses.
Structural modifications focused on reinforcing and adapting the existing building framework to meet contemporary performance and code requirements. Work included stabilization of existing timber floor systems, evaluation and repair of deficient wood members, and coordination of new structural elements with existing conditions discovered during construction.
Additional upgrades included installation of new topping slabs over existing wood plank floors to improve structural capacity and vibration performance, along with a new elevator shaft supported by underpinning and foundation modifications.
To enhance connectivity and circulation, the design incorporated multiple new floor openings and feature stair elements. These modifications required careful coordination with the existing structure to maintain stability while introducing vertical connections across levels.
Throughout construction, Morabito Consultants provided structural consultation and construction administration services, addressing field conditions, value engineering efforts, and coordination of new structural systems within the constraints of the historic industrial building.
The completed project successfully repurposes a historic factory into a vibrant academic environment, blending adaptive reuse strategies with modern structural performance to support creative education, fabrication, exhibition, and collaboration.