Lake Roland Nature Center

North Point Builders provided Design-Build services for Baltimore County’s Lake Roland Nature Center. This 500 acre National Historic District park is comprised of wetlands, meadows, and mature hardwood forests. Baltimore County acquired the park from Baltimore City in 2009 and has been making improvements ever since. The park, located just off the Jones Fall expressway, has accessibility by boardwalk from the Light Rail Station. This convenient location provides the unique opportunity for the community to access the park via public transportation. The park provided seasonal programming utilizing outdoor spaces. Baltimore County had a mission to offer year-round programs for visitors. The new enclosed Nature Center facility enables the park to host year-round programs, provide adequate housing for live animals, offer winter camps, and have a shelter in times of severe weather.

The Lake Roland Nature Center is a 2,600 square foot building. Because the desired central location for the facility was in a wetland area, the wood structure was constructed on piers. The facility has a classroom, educational and meeting space with audio/visual capabilities, support area, and restrooms. The facility was designed with a large open space and folding partitions  providing the ability to create smaller areas based on occupancy needs. Another important design aspect incorporated operable glass doors along the front elevation allowing views of the dam and park during winter months and the facility to extend onto the adjoining deck during warmer months.