Mission

Unity Hall is a transformative nonprofit community hub located at 1505 Eutaw Place, serving Baltimore’s Madison Park, Marble Hill, Upton, Bolton Hill, and other Central West Baltimore neighborhoods. Our vision was developed by and for community stakeholders to provide affordable, high-quality workspaces and a safe place for education, cultural events, community meetings, and engagement.

Vision & Values

Central West Baltimore faces enduring challenges due to racially-driven redlining, disinvestment, and disparities in access to services and opportunities, with Eutaw Place and McMechen Street serving as a longstanding physical symbol of segregation within the neighborhood. Unity Hall’s establishment at this dividing line has been pivotal in breaking down historic barriers, promoting unity among diverse communities, and providing accessible services.

At the heart of Unity Hall lie our core values: accessibility, safety, community service, creativity, and leadership. We aim to be a catalyst for change, providing a safe space for collaborations between local artists and changemakers to ignite. Within our walls, essential community work flourishes, connections blossom, and meaningful change takes root.

A young girl with a pink headband working on a craft project at a table, surrounded by various craft supplies and water bottles, with another girl in the background.
A conference room filled with people listening to a speaker on stage, with a large screen behind them. Some attendees are taking notes, and the room has a modern design with wood paneling and ceiling beams.
Two women decorating a large art piece titled 'Attention' with drawings of diverse faces, flowers, and vibrant colors at an indoor event.

Sustainability

Baltimore Unity Hall meets the sustainability standards outlined in the International Green Construction Code (IgCC) and the Baltimore City Green Construction Code. The IgCC sets standards for sustainable construction practices, outlines greener methods for site development, establishes criteria for improved indoor environmental quality building performance, and increases energy efficiency. Baltimore Unity Hall is also installing a solar array on its roof to offset some of its electrical usage.

The implementation of the IgCC into the construction and operations of Baltimore Unity Hall in combination with the installation of a new solar array truly makes the Unity Hall a healthy, safe, and resilient space for the community.

Logo of igCC with green background and white text, indicating it is a member of the International Code Family.

Awards

Group of eleven professionals posing for a photo at the Urban Land Institute Baltimore Wavemaker Awards 2023, with a woman holding an award. backdrop includes logos of ULI Baltimore, Urban Land Institute, Wavemaker Awards, and Baltimore.
Group of six people posing at an award ceremony held by the Baltimore Architecture Foundation, with one person holding a certificate.

Somerset Development’s Baltimore Unity Hall was honored with two Excellence in Design Awards from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Baltimore, awarded to Ziger | Snead in an awards ceremony held at the Baltimore Design School on October 20, 2023. Ziger|Snead received the Excellence in Design Awards for Social Equity and for Good Design=Good Business Honorable Mention. In 2024, they received another Excellence in Design Award from AIA!

Somerset Development’s Baltimore Unity Hall was also honored with a 2023 Baltimore Wavemaker Award from the Urban Land Institute (ULI) in an awards ceremony held at the M&T Bank Exchange in Baltimore on October 4, 2023. Each year, ULI recognizes outstanding wavemaking real estate development projects, related programs, and visionaries in urban development. Winning projects were judged on each project’s overview, sense of place and quality, sustainability, visionary emulation qualities, and need.