(Enlarge) Executive Director Nancy Hafford, right, and executive assistant Pattie McLane of the Towson Chamber of Commerce share a laugh on June 25 outside the chamber's new location at 44 W. Chesapeake Ave., across the street from the group's old rental property. (Staff photo by Drew Anthony Smith)

The Towson Chamber of Commerce, which has rented office space at 23 W. Chesapeake Ave. for more than 15 years, has a new home.

Last Thursday, the chamber, which works to improve the business climate in Towson, began moving into the two-story brick Jenifer Building at 44 W. Chesapeake Ave., which the 350-member organization bought in February.

After the finishing touches are put on the Georgian Revival structure, it will be "beautiful," said Dick Celeste, whose term as chamber president ended June 30. "It will be a multifaceted operation, but it will be our home."

Celeste was referring to the fact that the Baltimore County Conference and Visitors Bureau also is moving into the building after nine years at Towson Town Center mall.

The visitors' center eventually hopes to move into the Hampton National Historic Site, said its director, Jill Feinberg, but she's excited about 44 Chesapeake as an interim location for, more or less, the next year.

"It has great visibility," she said.

Visitors are more than welcome, but she warned that people who show up too soon may be conscripted to help unpack boxes.

The completely renovated 89-year old structure was built for prominent attorney Courtney Jenifer, whose ancestor was one of the signers of the Constitution.

The chamber expects to have its new office up and running by July 3.

It has a full basement and is three times the size of the old quarters, according to its executive director, Nancy Hafford.

It offers spacious offices for her and executive assistant Pattie McLane, meeting space for civic and business groups that can accommodate up to 50 people.

It also offers ample storage space for the paraphernalia required for events the chamber sponsors to draw visitors to downtown Towson, including the Towsontown Spring Festival, the Feet on the Street Friday night block parties, the Towson farmers' markets and the annual Christmas tree-lighting ceremony.

The Greater Towson Council of Community Associations, which represents more than two dozen residential neighborhoods, also will benefit from the space.

The chamber has invited the council to store its records in one of the six upstairs rooms in the building.

Former Councilman Doug Riley, who joined the chamber's board of directors this week, was tapping on his connections as chairman of Dulaney District Boy Scouts of America to provide Eagle Scouts to handle the transfer.

"I'll have to call in some favors," said Riley, a lawyer and former chamber president.

The offer of space to the council is just one example of how the new building will help unite the business and residential communities, according to the chamber's new president, Michael Pianowski.

"Our new location will enhance our outreach to surrounding communities, and continue our mission to strengthen the marketplace for local business while enhancing the quality of life for residents," Pianowski wrote in the chamber's guide and business directory,

Chamber officials believe the $400,000 price tag for the 3,448-square-foot structure, most recently a bridal and gift shop, and the $214,000 it took for renovations were well worth it.

"It just made financial sense," Hafford said.

The chamber has been paying $2,600 rent a month for space in a row of older buildings that could be sold to become part of a revitalization project when the economy improves, she said.

"And we were able to obtain a $200,000, low-interest loan through Baltimore County to help pay for the renovations."

The chamber's outreach has touched the all-volunteer preservation group Historic Towson Inc. With all the new construction under way or planned, "it's nice to see Towson's heritage being preserved," said its president, Carol Allen.

"We love to see new uses for old buildings."

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