$65 Million Building Proposed for Vacant Downtown Site

Developers of a $65 million building proposed at a site overlooking Lake Kittamaqundi say they plan to begin construction in the next few months.

The site at the corner of Wincopin Circle and Little Patuxent Pkwy is no stranger to controversy. A proposal by a Florida company in the early 2000s for a 22-story condo building drew community backlash and legal wrangling, which eventually sunk the project.

Now the new owners, Costello Construction, say it has a plan to build a nine-story building with 160 apartments, 130,000 square feet of office space and 12,000 square feet of retail space. Costello bought the 1.1 acre site for $3.5 million last year. 

"When Rouse did rezoning," said David Costello, of Costello Construction, "it said either grow or you die. We're putting up significant dollars to help the Lakefront and downtown grow, so it doesn't die."

Costello plans to start construction without going through the rigorous 16-step downtown development process. 

"That would make things very complicated," said Costello. "I don't want to make the project about that, this should be about whether this is good for the citizens of Columbia and Howard County."

Costello said the zoning on the parcel allows for up to 160 apartments. He said it preceded the downtown development requirements.

"It was permitted, it was zoned, it was entitled all before rezoning happened," said Costello.

He said the building would benefit the community and that the construction would be first-rate. He said they'd obtain LEED gold certification, have class A office space throughout the building, retail on the bottom floors and concrete framing.

"Everything about our project is more ecologically friendly," said Costello. "It has businesses and residences together, less cars, more walking."

An official from the Department of Planning and Zoning said she was not familiar with the plan.

Linda Wengel, Board chair of the Town Center Community Association, told the Baltimore Sun she believed Costello Construction should have to follow the process for development in Downtown Columbia.

A 16-step development process for Downtown Columbia was instituted that requires developers present site and final development plans at community meetings, through a group of local architects and also in front of the planning board. The process has multiple avenues for residents to air grievances about issues with development plans.

Developers including General Growth Properties, who is adding a major addition to the mall, and Howard Hughes, who is currently developing the area around the mall, have followed the process before starting construction on their developments.

Costello said his company, which is located in Downtown Columbia, has worked closely with Howard Hughes on plans to develop the Lakefront.

"We meet regularly," said Costello. "Together there is a significant commitment on the part of both of us to make Columbia's lakefront the absolute best that it can possibly be."

He said the final drawings for the building are still in flux. Costello said the building would be financed by him and a partner, Kingdon Gould Jr.

"To me, it's not about politics," said Costello. "It's about smart development. This is a major commercial project at the lakefront, where nothing has been built in years. We want to try to change that and get some momentum."