Welcome to The Packing House
Where history, community, and innovation meet.
events @
the Packing House
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Gather. Celebrate. Connect.
The Packing House is more than a historic building — it’s a community hub designed to bring people together. Our event spaces combine industrial charm with modern comfort, creating the perfect backdrop for everything from business gatherings to private celebrations.
the atrium
Capacity: up to 530 guests (standing) / 250 guests banquet-style The Atrium is the centerpiece of The Packing House — a light-filled, open space that showcases the building’s historic character while offering a fresh, modern feel. With exposed brick, soaring windows, and flexible layouts, it’s ideal for:
Community celebrations & cultural events
weddings
Cocktail receptions & private parties
Vendor markets & showcases
Networking events & fundraisers
With the ability to host both large receptions and elegant seated dinners, the Atrium is one of the most versatile venues on the Eastern Shore.
the merge lounge
Capacity: up to 100 guests
A warm, inviting space designed for comfort and connection. The MERGE Lounge blends modern lounge furniture with historic architecture, creating a relaxed atmosphere that’s perfect for:
Intimate gatherings & small parties
Book clubs & creative workshops
Business mixers & after-hours socials
Coffeehouse-style performances or talks
why host here?
Unique historic-industrial backdrop
Central Cambridge location with parking
Flexible layouts to fit your vision
Supportive team to help bring your event to life
Plan Your Event
Ready to host your next event in the Atrium, the MERGE Lounge, or Four Eleven Kitchen?
👉 For wedding inquiries, email Angie Smythe at angie@eventfullyyoursmd.com
👉 For all other event inquiries, email thepackinghouse@crossstpartners.com
Let’s make your event unforgettable at The Packing House.
a place where ideas and people come together.
MERGE offers a welcoming environment that supports creativity, growth, and entrepreneurship. It’s a flexible workspace designed for those who value focus with the option to connect.
Our shared offices, conference rooms, and comfortable common areas give you space to work independently or collaborate when inspiration strikes. At MERGE, we believe the best ideas often come from simple conversations and shared experiences.
Whether you’re starting something new or growing an existing venture, MERGE provides the tools and community to help move your ideas forward.
Meet our tenants
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Four eleven kitchen
The Four Eleven Kitchen is a shared-use commercial kitchen designed to empower, elevate and establish a thriving food entrepreneur community in Cambridge, Maryland and the greater Mid-shore Region. Powered by Beat The Rush Delivery (BTR), Four Eleven Kitchen will develop and cultivate a sustainable food economy within the local marketplace. It is our mission to increase access to consistent and healthy food resources.
The Cambridge community has endured many transitions in the food marketplace. It is our vision to support the local food economy by providing a commercial kitchen space that not only welcomes diverse food concepts and entrepreneurs but also provides an easy to work in environment, along with consistent and direct access to fresh local food for the community.
Are you a future or existing FOODPRENUER in need of a shared use kitchen - learn more here!
MARYLAND department of housing and
community development
The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development is proud to be at the forefront in implementing housing policy that promotes and preserves home ownership and creating innovative community development initiatives to meet the challenges of a growing Maryland.
Through the Maryland Mortgage Program, the department has empowered thousands of Maryland families to realize the American dream of home ownership.
The department’s rental housing programs increase and preserve the supply of affordable housing and provide good choices for working families, senior citizens, and individuals with special needs.
Community development and revitalization programs like Neighborhood BusinessWorks, Community Legacy, and Main Street Maryland help our cities and towns remain rich, vibrant communities.
The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development remains committed to building on our past successes to maintain our reputation as an innovator in community revitalization and a national leader in housing finance.
Blue Oyster environmental
Blue Oyster brings a revolutionary, 21st-century approach to scaling the Chesapeake’s oyster aquaculture industry, enlisting the vast watershed’s communities and businesses to help improve the environment and storied culture of the country’s largest estuary.
The oyster industry is responding in powerful ways through oyster aquaculture. Oysters are incredibly helpful to the health of the Bay — and remarkably efficient and effective at filtering water. Each oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water per day, consuming phytoplankton, and removing nitrogen and phosphorous (nutrients) from the water. Nitrogen and phosphorus are assimilated in the meat and shell of the oyster by consuming phytoplankton and particulate organic matter. Once oysters are harvested, the nutrients are permanently removed from the water. And a time when food production is straining our environment in so many ways, oyster aquaculture creates a sustainable and environmentally beneficial pathway of creating protein for consumption.
The trend is positive: The rate of oyster farming in Maryland’s section of the Chesapeake Bay has grown 20 times over since 2012, according to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
MERGE - creative spaces - transformative environment
MERGE is a dynamic and inspiring hub that brings together a diverse community to foster creativity, growth, and entrepreneurship. MERGE memberships provides flexible workspaces, conference rooms and unique common areas to stimulate collaborative conversations with like-minded entrepreneurs. Located in the newly restored Phillips Packing House, MERGE provides its members the opportunity to transform their ideas into successful companies.
To take a tour and learn more about becoming a MERGE member, visit our MERGE site here, or reach out to our leasing team at thepackinghouse@crossstpartners.com
MERGE tenants include:
Moving Dorchester Forward, a collective impact organization committed to transforming Dorchester County into a thriving community for all through economic development, education, and community engagement
Eastern Shore Crisis Response Services, an Affiliated Sante Group, which has a mobile crisis team to help with mental health or substance use crises
First Class Video and Electronics, Locally owned and operated, First Class Video and Electronics is a Veteran owned small business leading in cellphone and computer service in the community for over 10 years. Even though our tenure is relatively short, over those past 10 years we've built a strong and trusted reputation with our customers allowing us to be a cornerstone in the community for Cellphone and Computer Services.
Transformation
The Vision
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Cross Street Partners is re-purposing the historic Phillips Packing Company, Factory F (The Packing House) in Cambridge, MD. Building on the Eastern Shore’s deep tradition of agricultural and fishing assets, the 60,000 square foot historic Phillips Packing House Building is designed to support and grow regional economic opportunities connected to agriculture, aquaculture, environmental technologies, and tourism. The Packing House houses a synergistic mix of tech and creative entrepreneurs, food production and food related retail/eateries as well as a 2-story, light-filled open atrium space for continuous public programs and private events.
The building features an open floor plan, soaring ceilings, and the opportunity to retain many historic architectural features that enhances the space with an authentic, Eastern Shore manufacturing aesthetic. Adjacent to the Phillips Building is the future site of Cannery Park, a new ‘central park’ for the City of Cambridge that incorporates active and passive spaces for recreation. The Packing House serves as a connection between the growing downtown revitalization in Cambridge and the nearby highway route taking people to the Maryland and Virginia beaches. The commercialization, research, production, and active retail uses support local employment and inform nutrition and public health programming on the Eastern Shore.
Redeveloping this historically significant building as an entrepreneurial engine for the Cambridge community in a manner that celebrates Cambridge’s unique heritage preserves the legacy of the Phillips Packing Company. It is the last remaining factory from the Phillips Company’s empire of vegetable and food packing businesses, which once employed thousands of people in Cambridge. The company closed in the 1960’s, and the building has been deteriorating for decades.
legacy
History
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Originally built in 1920 for the Cambridge Furniture Company, The Packing House stands as the last remaining factory from the Phillips Packing Company’s empire of vegetable and food packing businesses.
The Phillips Packing Company employed thousands of people in Cambridge and was responsible for supplying K and C rations to US troops during World War II. The company closed in the 1960’s, and the building has been deteriorating since.
Redeveloping this historically significant building in a manner that celebrates it distinctive heritage will honor and preserve the legacy of the Phillips Packing Company in Cambridge.
Watch MPT’s Unpacking Cambridge: A Story of Rebirth and Reconciliation
FOUR ELEVEN KITCHEN
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Providing pathways that will empower, elevate, and establish your food business.
Whether it’s equipment rental, storage access, or spotlights in our virtual community, every service we offer is designed to meet the unique needs of emerging and established food professionals. From flexible hours to dedicated workshops, we empower our members to succeed while enriching the local culinary landscape with diverse flavors and experiences.
Four Eleven Kitchen, a cornerstone for food entrepreneurs in Dorchester County, offering the only shared-use commercial kitchen in the area. Designed for caterers, restaurant owners, food truck operators, and culinary professionals, our facility provides essential tools and resources needed to succeed in the competitive food industry. With a fully licensed kitchen, commercial-grade equipment, and a variety of flexible plans, we support food entrepreneurs of all levels with the infrastructure to prepare, test, and grow their culinary creations. Areas covered include Dorchester County and beyond, with 24/7 access for members and valuable networking opportunities in our vibrant community.
LEASING
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PROPERTY DESCRIPTION
The Packing House, a 60,000-square-foot historic landmark transformed into a thriving hub for business, creativity, and community. Formerly home to the Phillips Packing Company, this reimagined industrial space offers a unique leasing opportunity for businesses looking to establish themselves in a high-visibility, high-growth location.
Strategically positioned in Cambridge, MD, The Packing House bridges the city’s growing downtown revitalization and key transit routes to Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia beaches. Its historic manufacturing aesthetic—featuring soaring ceilings, exposed brick, and open floor plans—blends industrial charm with modern amenities, creating an inspiring environment for businesses to thrive.
Adjacent to the Cannery Park, The Packing House provides an unmatched setting with direct access to a beautifully designed public space, perfect for outdoor activities, events, and recreation.
OFFICE
Already home to several businesses, The Packing House is one of Cambridge’s most unique office leasing opportunities. It’s a great fit for companies looking for flexible workspace, modern amenities, and a setting that blends historic character with updated finishes.
RETAIL
Retailers at The Packing House can take full advantage of open floor plans, soaring ceilings, oversized industrial windows, and exposed brick walls—creating a one-of-a-kind atmosphere that blends historic charm with modern style. It’s a retail space unlike anything else on the Eastern Shore.
FOOD SERVICES
The Packing House has long-standing roots in Dorchester County’s agriculture and food industries—and that legacy continues today. This is a rare opportunity to launch the next culinary destination in Cambridge, in a space that honors the past while embracing the future.
Contact
GET IN TOUCH
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411A Dorchester Avenue
Cambridge, MD 21613
Looking for space in the heart of Cambridge? Or perhaps you’d like to hold your next event in our amazing Atrium space.
Fill out the form and a member of our team will be in touch.