Volunteer Spotlight: Tom Gamper

This month NDC would like to call your attention to our Hall of Fame by focusing on one of its members - Tom Gamper. The Hall of Fame is much more than a list of names when you consider that most have volunteered for ten NDC projects, that volunteers spend 30 – 50 hours on a project, and each of those hours reflects a donated professional value of services.  Hall of Fame members have made a significant contribution to community-building throughout the Baltimore – Washington, DC area.

Tom Gamper

Tom is a LEED accredited registered architect whose knowledge of historic preservation and adaptive reuse of older structures dates to his graduate school studies at the University of Colorado and summer construction experience as an undergraduate at Bowdoin College. While studying in Denver, he was employed with Larimer Square Associates, a development firm with an architectural office specializing in Main Street redevelopment and the restoration of historic buildings. Upon his return to Baltimore, he focused primarily on single- and multi-family residential projects, many entailing renovations and additions to houses in historic districts.

Says Tom "I have always believed that the health and future of our natural environment stemmed from the health of -- and an appreciation for -- our built environment."  He has volunteered on NDC projects for almost 20 years!  A number of his projects were implemented:

• Bungalow plans and details for St. Ambrose Housing in Hamilton
• Sandtown projects with New Song Urban Ministries and Habitat for Humanity
• Plans and elevations for Sylvan Beach in Mid-town
• Belair Edison neighborhood design guidelines charrette

In addition, Tom worked on projects in the Remington neighborhood, in Waverly, and provided guidance for the development of NDC's TipSheets.  His most recent NDC project was the Francis Ellen Harper School, for which the volunteer team prepared concepts for renovation to provide a multi-program community outreach center.  At that time Tom said “It's great to be back in Sandtown”, as this was not his first NDC project in that community.

It is notable that NDC volunteers find time to donate their services to community clients even though they are already working more than a 40-hour week at their professional job.  Tom works at Schamu Machowski Greco Architects Baltimore where he is the Rehab Specialist for Healthy Neighborhoods, Inc.  He has worked with many non-profit housing corporations such as C.O.I.L., Inc., Habitat for Humanity, Southwest Visions, Franklin Square Community Development Corporation, Druid Heights Community Development Corporation, and C.H.U.M., Inc. in their effort to revitalize older neighborhoods through housing renovations.  His advocacy as both a flyfisher and architect for Smart Growth resulted in his appointment to the Special Commission on State Parks in 2000 and to the Governor’s Park Advisory Commission in 2001.

Tom notes, “NDC is one of the most important non-profits in the area. The professionalism, creativity and enthusiasm of its staff and volunteers constantly amaze me.” Thank you Tom for the part that you have played in the success of NDC!