Hip Federal Hill now attracting the techies/h2>

3.29.2002

Baltimore Business Journal

Federal Hill isn't just for historic landmarks and crowded bars.

Two Baltimore-based technology firms recently moved into the neighborhood and officials with both companies plan to do what they can to make Federal Hill a place for technology in Baltimore City.

Key Technologies Inc., a technology engineering firm with about 20 employees, moved from the city's Technology Development Center on Key Highway to the former McHenry Theater on Cross Street.

The company had been working with Pat Turner of Henrietta Development Corp. to restore the historic theater, which opened in 1917 but had been closed since 1971. The work is done and a grand- opening party is set for April 12.

The project cost the company and the developer -- doing business as McHenry LLC -- about $1.8 million to complete.

There may not be a party planned, but the folks at DigitalOrganism Inc. are celebrating their move to Federal Hill, too.

The Web development firm moved into 10,000 square feet of space at 8 W. West St. a few weeks ago.

Walt Rampata, CEO of Digital-Organism, said his company outgrew its rowhouse office in Fells Point and was looking to expand into more "corporate" space.

"We're not going to be crawling all over each other here," he said.

DigitalOrganism hired two new employees to bring the company's staff up to 10 workers. And the firm's new space gives it more room to expand, Rampata said.

Brian Lipford, CEO of Key Technologies, said the company decided to renovate and move into the McHenry Theater because they wanted to give something back to the city -- and they wanted a really cool space.

"We're keeping so much of the old theater and just making it into a high-tech office space, too," Lipford said.