Live Like James Rouse: Columbia Dream Home

The master planner's Wilde Lake home offers lakefront views and remnants of the past.

There's a piece of history on the market in Columbia, one that offers some of the best views of any lake in the city—James and Patricia Rouse's Wilde Lake home. James Rouse was the founder of the Rouse Company and a noted developer who led the design of the city of Columbia, Fanueil Hall in Boston and indoor malls across the country, according to a biography in the Columbia Archives. Patricia Rouse married James in 1974 and later went on to co-found the Enterprise Foundation with him in 1982, noted her obituary. The five-bedroom, five-bathroom house located at 10450 Waterfowl Terrace still has many of the design features the Rouse's added after they bought the home, such as a breakfast nook, clay tiles on the kitchen counters and around …

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Renowned Architect Frank Gehry Visits Columbia

The architect tours the planned community on the cusp of reinventing its downtown, but doesn't commit to designing anything.

  When John DeWolf, senior vice president of Howard Hughes Corp., announced Whole Foods' new lease at the former Rouse Company building in downtown, he hinted that renowned architect Frank Gehry may play a role in redesigning that building, the Merriweather Post Pavilion or another building downtown. On Thursday, it appeared even more possible Gehry is going to get involved, as DeWolf and the architect spent the day touring downtown, according to a report in the Baltimore Sun. According to the article, DeWolf stated again Howard Hughes' desire to use the architect once again in Columbia. Gehry, 83, who is based in California, said he was interested, but made no commitments, according to the Sun. Gehry, who designed such iconic buildings as…

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Edward Norton Misses out on Avengers

The Columbia native was not asked to reprise his 2008 Hulk role in 2012's smash hit The Avengers.

The Avengers is estimated to be the biggest opening weekend in movie history, pulling in a whopping $205 million, according to Marvel/Walt Disney Studios, the makers of the film. The film stars superheroes who themselves have been the subjects of recent movies. There is Robert Downey Jr., who played Iron Man in 2008 and the sequel in 2010. Chris Hemsworth, who took up the hammer in 2011, plays Thor. Chris Evans, who played Captain America in the 2011 film, was also invited back for The Avengers. However, not reprising his 2008 role as The Incredible Hulk is Edward Norton, the grandson of Columbia’s founder James Rouse and a native of Columbia. The role of Bruce Banner/ The Hulk is played by Mark Ruffalo in The Avengers. Should Norton have …

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Patty Rouse, Co-Founder of Enterprise and Wife of James Rouse, Dies At 85

The Columbia woman will be remembered as a leader in the affordable housing industry.

Patty Rouse, wife of the late James Rouse, co-founder of Enterprise Community Partners Inc. and a leading voice in the Columbia community, died Monday at age 85. The news was confirmed by a spokesperson at Enterprise in Columbia, which has offices throughout the country, and through an email sent to Enterprise employees notifying them of Rouse's death. Rouse and her husband James, the developer credited with bringing the planned community of Columbia to fruition in 1967, founded Enterprise in 1982 with the goal of helping every American live in affordable homes. Since then, the company has invested more than $11 billion in equity, grants and loans to help build or preserve nearly 300,000 affordable homes, according to Enterprise's website…

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Rouse Began Buying Land for Columbia 50 Years Ago

Visionary developer James Rouse bought first parcel of land for the planned town in November 1962.

The Mall in Columbia Turns the Big 4-0 Tuesday

How will the mall fit into Columbia’s downtown redevelopment plans?

Forty years ago today, Aug. 2, 1971, the Mall in Columbia opened its doors. The 640,000-square-foot structure was developed by the same entity, The Rouse Company, which conceptualized Columbia, the planned community that came to be in 1967 and was the vision of developer James Rouse.  Today, the mall occupies 1.4 million square feet and has more than 200 stores, kiosks and restaurants. General Growth Properties, which began managing the mall in 2004, estimates the mall sees 18 million shoppers each year. By all definitions, the mall has thrived, when other Rouse Co. mall concepts, such as the Owings Mills Mall, which celebrated its 25th anniversary last month, have lost stores and prestige as shoppers and tenants have fled to other …

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