Howard County : Development News

Construction on the Mall in Columbia’s expansion could begin as early as mid-January, according to Howard County officials. The 75,000-square-foot addition will add new shops and restaurants at the shopping center that is near 100 percent occupancy.

The makeover will add more outdoor space, landscaping and pedestrian-friendly design so it resembles more of a lifestyle center, says Mark Thompson, director of downtown redevelopment for Howard County.

"Consumers really enjoy that outdoor shopping experience," Thompson says. "Enhanced landscaping areas for sitting are very popular."

Those are some of the components of the Wegmans-anchored Hunt Valley Towne Centre and Annapolis Towne Centre at Parole, though mall officials say Columbia's plans aren't modeled on any specific shoppng center. 

General Growth Properties Inc., the mall's owner, will reopen the original mall entrance so patrons can walk directly from the mall to the pedestrian bridge that connects to the lakefront area across the street, says Mall in Columbia Marketing Manager Michelle Jose.

The mall’s first phase will be completed by the end of 2013. Jose says she does not yet know when the second phase will begin and could not say what new shops the expanded mall will hold. Nordstrom, Macy’s and JC Penney are among the 1.4 million-square-foot mall’s anchor tenants. It also has an Apple store, P.F. Chang’s and Cheesecake Factory.

The construction plans will likely include a smaller L.L. Bean to make room for the new tenants, Thompson says. At about 15,000 square feet, the outdoor clothing and recreation store will be about half the size. 

The mall’s expansion is one component of Columbia’s long-term redevelopment plan that calls for more open, walkable space so it resembles something like Reston, Va.

“The vision is to create a more urbanized area,” Thompson says. “The mall is a key component of downtown.”

The county’s planning board will hold a hearing on the mall’s expansion. The mall plans must also go through the county’s design advisory panel. 

Writer: Julekha Dash; [email protected]
Sources: Michelle Jose, Mall in Columbia; Mark Thompson, Howard County 

A local development company plans to demolish existing warehouse space and build a new approximately $15 million, 57-unit apartment complex in Canton.
 
Plans for the four-story apartment with a sub-level parking garage at 1202 and 1220 S. East Ave. will go before the city's zoning appeals board June 26 for approval.
 
Ellicott City's Canton East LLC, based anticipates the start of demolition of the existing vacant buildings before the end of June and for construction to begin before the end of September. The apartment complex would then open March 2014, says manager of Canton East LLC, Ross Taylor.
 
The 56,000-square-foot building would include studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments for rent. Square-footage on each apartment runs from 600 square-feet to 1,200 square-feet. Taylor says apartment prices have  yet to be determined, but the rents will be competitively priced with other rental buildings in the area.

Taylor says that rents for the apartments will be comparable to complexes like The Eden and Spinnaker Bay Apartments. The average price for a studio at these locations is $1,730 per month, the average price for a one-bedroom is $2,100 per month, and two-bedroom apartments average $2,800 per month. 

Taylor grew up in Baltimore and has lived in the Canton area for the past five years.  While on walks with his dog, he kept seeing the industrial buildings in the heart of a residential community and decided they were out of place and that he would redevelop the location. 
 
The units will wrap around a central courtyard that will include patio space with a grill, outdoor seating, and a dog run. Other amenities include a fitness and business center that will have a conference room, computer kiosk, coffee bar and kitchenette.
 
Taylor hopes to take advantage of the continued development in Canton including the upcoming Canton Crossing and the already popular Canton Square. He hopes to attract people who want to live in the area including employees at Johns Hopkins and those who work downtown.
 
This project will be Canton East LLC's first large project in Baltimore as the company works primarily out of Howard County. Taylor describes Canton East LLC as a family real estate company that develops commercial and residential properties.
 
 
Source: Ross Taylor, manager, Canton East LLC
Writer: Alexandra Wilding, [email protected]

Two local entrepreneurs want to bring the bounties of Maryland's farms to your neighborhood, maybe even your doorstep.
 
Here's the concept: Friends & Farms goes out and gets the freshest produce, meat, dairy, and seafood from farms and suppliers around the region. Then they divide it all into a basket that you pick up once a week from a designated location in your area. They also plan to provide direct delivery to homes, says co-founder Tim Hosking.
 
In the works since last fall, the venture will launch May 31 with the first basket pick-up in the week of June 4. The company will start in Howard County and plans to expand to locations as far north as Baltimore City and County, and as far south as Northern Virginia, Hosking says.
 
Baskets will include two proteins, a myriad of fruit and vegetables, milk and bread every week, and occasionally items like eggs, bacon, herbs and spices. The food will have been picked, baked, or harvested within 24 to 48 hours.
 
They are priced more along the lines of Giant as opposed to Whole Foods or a farmers' market, Hosking says.
 
Hosking says he thinks that quality, freshness, and price will differentiate Friends & Farms from other retailers and markets. Large baskets designed for a family of four will retail at $76, while smaller baskets for two will run at $51. 
 
The company recently leased a 4,500-square-foot office and warehouse space in Columbia as its distribution base. It currently employs four full-time employees with plans to hire additional part-time workers.
 
Hosking and co-founder Philip Gottwals have both worked in areas of community development, food and agriculture and finance. They are hoping to better connect busy, working people with high-quality, fresh foods straight from the farm and sea.
 
"We really want to work in the food system, and many aspects of it aren't functioning well, some may even say it’s broken. We are putting our money where our mouths are with this project," Hosking says.
 
Friends & Farms will host a launch event May 31 at Boordy Vineyards in Hydes.
 
Source: Tim Hosking, co-founder of Friends & Farms
Writer: Alexandra Wilding, [email protected]

The owners of a proposed BonChon Chicken in Ellicott City will go before the Howard County Liquor Board this week.
 
The 2,000 square-foot location at 3419 Plum Tree Drive is just off Route 40 and near near Serafino’s Italian Market and across from the Village Green Shopping Center.
 
The company specializes in Korean fried chicken, and currently has locations in California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Virginia as well as locations abroad including Korea.
 
The hearing will be another step towards the restaurant's planed opening, which will mark the company's first location in Maryland.
 
Min Bros. Inc, applied for the license, and the hearing is planned for May 8 at 6:30 p.m., according to the liquor board.
 
A previous hearing was held for the proposed restaurant in March, but the liquor board asked for the company's attorney, Linda Carter, to make corrections to provide more information for the board, says liquor board administrator, Denise King.
 
The application has since been amended, King says.
 
Min Bros. Inc. hasn't yet signed a franchise contract with BonChon Chicken, says a franchise consultant at the company's New York Office, but they are in negotiations and plan to open the restaurant "soon."
 
Source:Denise King, Howard County Board Liquor Board administrator
Writer: Alexandra Wilding, [email protected]

Two area theater organizations will have a new home in Columbia late this year. 

Construction on the new 10,000 square-foot Red Branch Theatre began last week, with approximately 40 community members attending its groundbreaking ceremony, says Ray Weiss, the theatre's publicist.
 
Red Branch Theatre Company, a theater company founded in 2008, and Drama Learning Center, a theater education organization, will both be housed at the new location near the intersection of Red Branch Road and Old Annapolis Road in Columbia.
 
The project is being financed by the Sanford Companies Inc. 
 
Owner and artistic director of Red Branch Theatre, Stephanie Lynn Williams, hopes the space will provide additional resources for the community of Howard County in the area of dramatic and performing arts.
 
Williams also owns Drama Learning Center, which offers year-round production and acting classes for youth from grades pre-K to 12.
 
The new space will include a 200-seat theater, a reception area, a backstage area, and two rehearsal spaces, Williams says.
 
With the expansion, the Drama Learning Center plans to hire additional teaching staff, and the theater company will hire a new technical director for the space, Williams says.
 
The space will also be available to rent, which will address the demand for performing arts space in Howard County, says Weiss.
 
 
Sources: Ray Weiss, publicist for Red Branch Theatre; Stephanie Lynn Williams, owner and artistic director of Red Branch Theatre.
Writer: Alexandra Wilding, [email protected]

Shoppers at Columbia’s new Wegmans Food Markets won’t have to go far to find that perfect wine for their meal.  A new 9,800-square-foot liquor store will open on the second floor of the Wegmans building, the store’s owner says.

Upstairs Wine, Liquor & Beer hopes to cater to shoppers at the new grocery store by offering a “Wegmans-type” shopping experience for customers with a huge variety of wines, beers, and spirits from all over the world, Owner Mike Smith says.

The store’s emphasis, Smith says, will be on wine and craft beers, including some from Maryland.

“This store will definitely not be a typical strip center package store,” Smith says.

For Smith, the location near Wegmans is ideal as he hopes Wegmans' customers will look to his store for liquor to accompany food purchases.

If Smith’s liquor license application receives approval from the Howard County Liquor Board May 1, he plans to open Upstairs Wine, Liquor & Beer within six to eight weeks. Construction is still underway and most of the store’s 20 to 25 employees still need to be hired and trained.

Wegmans will open June 17 off Snowden River Parkway and McGaw Road in Columbia.

A lawyer and 20-year resident of Ellicott City, Smith says he has made his own wines and brewed his own beer for over 20 years.

“You might say that I’m trying to branch out professionally into another area that very much interests me,” Smith says.

The shop also plans to offer tasting and other educational events to inform customers about wine and beer to enhance their meals, Smith says.


Source: Mike Smith, owner of Upstairs Wine, Liquor & Beer
Writer: Alexandra Wilding, [email protected]
 

A healthcare management company with extensive state and federal government contracts will open an office in Columbia next month.
 
Headquartered in Omaha, StrategicHealthSolutions LLC plans to expand its real estate footprint to include a 8,800-square-foot space in Columbia Corporate Park. The company will invest $125,000 in its expansion, CEO Peg Stessman says.
 
The company plans to grow from its six employees in Maryland to fill the office space that can accommodate as many as 50 workers, Stessman says.
 
The skill-set of area workers drew the company to the region, as many prospective employees are familiar with running government programs.
 
Compared to a location like Omaha, where government contracts are less common, Stessman says she will have a choice of "thousands" of potential employees compared with a "handful."
 
"Omaha isn't known as a government contract mecca," Stessman says.
 
The company's headquarters will remain in Omaha.
 
The company specializes in healthcare management, including education and training, medical review, monitoring and compliance and auditing, particularly with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
 
The small business has steadily expanded over the past six and currently has 101 employees.

Stessman says she plans to divide her time evenly between Columbia and Omaha. After working out of hotel rooms and coffee shops for several years, she says she can't wait for an office. 

Source: Peg Stessman, says president and CEO of StrategicHealthSolutions.
Writer: Alexandra Wilding, [email protected]

Hiring for the Lotte Plaza in Catonsville will begin early this summer as the grocery will employ as many as 75 for the new location.

The positions will be "typical retail supermarket positions," from cashiers to managers to bookkeepers, says Lotte Plaza Director Alvin Lee.  The company plans to hire from within the organization first and then reach out to the community at large, Lee says
 
The Asian market plans to open a store at One Mile West Shopping Center in Catonsville this summer and will compete a multimillion-dollar renovation of the 46,000-square-foot space, says Bob G. Pollokoff, president of The Fedder Co.

The remodeling of the building will begin later this month and will include renovations to both the inside and outside of the building. Lotte Plaza will remodel the interior of the building, turning it from a space formerly used as a toy store into a full-service grocery store, Pollokoff says.
 
Lotte Plaza will take over the space formerly occupied by Toys-"R"-Us at the shopping center that also includes Panera Bread and Pier 1 Imports at 6600 Baltimore National Pike. The Fedder Co., a commercial real estate development, investment, and management company that manages more than 1.8 million square-feet of commercial property in Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, owns the property.
 
Lotte Plaza operates 13 markets in seven states including locations in Ellicott City, Germantown, and Silver Spring and employs over 300 employees.
 
Sources: Alvin Lee, director at Lotte Plaza and Bob G. Pollokoff, president of The Fedder Company.
Writer: Alexandra Wilding

Garden Deli, specializing in healthy sandwiches and salads, will open in the Columbia Corporate Park in early February.

The 1,709-square-foot restaurant will hold seven tables, says Owner Sang Yoo, who will run the deli with his wife, Yoon.

Columbia Corporate Park is located near the intersection of Snowden River Parkway and Route 175 in Columbia near the University of Phoenix complex. Other nearby restaurants include the Greene Turtle Sports Bar & Grille, Royal Taj and Cheeburger Cheeburger.

Yoo is currently developing the menu, but expects to sell sandwiches from $5 to $6.29.

The Yoos live in Columbia and decided to open the deli because they love the area. The Garden Deli is the couple’s only business.

Writer: Alexandra Wilding
Source: Sang Yoo, Garden Deli

Howard County’s is debuting its largest branch next month — a $29 million new building in Ellicott City expected to bring in one million visitors per year.

Opening mid-December, the new Miller branch will replace an aging building with three times the space and, hopefully, a LEED Gold certification.

The 63,000-square-foot library will include a stone bridge, a garden to hold science and technology education and a terrace that will serve as an outdoor classroom or a spot where guests can listen to acoustic guitar concerts.

Yes, you just read library and acoustic guitar in the same sentence.

The site will house the Howard County Historical Society and a history education center, including genealogy resources, says Valerie Gross, CEO of the Howard County Library System.

A 3,000-square-foot meeting room will allow it to hold best-selling authors like Jodi Picoult, who will make an appearance March 16. Gross says she expects up to 600 visitors for the event, some coming as far away as New York.

A garden located in a quarter-acre park will be the setting for health, science and environmental education. It will include a pizza garden – a garden growing tomatoes, onions, green peppers and other vegetables to encourage kids to order vegetables on their pizza.

Howard County, and a $2 million grant from the Maryland State Department of Education, provided funding for the building.

Widening Route 1, enhancing libraries and other services, and including more affordable housing could all be part of a new Howard County master plan that will be adopted next year.

The county devises a new master plan every 10 years to ensure that zoning and other regulations can accommodate new jobs and housing.

A task force is currently weighing several changes to the master plan and will put together a draft by the end of the year, says Marsha McLaughlin, the county’s director of planning and zoning. After getting input from the public, the proposal will go before the planning board, followed by the Howard County Council.

Widening Route 1 to include bike lanes, sidewalks and trees will likely be part of the plan, though the county has to determine how to pay for this, McLaughlin says. Offering more affordable housing is also on the map for the county, which has many of the state’s wealthiest zip codes.

County officials will also examine whether the Route 1 corridor needs more schools, senior centers, libraries and other services.

The county will need to look at how it can sustain its quality of life while accommodating future population growth, McLaughlin says.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Marsha McLaughlin, Howard County Planning and Zoning

WhiteWave Foods Co., the maker of Horizon milk and other dairy foods, will open a sales office in Columbia by the end of the year.

The Broomfield, Co., company’s 4,000-square-foot office will be located at the Columbia Corporate Park at 8850 Stanford Blvd. The company signed a lease with Merritt Properties Inc.

The office will support customers on the East Coast, says Sara Loveday, a spokeswoman for the company. The office will employ eight initially, of whom five are new employees. The plan is to hire another four.

WhiteWave’s brands also include Silk Soymilk, flavored creamer International Delight and Half & Half under the Land O’Lakes brand name, licensed from the Arden Hills, Minn., company.


Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Sara Loveday, WhiteWave

The Howard County Tourism Office is getting more space to tout its attractions.

A welcome center on the second floor of its downtown Ellicott City office will open in the next month, featuring information on the county's restaurants, art galleries, bike trails and shopping, says Howard County Tourism Executive Director Rachelina Bonacci. The 3,000-square-foot space will also showcase Howard County history, including its Native American heritage and its role in the Civil and Revolutionary Wars.

The county, which purchased the building in 2007, is spending about $525,000 to spruce up with space with new paint, HVAC and other renovations, says Jim Irvin, director of public works.

“We’ll finally have a welcome center that reflects the community,” Bonacci says. “We serve an educated, affluent community and we’ll have a space that can show off what the county has to offer.”

Last year Money magazine named Howard County’s Columbia and Ellicott City one of the best small towns in America.


Writer: Julekha Dash
Sources: Rachelina Bonacci, Howard County Tourism; Jim Irvin, Howard County

A senior care business is looking to launch a dozen franchises in Greater Baltimore.

Comfort Keepers, based in Dayton Ohio, is eyeing primarily Baltimore, Howard, and Anne Arundel Counties for the new startups, says Jim Brown, Comfort Keepers' vice president of franchise development.

The areas the company is targeting include Pikesville, Essex, Annapolis, Severn and Elkridge. It already has offices in Columbia and Towson.  It has 630 locations throughout the country.

Franchisees can expect to spend $85,000 to $100,000 in startup costs. Its business model is to get out into the community and start marketing and advertising its senior care services to get referrals for people who need at-home care, Brown says.

According to the U.S. Census, seniors make up 12 percent of the Maryland population and that number is expected to grow as the baby boomers age.

The company hopes to get the first three franchises up and running within six months. It will hold an open house at the Doubletree Annapolis hotel Sept. 17.


Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Jim Brown, Comfort Keepers