Sarah’s Hope, Baltimore’s largest family shelter, celebrated the completion of $8 million in renovations Thursday, with the opening of green space and a playground to be shared by people who live in the shelter and the larger community.

The $1.35 million in outdoor improvements is the final piece of a years-long project to double the number of families — including men, women and children — the shelter can serve to about 200 a year.

Located in West Baltimore’s Sandtown-Winchester neighborhood on North Mount Street, the project added landscaping outside the former three-story school building along with jungle gyms, benches and an outdoor dining terrace.

Mayor Catherine Pugh attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the shelter Thursday. After the November election, the new mayor announced her transition team during a news conference at Sarah’s Hope. Pugh chose the location for symbolic reasons, saying work there showed Baltimore’s potential to be “the greatest city in America.”

The shelter is run by St. Vincent de Paul of Baltimore. Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects and Mahan Rykiel Associates were involved in the improvements. The project was paid for with a mix of private and public funds.

The previously completed interior improvements included family-style apartments, community spaces, a dining hall, a therapeutic nursery and classrooms to teach financial literacy, nutrition and life skills.

ywenger@baltsun.com

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