Patch Updates: What's Happening at 701 Frederick Road?

In the past week, you may have noticed a new fence being erected at the front of 701 Frederick Road at the intersection of Bloomsbury Avenue.

You're not alone. Residents have been asking: "What's going on?"

The answer is the front of the historic Albert Smith building is being redone in order for the opening of the House of Time and Jewelry in late May.

In December, purchased 701 Frederick Road. The stone building at the back of the property that borders Bloomsbury Avenue dates back to 1819. Over the years, the building housed the area’s original post office, a drug store, a soda fountain and a sign shop.

The House of Time, located on Baltimore National Pike, will relocate to Frederick Road and to the building.

Catonsville residents Jim Himel, along with Greg and Julia Alexander, pooled money to purchase the location. They are investing their own money to restore the building, but eventually hope to sell it.

Patch wrote about this in , when construction was mostly on the inside of the building.

Himel said this week that restoration of the front of the building has started and it will involve cementing concrete block  in place to provide a base for the 16-inch stone wall.  The stone to be used was chosen to match the existing house and was quarried in West Virginia earlier this month.

Baltimore County government also assisted with removing a historic granite stone step from the side of the building, as part of construction on Bloomsbury Avenue.

"We will install this granite step at the front door of the restored building.  We expect that the front door will be in place and open by the end of May," Himel said.

A Open House is set for May 7 from 2-5 p.m. A tax deductible donation of $20 per person will be collected to benefit the Catonsville Heritage Foundation. Detailed information will be presented on the history of the building, the Smith family, archaeologically findings  and restoration challenges.