Havre de Grace, featuring art gallery exhibition space, art studios, classrooms, and a local
history museum. (SM+P Architects)
Fundraising Campaign and Demolition of Existing Building Proceed as Project Advances
HAVRE DE GRACE, Md. — Construction of Harmer’s Town Art Center — a premier regional arts destination, art incubator space and economic driver that will bring together arts, history and community in a centralized location within the heart of Havre de Grace’s vibrant arts district — is set to begin in late 2026.
Harmer’s Town Art Center (HTAC) Inc., a federally recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is proud to announce the launch of Phase II of the project, which includes the demolition of the existing building and construction of a new 26,400-square-foot facility beginning in late 2026, and completion of the art center construction by year-end 2027. The new construction process, which saves significant time and cost, is not expected to interfere with accessibility or operation of the adjacent Graw Alley Art Park.
“Our goal is to create a premier arts and history tourism destination for Havre de Grace, Harford County and the Mid-Atlantic region,” said HTAC Inc. Vice President Eileen Rehrmann. “We expect it to be a center for creativity, culture and community engagement.”
The new facility is designed by SM+P Architects of Baltimore and will include:
- Multiple art galleries and exhibition spaces
- Local history museum
- Dedicated classrooms for year-round art instruction and summer camps
- State-of-the-art studios for ceramics, glass arts, 3D arts, textiles, woodworking and flexible creative programming
- Expanded community and educational programming space
- Art shop, artist lounge and gathering spaces
- Fully ADA-accessible and energy-efficient design features
Harmer’s Town Art Center is an homage to the name given by Godfrey Harmer in 1658 to the land that would one day become the City of Havre de Grace. The first phase of the project consisted of rehabilitating a formerly forgotten and blighted alley — called Graw Alley in recognition of the former horse racing track that operated in the city from 1912 until 1950 — and transforming it into an interactive art park with landscaped pathways, artistic sculptures, outdoor seating and a series of vivid murals leading visitors on a tour through Havre de Grace history.
The locations of Harmer’s Town Art Center and Graw Alley Art Park were donated by HTAC Inc. Founder and President Allen Fair of BCH Real Estate Specialists. The Graw Alley name refers back to Fair’s memories of the horse-racing track, and his memorabilia from that period will be among the attractions on exhibit in the art center’s local history museum, along with historic artifacts from the post-Civil War period.
Havre de Grace Mayor Bill Martin congratulated Fair and the HTAC Inc. Board of Directors for its vision.
“We are so grateful to have people thinking about the future of Havre de Grace; what it will take to keep the area growing and prospering.”
“Allen Fair and his dedication to his community have been inspiring for all of us involved with Havre de Grace,” Mayor Martin added. “The HTAC project compliments the improvements we’ve been making to our downtown.”
Following the successful completion of Graw Alley Art Park, which opened to the public in October 2023 and has become a popular regional destination for events, programming and tourism, Phase II represents the completion of the original vision to construct a vibrant regional destination for arts, history, culture, education and tourism in Havre de Grace. That vision comes with a price tag — about $10 million for both phases of construction — and, while HTAC Inc. has successfully raised 70 percent of that amount, the fundraising efforts continue.
“HTAC has received grants from the federal and state governments, but still needs additional funds to complete the project, including funds for furnishings and operating programs,” Rehrmann said.
“We’re beginning a capital campaign to raise an additional $3 million, which we are seeking through new government and corporate grants and donations. We also need area residents to open their pocketbooks to help, since individuals giving what they can encourages larger donors to be generous, too,” she added.
“We’ll report our progress as we begin our demolition and construction in the months ahead,” Rehrmann added. “We have the art gallery and classrooms that we’d love to name for families or businesses willing to make generous gifts to the arts and history center project.”
For more information about this project, naming opportunities or other ways to contribute to the effort, contact Brittany Powell, executive director, at exec.dir@harmerstown.org, HTAC Inc., 356 Congress Ave., Suite 210, Havre de Grace, MD 21078, or visit http://www.harmerstown.org.