For the first time in nearly a decade, the state is seeking new tenants for Camden Station, the historic train terminal next to Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

The Maryland Stadium Authority has issued a request for expressions of interest from groups that would like to move into the restored train station, which has four levels of leasable space.

The availability of the train station was discussed at the stadium authority’s monthly meeting earlier this week.

According to state officials, the entire building at 301 West Camden Street is available for lease for the first time since Oriole Park opened.

Sports Legends Leaving

There have been two tenants for the past 10 years. The state will consider leasing the entire building to one tenant or lease parts of the building to separate tenants as it does now.

One of the tenants is the Sports Legends Museum at Camden Yards, an affiliate of the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum, which has 22,551 square feet of artifacts and interactive exhibits.

Opened in 2005, it occupies the basement level and the first floor of the building.

Geppi’s Entertainment Museum is a 16,055-square-foot “pop culture museum” that occupies level two and part of level three.

According to state officials, the Sports Legends Museum’s lease expired last April and it has been operating on a month-to-month agreement since then.

The stadium authority had issued a request for expressions of interest in the Sports Legends space with a September 15 deadline. But that request has been superceded by this month’s amended request for expressions of interest in the entire building.

Lease Not Renewed

Geppi’s has a 10-year lease with the state that runs through August 31, 2016. Under its lease, Geppi’s had until September 1 to notify the authority if it wanted to renew its lease.

Stadium officials said that Geppi’s did not contact them about renewing the lease, which triggered their search for a replacement and opened up the possibility that the entire building could be available.

They say Geppi’s can submit an expression of interest if it wants to stay in its current space or take over the entire building.

State officials say they are looking for uses that draw people and activity to the area and take advantage of the building’s proximity to Oriole Park, the Baltimore Convention Center and other destinations.

At Tourist Crossroads

They say the station may be more attractive now than 10 years ago, when access to the area was restricted by construction of the Hilton Hotel Baltimore.

The presence of the hotel and its connection to the Baltimore Convention Center provides more foot traffic year round to the area around Camden Station, they add.

The train terminal opened in 1856 and was preserved and restored by the state as part of the Camden Yards sports complex. It served passengers using the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad to travel to New York, Washington, Chicago and St. Louis for more than a century. For a period of time, it was Baltimore’s tallest building.

Potential occupants for the station include the Orioles organization, which has suggested operating a “white tablecloth restaurant” on the first floor, and a large sportswear store such as Under Armour or Nike.

An employee at the Sports Legends Museum referred questions to executive director Michael Gibbons, who was not available.

Zachary Winland, a sales manager at Geppi’s, referred questions to the director of operations, who was on vacation. Museum founder Steve Geppi was out of town and could not be reached.