I am so tired of these politics. Just let the developers help the area by bringing in high quality retail. In my opinion, Greenberg-Gibbons has gone above and beyond (even starting a facebook page to dispel the nasty rumors others are spreading) to demonstrate the obvious-- rezoning Solo cup is NECESSARY for the revitalization of Owings Mills!

Stop the obstruction!

Wow. Ken Oliver want more traffrice studies. Is he kidding, who does he represent the builders or the people that he represents? Cmom, Ken, we
see where you are going with this. Build the Shopping center and bring in the Wegmans. Maybe you can get a job there after you lose the next election,.

Mr Oliver wants to have the state look af the traffic situation without factoring in the Foundry Row development, then, if approved, the development will change all the factors again. Another example of a politician's penny wise, dollar foolish waste of money. And even if the traffic is studied from both angles, it is still a waste of time and money.

Love to hear what one of Ken's supporters has to say about this....

The Metro center is less than a mile from this proposed site. How is their development any different than Foundry Row?

wait, isn't this the same Ken Oliver who pleaded guilty in 2009 of theft charges related to his campaign finance funds??

Wow!! Democrats arguing with democrats? This is so political that some don't even realize their directions and what we the people really don't understand is who is pushing what buttons? But remember a few months ago when the Exec himself was @ the site to announce the coming of "Foundry Row" how can what may not occur even get to that point? Now look behind the scenes and who is representing the developer as the attorney and what are the real positions of the leadership? What a mess! Why don't we just put in some good section 8 housing at the location so that they can access good "upscale" retail that would improve their quality of life, provide them with good paying jobs etc. Oh and what about the Metro Center where there is adequate parking and infrastructure? Yes the county has already committed there with the new CCBC and Library so where/when will that be built and how do you justify the two? Why not link them together with a transit hub/elevated rail system like the "people movers" @ Disney! Yep you get my point both are just fantasies and the end result more retail which will just cause additional urban blight at already vacant shopping centers ??? Just don't even mention the mall that would make three projects?

We just want a frigging Wegman's!

If Wegmans gets built at the Owings Mills Mall, would that please both sides of this argument? The folks who want Wegmans would have their Wegmans, and the folks who want the mall redeveloped and thriving again would get their wish. In the meantime, the State does their traffic studies and improves Reisterstown Road. Why can't this proposed scenario work?

Wegmans is fine. The hundreds of thousands of square feet of other stuff is the issue. Greenberg Gibbons talks about Wegmans but is proposing hundreds of thousands of square feet of small retail that will put everyone up and down Reisterstown Road out of business. Won't look so good with boarded up buildings up and down. Its bad enough already and please don't say that all of that will help the existing retail. How many shoppers are there?

And thankfully someone cares about traffic. I don't care where any of these things go but three huge developments within a mile of each other??? How can the roads handle that. And I want a Wegmans too but don't close your eyes to the issues of all of these developments just because you like to shop at Wegmans!

To be clear - there is only one state study, the one that $500,000 was put aside for, and the study is NOT mandated. The area has been studied a lot. And to respond to BrownGirl71 - Wegmans has expressed that they don't want to go to the mall. The basic argument Kimco is making (they are the company hoping to redevelop the mall) is that if a Wegmans is put on Reisterstown Road, it hurts the mall's redevelopment potential because retailers will want to locate there.

Why would Ken Oliver want a second study done at tax payers expense when Greenberg Gibbons has to have it done anyway before they can get approval from the State Highway Association?

I'm in support of all projects BUT it seems like Mr. Oliver is making a big ta-do about nothing. The Metro Centre which is less than a mile from Foundry Row/Solo is going to be huge! Some where around 2 million square feet? Library, CCBC, a hotel, apartments, retail, restaurants, commerical space, etc. And David Brown's website says there are 160,000 consumers within a 5 mile radius. With Foundry Row being about 25% of the size of the Metro Centre how is this an issue? The traffic will be going to the Metro Centre anyway. If the roads can support the traffic for the Metro Centre surely it can support it for Foundry Row.

Okay Chuck, hoping you aren't insulting me. Also Kimco purchased 50% of the OM Mall months after Greenberg Gibbons closed on the Solo property and announced their intentions. So why did they purchase it knowing this? Isn't Kimco one of the largest owners of shopping malls in the US? The other mall owners also own Harborplace. So there is some major financial backing for the mall, they should just extend the housing that is around the mall and put in some decent restaurants, clean up that parking lot, upgrade the theater, put in some green space, maybe a public park or walking area. So many things they can do, I don't understand why Foundry Row is such an issue for them.

The Say No to Solo Coalition supports Mr. Oliver. They have a link to this article on their facebook page. They also have, what seems to be 100 signs around Garrison Forest Plaza, plus a couple of larger signs. It's an obnoxious display in my opinion. Makes me not want to go to any of the merchants there. Maybe I'll shop in Hunt Valley this weekend.

Delay, Delay, Delay ! Meanwhile, former employees of SOLO will have to wait for work at that location. Shouldn't Employment be the primary reason for development ? Just remember."De-feet goes over de-fence before de-tail." And what we have here Politics gumming-up the road to Employment, plain and simple. An empty property generates no taxes, and meanwhile Unemployment is still 8.5+ %. Go figure !!!

Another point to be made...Greenberg Gibbons and Vanguard are both companies located in Maryland-Owings Mills and Baltimore respectively. Owners of the mall-General Growth based out of chicago (also owns harbor place and the gallery at theh inner harbor) and Kimco is based out of Hyde NY (they own the largest portfolio of commerical properties in North America) --my point is who will be using more locals as employees for the construction phase?

Sher Katz as a homeowner in the Owings Mills area I absolutely love your idea on what can be done with the OM mall space. I basically go to Columbia on the weekends because they have a nice blend of shopping, restaurants, theaters and parks. I'm very disappointed in how the promises of what Owings Mills was supposed to become have fizzled. Has anyone noticed the trash on the streets and the grass and weeds that are allowed to grow on the traffic medians? Perhaps some of the big wigs of Baltimore County should take lessons from the big wigs in Howard County who seem to get it right!

Speaking of fizzles, a few years ago, Walgreens was supposed to build on the opposite corner from Solo - what happened? And Rite-Aid by Tollgate? Are they casualties of Mr. Oliver's long delayed traffic studies?

If you build it right, they will come! Our area will flourish despite woes of over growth, it is time to set aside fear and pursue what our area deserves. Why delay our growth and allow other areas where as Wegmans has risen and helped fourish such as hunt valley, belair, Columbia continue to deeply root their economic stability. Owings Mills resident opposing growth despite fear of traffic is getting utterly ridiculous. Look at other areas. The certain is, without growth we will fail as a community. With it, we can at least compete at best. Give us a fighting chance.

At first I was against Wegmans. Being an owner of a store located within Owings Mills Mall for 7yrs I hated the fact that General Growth had doubt to redevelopment if Wegmans came. OMM mall needs a redevelopment. Yet, I had a change of mind when I realized GGP/ Kimco has not relished pas opportunity to proceed with redevelopment. The stalling has been an ongoing issue. Owings Mills deserves to fourish by any means necessary. Investors should help us either get in line with other communities or fall behind. The choice is ours. We don't really have to choose a project. Politicians & investors would like us too. Yet, all 3 projects will succeed just fine. Our community with the addition of Stevenson Univ corridor will flourish. Fear is our kryptonite, yet 'Growth' should be our ambition despite all. Councilman seem to be having a sword fight b/c these projects are in different districts despite being in the same corridor. Who cares? Get it right! Success is in our economic growth. It is healthy for retailers to compete for the business of patrons. It forces the hand of novelty and fair price. So ONWARD with all projects!

The new mall should be less retail, more restaurant driven with a lake and greenspace park area, focus more on family entertainment, and tie in with ambiance of a high class technology experience. New tech driven angle! Live band area out door seating and ampitheater/ and or high tech sports complex which our area desperately needs. We should give our kids an area to train, compete, and play any sport of choice ALL YEAR round! There is money in this ideal community. WE MUST GET THIS CONCEPT RIGHT! Invest in our kids in hope to enrich the legacy of our future.

Wegmans need to keep it real as to why they don't want to go to the mall since that was an original option...its all about districting...They don't want Wegmans to be in District 4- which includes areas such as Randallstown...they want it in District 2... there's no logical reason why they would not be happy less than a mile away...it's about location...and demographics...

Has anyone thought about what the Resiterstown corridfor is gonna look if Wegmans closes...giant and safeway will surely close and it will look like the ole Shoppers on Reistertown Road...and probably the other stores in those shopping centers....has anyone even thought about that? And do you honestly think Wegmans will hire former Solo folk....or any of the other folk who will be displaced once Wegmans takes over? Doubt it...I can't wait for them to put a traffic light right at St Thomas and Reisterstown Road so that the traffic will flow better...the Valley residents are gonna go off...because traffic will come pass right through that quiet little area... wake up peopld...don't drink the KoolAid

(First sentence) If wegmans opens...sorry for the typo...I know how you bloggers get...

OH the St. Thomas Giant...haven't been there in years, last time I went in...well lets just say they needed a visit from a pest control company-it was disgusting.

Our household does our shopping this way-
once every 6 weeks or so a run to Trader Joes and to Wegmans-we get the majority of our items that way. Then once a week a visit to the produce market near Franklin on Reisterstown Road, a trip to Walmart to fill in and then a quick trip to Safeway for their sale items. But Safeway or any other merchant in that development isn't getting our money again until all those obnoxious orange say no to solo signs are taken down-isn't it enough they put up those billboards? I totally get why Safeway would be against it but really do they need 100 signs?
It's bothersome that even they don't feel their arguments are strong enough that they have to go to that extent.

Wegmans will bring jobs that are needed for our area. Everytime we get a chance to get somthing good in this area the politicians stick their nose in it and we don't get it. We get something else that goes out of business and becomes another eye sore along RR

All things tied to this type of development process evolve around pocket lining in one form or another, you know...give and take... politicians indirectly included..