LIRS’s National Headquarters in Baltimore LIRS is headquartered at The Lutheran Center at Christ Church in the Inner Harbor area of Baltimore City. The agency, along with its partner Lutheran World Relief, moved from offices in New York City to the new Baltimore building in the fall of 1999. Contact Information Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service 700 Light Street Baltimore MD 21230 lirs@lirs.org 410/230-2700 Fax: 410/230-2890

Click here if you have a press inquiry. Click here to contact LIRS's Travel Loan Services Unit.

Driving Directions

From the North:
Take I-95 South to I-395 (Martin Luther King Blvd.) Follow the signs to the Inner Harbor. Turn right onto Conway Street. Conway Street ends after two blocks at the Inner Harbor. Turn right onto Light Street. The Lutheran Center is on the right at the second traffic light.

OR

Take I-83 South to the St. Paul Street exit. St. Paul Street becomes Light Street after crossing Lombard. The Lutheran Center is on the right, directly across from the Maryland Science Center.

From the South:
Take I-95 North to I-395. Follow the signs for the Inner Harbor. Turn right onto Conway Street. Conway Street ends after two blocks at the Inner Harbor. Turn right onto Light Street. The Lutheran Center is on the right at the second traffic light.

Additional Directional Assistance
Please note that there are many one-way streets in the area, and that the map below is not drawn to scale. You may also wish to use MapQuest for further assistance.

Parking Options

Please refrain from parking next door at Christ Lutheran Church. Thank you.

• P1=Hughes Street Parking Lot — $10 flat fee (Exact Change Required) — This is a nearby lot, located directly across from The Lutheran Center.
• P2=Deaton Hospital Parking Garage — High capacity garage nearby at The Deaton Hospital Center, one block from The Lutheran Center on South Charles Street.
• P3=Harbor Court Hotel Parking Garage — High capacity garage located one block from The Lutheran Center on East Lee Street.
• P4=Rusty Scupper Restaurant — Approximately ½ mile east of The Lutheran Center on Key Highway; lovely walk along Inner Harbor past Federal Hill.
• There are also numerous metered spaces on the streets in the area.

Public Transportation

Baltimore's Light Rail system is a quick means of transportation to Baltimore's downtown area and points north and south. We recommend it for travel to and from the airport. You can buy an all day pass for only three dollars that allows you to ride the Light Rail and buses anywhere in the city until midnight.

From the airport, take the Light Rail to the Camden Yards stop. From that stop, The Lutheran Center is a 15-20 minute walk or a 3-5 minute cab ride. Walk east down Conway Street for three blocks turn right onto Light Street, and The Lutheran Center is two blocks up on the right (on the corner of Key Highway and Light Street). For more detailed information, visit the Maryland Mass Transit Administration online or call 410/539-5000.

Local Accommodations
Rates last checked in 2005.

• Clarion Hotel Peabody Court, 612 Cathedral St., 410/727-7101 — over $129-$900
• Harbor Court Hotel, 550 Light Street, 410/234-0550 — two blocks away, over $180
• Hyatt Regency Baltimore, 300 Light Street, 410/528-1234 — 0.3 mile away, over $180
• Days Inn Inner Harbor, 100 Hopkins Place, 410/576-1000 — 0.6 mile away, over $180
• Sheraton Baltimore City Center Hotel, 101 W. Fayette Street, 410/752-1100 — 0.7 mile away, $135-$180
• Holiday Inn Inner Harbor, 301 West Lombard Street, 410/685-3500 — 0.6 mile away, inexpensive
• Holiday Inn Express at the Stadiums, 1701 Russell Street, 410/727-3400 — 1.0 Mi. Away - $63-$95
• Radisson Plaza Lord Baltimore, 20 West Baltimore Street, 410/539-8400 — 7 city blocks away, $95-$275
• Scarborough Fair Bed and Breakfast, 1 E. Montgomery Street, 410/837-0010 — 0.4 mile away, $129-$159

Airport Accommodations

• Sheraton BWI , 7032 Elm Road — 410/859-3300
• BWI Airport Marriott, 1743 W. Nursery Road — 410/859-8300
• Comfort Suites BWI Airport, 815 Elkridge Landing Road — 410/691-1000

Local Restaurants

• Sam's Bagels, 915 Light Street, 410/837-5447
• Regi's American Bistro, 1002 Light Street, 410/539-7344
• Thai Arroy, 1019 Light Street, 410/385-8587
• Kiku Sushi Restaurant, 1017 Light Street, 410/468-4468
• Maria D's, 1022 Light Street, 410/727-5430
• Subway, 1040 Light Street, 410/350-1270
• Banjara, 1017 S. Charles Street, 410/962-1554

There are many other restaurants, cafes and such along the Inner Harbor and the surrounding areas. Feel free to explore, as you will find every kind of food imaginable.

Taxi Services

• Yellow Cab,410/685-1212
• Sun Cab, 410/230-0300

Page last modified May 7, 2008.