About Us
The Can Company has been a Baltimore City landmark for more than a century.
Today, this former industrial plant has a whole new set of offerings. The Can Company is a unique Baltimore shopping and eating site, with something for everybody.
Visitors will love our view of the Harbor, with close access to some of the city’s best attractions. Our local customers stop in year round, to buy a gift, grab a meal with a friend, or enjoy one of our summer concerts. The folks who work in our office spaces are just steps away from great food and inspiring views. Whoever you are, we hope you’ll come enjoy the Can Company.
History
Property Purchased
1901American Can Company Founded
1913—1924Additional Buildings constructed
1980American Can Company merges with Norton
1987Can Company Revival Campaign
1994Safeway moves into the property
1997Rest of property purchased
1895
Back in 1895, our property was purchased by the Norton Tin Can and Plate Company. By the turn of the century, Norton manufactured more cans than any other factory in America.
1901
In 1901, the American Can Company was formed, and started constructing many of the buildings you see on our property today.
1913—1924
Big structures like the Boiler House, the Factory Building and Annex (1913), and the Signature Building (1924) slowly filled up the big triangular lot. Business was booming, with cans being supplied for industry all around the country. The trend continued through the 1960’s, when more than 800 Baltimore residents were employed here.
1980
In the 1980’s, Norton merged with the American Can Company based in New York and Connecticut. They shut down the Baltimore factory, and the property lay vacant for several years.
1987
In 1987, Baltimore started a campaign to revive the Can Company with $8.5 million in commercial and residential improvements. The project sputtered, financing flopped, and development ceased. It looked like the Can Company might never be useful again.
1994
But in 1994, things started to change. Safeway bought a big portion of the property, and their operation brought hundreds of new people onto the old factory property every day.
1997
The Can Company LLC bought the rest of the property in 1997, including the most historically significant buildings on the site. DAP Products Inc., a sealants manufacturer, became an important early tenant, and suddenly big changes could be made to the Can Company’s deteriorating buildings. There was a lot of work to be done. Walls were decaying, ceilings were falling in, and the site was filled with graffiti and broken glass.
Today, the Can Company is the perfect blend of economic development and historical preservation. It’s a peek back in time at Baltimore’s industrial past, and a sign of great things to come for other old, broken down spaces. The Can Company team is excited to be part of Baltimore’s history as well as its future.