Wednesday, May 15, 2013
The redevelopment of Columbia's first village center is expected to complete construction in about two years, said officials Wednesday.
Officials gathered Wednesday to break ground at the Wilde Lake Village Center, a $17 million redevelopment project that will bring new retail space, offices and apartments to the property that was built in 1967. "This is a marathon and we're in the final stretch," said Geoff Glazer, vice president of Kimco Realty, the development company handling the construction. At the event on Wednesday, Kimco staff, local residents, and public officials mingled under an event tent. Glazer spoke about the delays in beginning development due to a vocal Wilde Lake community that criticized the company's plans throughout the process. "This is not a shy village," said Glazer. "They have an opinion and they will share it with you." Plans to develop the …
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
The plan to remove the spots was approved on Thursday.
UPDATE - March 8 - At their meeting on March 7, the Howard County Planning Board approved Howard Hughes Co's plan to remove the parking spots and redevelop the site at the former Rouse Building which is slated to be a Whole Foods and Columbia Association Gym. Original Story - March 5 The big changes shown in Howard Hughes Co.'s plan to develop the Rouse Building downtown to make way for a Whole Foods and Columbia Association Gym largely has to do with parking. One of the most noticeable developments for most residents will be a traffic signal on Little Patuxent Parkway leading into the lakefront lot. A traffic study by the county deemed the signal necessary, according to a staff report written by the the Department of Planning and Zoning. …
Monday, February 11, 2013
Developers and county officials broke ground on the mixed-use building near the Mall in Columbia on Monday morning.
Shovel-wielding development and county officials braved wet weather and gray skies to break ground on the Downtown Metropolitan Columbia on Monday morning. The groundbreaking represents the first mixed-use buildings to break ground in the Warfield area around the Mall in Columbia as part of the greater development of Downtown Columbia. "What I really liked to do is build things," said John DeWolf, senior vice president for the Howard Hughes Corp., the development firm working on the project along with Kettler and Orchard Development. "Now we get to build things." "I grew up in the planned community business," said Bob Kettler, President of Kettler. "Our role model is Jim Rouse... This is one of the best opportunities we can think of in …
Friday, January 18, 2013
"Inner Arbor Plan" plan features a space for Columbia Association’s headquarters, a canopy walkway, a public event space, an amphitheater, new plazas and an enhanced botanical garden.
Columbia Association announced this week they have scrapped their old plan to redevelop Symphony Woods and created a new one that features new buildings and walkways that officials say will create an “iconic” city park in Downtown Columbia. “We think this will satisfy three key areas,” said CA president Phil Nelson, “protect the environment, provide entertainment and showcase the arts.” “We’re excited about new apartments and the mall expansion, but this is something the community can be passionate about,” said CA board member Tom Coale, who represents Dorsey’s Search. Nelson and Coale said the impetus for the redesign came from criticism at community meetings that they weren't thinking big enough on the original plan and that it wasn't …
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
After a few swings of golden sledgehammers, construction will soon begin on the expansion of the Mall in Columbia.
It was May of 2005 when about 500 residents gathered with representatives of General Growth Properties to begin creating a plan to develop Downtown Columbia. On Tuesday, officials from GGP and Howard County swung golden sledgehammers through a wall at the Mall in Columbia, the loud thunks officially ringing in the beginning of the construction process. "This starts a series of groundbreaking and activity after years of discussion," said Howard County Executive Ken Ulman. The Mall is planning to construct a new 75,000 square foot retail and restaurant center in the current location of L.L. Bean. When finished, there will be three new buildings and a new walkway that connects the mall with the Columbia lakefront. "Today marks the beginning …
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
The award was issued by the International Downtown Association.
Downtown Columbia received a Downtown Merit Award from the International Downtown Association (IDA) this past weekend for its multi-year work to plan for the development of the city's Town Center. The Downtown Columbia Master Plan is the fruition of more than six years of planning and community meetings that began in 2005 with a Town Hall meeting focused on James Rouse's vision for Columbia, according to a timeline of the plan. "Columbia, Maryland has long been synonymous with visionary planning," Howard County Executive Ken Ulman said in a statement. "And this recognition shows once again that Columbia is in the vanguard of community planning." IDA awards merit awards for exemplary projects in the field of downtown revitalization that …
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Tell us in comments: Do you support the idea of a new bridge to connect Oakland Mills to downtown Columbia?
Proponents of Bridge Columbia will have to overcome the latest setback in their efforts to build a new bridge over Route 29 that would connect Oakland Mills and downtown Columbia. According to Explore Howard, the development company Howard Hughes found that a new bridge wouldn't be used enough to warrant its expense, according to testimony in front of the County Council by John Powell, office of transportation administrator in Howard County. Do you support the bridge, or do you think the cost outweighs the benefits? - Tell us in the comments. Howard Hughes wouldn't comment on the study because it has not been approved by the county, according to Explore Howard. Bridge Columbia, the group pushing for a new bridge, estimated the cost of a …
Monday, January 9, 2012
Community pre-submission meeting set for Jan. 17 at Howard Community College.
Esther
9:49 pm on Monday, May 20, 2013
agree - the fear was/is that "big corporation" does not care about the original concept of Columbia - your local village center should have a drug store, grocery store, a bank, an eatery, and a few other retailers so that you do not have to have a car to get what you need. I came to Columbia and raised my children here because of Mr. Rouse's vision. Big business and too many apartments and other … more ›