A onetime box-machinery factory in Glen Arm has reopened its doors as Park + Social, a new automotive-themed social club built inside a century-old industrial campus at 5200 Glen Arm Road. The 80,000-square-foot complex blends a restaurant and bar, members' lounges, curated events, and secure indoor car storage with an adjacent facility that houses vintage racecars.
According to the Maryland Daily Record, the club is designed for people seeking community and networking, not just car enthusiasts. Founder Mike Clark said the goal was to make guests feel they belong the moment they walk in. The property traces back to 1898, when it was built as Glen Arm Station and occupied for nearly a century by the F.X. Hooper Company, according to the same report.
That industrial history runs deeper still. The 22-acre site was originally developed in 1901 by the F.X. Hooper Company to manufacture corrugated box machinery before the operation shuttered in 2003 under successor Marquip Ward, per the Maryland Department of the Environment. During its 20th-century peak under the Koppers Company, the complex reportedly functioned like a company town, complete with an employee store, cafeteria, and ballfields.
From Industrial Sale to $3.5 Million Buildout
Investor group BTR Capital Group acquired the 22-acre property for $8.5 million in December 2021, according to the Baltimore Business Journal, which reported the site then held 220,000 square feet of industrial buildings that were 95% occupied at the time of sale. Clark went on to invest $3.5 million redeveloping the property, converting 15,000 square feet into social and dining spaces alongside 65,000 square feet of vehicle storage, the Business Journals reported in September. The club now offers 65,000 square feet of climate-controlled indoor parking that accommodates more than 200 vehicles, with members getting 24-hour access, per the Daily Record. On-site services include vehicle detailing, battery charging, and mechanical support. Clark said the club is designed to adapt to different needs, from quiet work during the day to evenings out and weekend celebrations.
Simulators, Leagues and a Growing Membership Roster
Beyond car storage, members can use two racing simulators and two golf simulators, with leagues, tournaments, and curated programs running year-round, according to the Daily Record. The campus also includes an outdoor patio, conference room, and private offices, alongside event space built for holidays, birthday parties, wedding receptions, anniversaries, and fundraisers. Park + Social hosts regional car clubs, drives, and similar gatherings, and per a news release, also offers wine and whiskey nights, art shows, and live music.
Ahead of its formal grand opening, Park + Social had enrolled roughly 150 founding members by late September, according to the Business Journals, which noted members use the space for business networking, car storage, sim racing, and community events. The club celebrated its official grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony on September 24, following a multi-week series of community open houses and member preview dinners, per Nottingham MD.
A Historic Corridor Weighing Growth Against Preservation
Park + Social sits within the 6,066-acre Long Green Valley Historic District, a rural agricultural preserve in northern Baltimore County listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982, according to the National Park Service. The district is defined by preserved 18th- and 19th-century farmlands, historic estates, and strict preservation guidelines, which shape how commercial projects along Glen Arm Road can move forward.
That tension played out formally in January 2024, when Baltimore County officials held zoning hearings under Case Number 2023-0213-SPHA to review the special permits needed for commercial operations at the site, according to Baltimore County Government records. Special hearing approvals in the county regulate noise, parking, and land use in rural historic corridors like this one.
Nearby, public money has also gone toward preserving the area's rail heritage. In November 2022, Maryland awarded $182,464 in historic tax credits toward a $912,320 project to restore the adjacent 1909 Glen Arm Railroad Station into a community coffee shop called The Roast, according to Preservation Maryland. The station served the Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad until passenger service ceased in 1954.
Part of a Wider Car Club Trend
Park + Social's debut mirrors a broader national pattern of private vehicle storage facilities expanding into multi-use social clubs. Hoodline recently reported that Detroit's Motor City Car Club opened public dining inside its members-only garage this month, part of a trend of specialty vehicle facilities adding coworking spaces, simulators, and bars to draw in members who may not even own a car themselves.
