We are applying for a retroactive building permit to complete the retroactive approval process with CHAP for
Alteration or repair at 3520 Parkdale Ave, Baltimore
Baltimore Department of Housing and Community Development permit BCCM-26-003799: issued Sep 8, 2026 for alteration or repair work at 3520 Parkdale Ave. We are applying for a retroactive building permit to complete the retroactive approval process with CHAP for a mural project that was completed in June of 2026. The work was completed without a prior building permit. Our retroactive Authorization to Proceed Application has been submitted and approved by CHAP as of August 14th, 2026. The project consists of a 73-foot by 28-foot exterior mural painted on the rear, south-facing cinderblock wall of 3520 Parkdale Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland 21211. The mural was conceived as a public artwork that honors the industrial history of the Woodberry neighborhood and connects that history to the continuing presence of modern artisans in the area. The project was made possible through a Legacy Grant from the Gutierrez Memorial Fund. The Woodberry Community Association has supported the project since the muralists first presented the concept and assisted with community outreach. The mural was created with the goal of preserving and interpreting local history through imagery drawn from the industrial, architectural, and cultural character of Woodberry and Clipper Mill. The composition centers on the Jones Falls waterway that helped bring industry and workers to the area, and the scene is framed by one of the iconic windows of the former Poole and Hunt Company building. The left side of the mural depicts workers lining up to clock in, sourced from archival images from the era, and includes references to the Shenuit Rubber Factory smokestack and the Meadow Mill steeple. The central portion of the mural includes machinery and imagery associated with early Clipper Mill industry, including the molten iron casting process, a large factory gear, and a worker from the Poole and Hunt Company, with references sourced from the Baltimore Museum of Industry archives. Cotton spools appear near the base of the gear, recognizing the area s cotton industry history and the mural s installation on the side of the modern cotton production warehouse, Hooper Industries. The right side of the mural depicts a contemporary welder with sparks flying in all directions, illustrating that industry and skilled craft remain part of the neighborhood s identity. Additional natural and regional references include Virginia creeper vines found near Druid Hill Park, the wheat plant Triticum as a reference to historic flour production, and a dusk view of the Appalachian Mountains, acknowledging the workers who migrated to Baltimore-area mills and industries from rural mountainous regions of Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. The mural was installed using Sherwin Williams Power Primer (product number HP5474395-16), Sherwin Williams Latitude Acrylic Latex Paint (product number K60W01651), and Montana 94 Aerosol Paint (product number 9RV). Installation began with priming the cinderblock wall, after which the artists projected the community-approved design onto the surface and traced the outlines with paint markers. Base colors were applied using Sherwin Williams Latitude Acrylic Latex Paint through a Graco Quickshot paint sprayer, and detailed shading and line work were completed with professional-grade Montana 94 Aerosol Paint. The mural did not involve scraping or sanding of existing paint.
- Permit number
- BCCM-26-003799
- Issued
- Type of work
- Alteration or repair
- Status
- Issued
- Reported cost
- $25,600
- ZIP code
- 21211 (from the permit's location)
- City's category
- Factory & Industrial
- City's status
- Not listed
- Source
- Baltimore Department of Housing and Community Development permit data (this record)
Type of work and status are our own standard labels, so permits compare across cities. The city's wording is in the "City's category" and "City's status" rows. We show costs under $100 as not listed, because filers often enter $0 or $1 when the city doesn't require a cost.
All permits at 3520 Parkdale Ave, and what's permitted nearby
Baltimore Department of Housing and Community Development updated its data Oct 8, 2026. We checked it Oct 8, 10:11 UTC. See the city's official records (City of Baltimore, CC BY 3.0).
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