National Geographic has named Baltimore one of its Best of the World 2027 travel destinations, recognizing the city among 25 standout places to visit around the globe. The feature highlights Baltimore’s rich history and evolving cultural landscape. Two of the places in the feature are Southway Builders, Inc. projects: Lexington Market and the National Museum of Railroad History & Innovation (formerly B&O Railroad Museum).
Lexington Market: A Historic Baltimore Landmark Reimagined
Established in 1782, Lexington Market has served generations of Baltimore residents and visitors. Its recent transformation preserves that legacy while creating a modern destination for food, culture, and community.
Southway joined the project team midway through design, helping bring the 60,000-square-foot replacement market to life while maintaining a focus on budget control and the original program goals. The new facility combines two former market sheds into one modern space featuring fresh and prepared food vendors, gathering areas, meeting and entertainment spaces, and an outdoor pedestrian promenade.
Construction required careful coordination to keep the existing market operational, allowing merchants and patrons to continue using this neighborhood institution throughout the work. Completed in 2023, the LEED Gold development demonstrates how revitalization can honor a historic destination while meeting the needs of the next generation.
National Museum of Railroad History & Innovation: Preserving the Past, Inspiring the Future
Baltimore’s place in American history is closely tied to the railroad. In 1827, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was chartered as the nation’s first commercial railroad, helping transform transportation and commerce across the country.
Today, the National Museum of Railroad History & Innovation is building on that legacy through a major campus transformation ahead of the bicentennial of American railroading in 2027. The institution is expanding its focus to connect the history of railroading with its continuing influence on American life and technology.
Southway is leading the restoration of the historic South Car Works building, a landmark dating to 1869. The project integrates modern museum amenities and expanded educational and archival spaces while preserving the building’s historic character. Plans also include interactive exhibits and the CSX Bicentennial Garden, featuring a tiered amphitheater and plaza designed to bring visitors together for learning and community events.
The transformation reflects the value of adaptive reuse: preserving a significant piece of Baltimore’s industrial history while creating new opportunities for education, discovery, and public engagement.
Explore the National Museum of Railroad History & Innovation project.
Building Baltimore’s Next Chapter
Historic preservation and adaptive reuse play an important role in Baltimore’s continued growth, allowing the city to honor its past while creating spaces that serve new generations. We’ve built in some of Baltimore’s oldest buildings, and we know how to protect their character through every phase of construction. From revitalizing a neighborhood landmark like Lexington Market to restoring a historic railroad facility for its next chapter, these projects demonstrate how thoughtful investment in existing places can strengthen communities, preserve local identity, and create lasting value.
“Great cities are not transformed by any one person, organization, or project. They are transformed when an entire community believes in its future and works together to make it happen. We are proud to be at that table and among those doing the building.”
– Willy Moore, President of Southway
Our purpose is to serve others to help them achieve their maximum potential, and that commitment starts with the communities we serve. With our headquarters in Baltimore’s Locust Point neighborhood, we live, work, and play in the same city we are proud to help shape. Seeing Baltimore recognized on a global stage is exciting, and we are proud to contribute to the places, neighborhoods, and landmarks that make our city such a special place to call home.
ABOUT SOUTHWAY
Southway Builders, Inc. is a construction management firm founded in 1991, with offices in Baltimore, MD and Durham, NC. Our growth is built on the belief that quality, dependability, and integrity aren’t values you list—they’re standards you demonstrate every day. It shows up in how we build, how we treat our clients, how we develop our people, and how we support the community. We serve others to help them achieve their maximum potential.
