A downtown hotel that shut its doors during the pandemic is set to reopen as luxury apartments in early October. Redwood Place will welcome its first residents next month in the former Hotel RL located at the corner of Calvert and Redwood streets.
The 10-story building at 207 E. Redwood St., originally built in 1905, is nearing completion of its transformation into a modern 130-unit luxury apartment complex under new ownership. Pre-leasing has already begun, with the first three floors available and attracting significant interest, according to Brad Byrnes, principal at Byrnes & Associates Inc., who, along with his father Kent, purchased the property in 2023.
“This area is becoming a destination, drawing people from all over the city,” Byrnes stated last week. “Soon, we’ll add 130 new residents to the block.”
Monthly rents for the studios and one-bedroom units will range from $1,400 to $1,600, and the building will open in phases as each floor is finished. The hotel-to-apartment conversion project has cost $18.5 million. Byrnes & Associates acquired the former Hotel RL from Spokane-based Red Lion Hotels Corp. in June 2023 for $9.8 million, according to state records.
Property manager T.J. Buggs noted that he has scheduled numerous tours for the two model apartments on the 10th floor, which feature modern kitchens, spacious bathrooms, hardwood floors, and large windows showcasing downtown views. Each apartment includes a washer and dryer, and the property boasts a fitness center, business center, and game room. The lobby has a contemporary design, adorned with portraits of Marilyn Monroe and Jimi Hendrix, as well as the Mona Lisa.
This project is the latest endeavor for the Baltimore-based firm, which owns three other properties in the 200 block of Redwood and has long invested in the city’s revitalization. Over the past three years, Byrnes has secured 70 office leases for 90,000 square feet of space.
“We’ve increased occupancy from 5% to 90% in our Vickers Exchange and Redwood Exchange properties at 225 and 233 E. Redwood,” he reported.
The renovated tower represents a significant apartment conversion in downtown Baltimore, as the area transitions from former office spaces to a more residential atmosphere. Redwood Place joins other conversion projects, including the transformation of two outdated hotel towers on Fayette Street into 558 apartment units by Vivo Living, and the ongoing redevelopment of the historic Fidelity & Deposit Building at Charles and Lexington streets into luxury apartments.
As a board member of the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore and an advocate for the city, Byrnes believes this new development contributes to downtown’s ongoing revitalization.
“We’re witnessing a shift in perception about downtown Baltimore, with more workers returning to offices and new retail emerging,” he noted.
This revitalization includes four new restaurant leases and two retail leases on the 200 block of E. Redwood, which is anchored by the Chesapeake Shakespeare Co., a former bank converted into a theater. Adding to the area’s appeal is Kechy Pizza Co., a bar and eatery already open in a lobby-level retail space at Redwood Plaza, with Tribe Social Cafe, a 2,000-square-foot coffee shop, expected to open soon at 233 E. Redwood, Byrnes shared.
Redwood Place also joins Werner’s Diner and Pub, Excel Academy, and Proper Cuisine on a block that was featured in a scene from the recent Apple TV+ film “Lady in the Lake,” based on a novel by former Baltimore Sun reporter Laura Lippman.
