Many of our friends and supporters joined us this past Wednesday for a wonderful event at The Ivy Hotel to honor long-time Baltimore Heritage board member and historic preservation advocate Karen Lewand. The Karen Lewand Historic Preservation Fund provides support for a range of education initiatives at Baltimore Heritage from our heritage tours to our neighborhood history programs to our work with students in Patterson Park. The fund has more than doubled in size since its inception, thanks to generous donors and the dedicated staff and volunteers who plan and run our fundraising events and programs!

We’re thrilled to say that the Lewand Fund’s donor roster now includes the Azola family. Not only did Marty and Tony Azola host us at The Ivy but they also made a generous gift that same evening. The Ivy’s staff, including General Manager Rob Arthur and Executive Chef Mark Levy, gave us a preview of the beautifully appointed guest rooms, the fabulous spa (location off the back of the main house in the handsome addition designed by Ziger/Snead Architects) and the exciting Magdalena restaurant in the works.

The Ivy is going to be a show-stopper when it opens this spring and you can already learn more about the history of this landmark on Explore Baltimore Heritage. Thanks again, so much, to everyone who made this event so memorable!