More Support for Foundry Row as Council Hearing Approaches
Another local organization has expressed its support for Foundry Row. The Baltimore County Council holds a public hearing in Pikesville tonight on Foundry Row and other rezoning issues.
As local residents, business and community groups prepare statements for the Baltimore County Council Public Hearing in Pikesville tonight, yet another group has expressed support for Foundry Row.
The Liberty Road Association joins the Combined Communities Advocacy Council of Greater Randallstown (CCACGR), Owings Mills Corporate Roundtable, Greater Greenspring Association, Pikesville Chamber of Commerce, Reisterstown-Owings Mills-Glyndon Chamber of Commerce (ROMG) and Reisterstown-Owings Mills-Glyndon Coordinating Council (ROG) in its support of the Wegmans-anchored retail project, which would be built at the Solo Cup site on Reisterstown Road.
“We believe all three proposed project will benefit the entire Northwest Baltimore County community,” said Harold Reid, executive director of the Liberty Road Business Association, in a letter to Councilwoman Vicki Almond.
Among the other two developments are the transit-oriented Metro Centre, which features a 120,000 square foot library and community college, offices, shops and apartments. It is now under construction.
The other is Kimco’s proposed Owings Mills Mall revitalization, which would abandon the indoor mall concept and feature an outdoor, pedestrian-friendly town center with approximately 1 million square feet of retail and restaurants, with a fashion district centered around the existing JCPenney and Macy’s.
But not all community groups are in favor of all development.
A group of residents calling itself the Say No to Solo Coalition recently joined officials from Kimco and David S. Brown, the developer building Metro Centre, in opposition to Foundry Row. Like the developers, Say No to Solo says Foundry Row will increase local traffic, hurt the market by creating an oversupply of retail and will prevent successful redevelopment at the Owings Mills Mall.
Neighboring businesses are also not too keen on the idea of a retail giant at Solo Cup. Bruce Levine, director of commercial real estate at M. Leo Storch Management Corp., which operates the nearby Garrison Forest Shopping Center on Reisterstown Road, said a Wegmans on Reisterstown Road would take business away from the smaller shops in the corridor, such as his tenants, and there isn’t enough residential development to justify adding so much retail at Solo Cup. He said development should be focused on fixing the Owings Mills mall.
“That [mall] was flourishing at one time,” he said. “Those dollars left the mall area and went to Towson, and went to Columbia, and went to Arundel Mills. That was sucked out of the Owings Mills mall.”
Devin
8:13 am on Thursday, June 7, 2012
I will be at the meeting tonight and look forward to hearing both sides. I am currently not in favor of the foundry row project. While I realize that there may be a lack of cooperation on the mall management company and wegmans I really have a hard time imagining a scenerio where foundry row works for all existing businesses, the new stores, and the citizens living in the area who would be footing the bill for road development. It would be ideal in my opinion to develop the mall and connect the metro project.
I will also ne interested to hear why wegmans and the mall management firm have not come to an arrangement.
Chuck Burton
9:29 am on Thursday, June 7, 2012
I believe GG has said they would pay for road modifications. And Wegmans wanted nothing to do with the Mall, realizing it is tucked away in a nook, out of sight and out of mind for shoppers - a lousy location, but suitable for offices and residential towers. And we need shopping along Reisterstown Rd for something besides autos.
ddbs00
10:02 am on Thursday, June 7, 2012
Greenberg Gibbons has vowed to use no public money for the Foundry Row project, including any necessary improvements or additions to the infrastructure around it. They've been clear and open with their intentions, which is why so many community groups and organizations support it, while only one group of nameless, faceless "concerned citizens" oppose.
BrownGirl71
11:50 am on Thursday, June 7, 2012
I am not buying the argument that Wegmans doesn't like the mall as a possible location because it's 'tucked away out of sight.' Can you see the SOLO site from any place other than Reist Road/Painters Mill? Second question: If no public money will be used for the road improvements for the project, why was the Almond delegation lobbying for money for this very location in Annapolis during the last legislative session? There are more questions than answers with this whole re-zoning process...
mark bomse
12:26 pm on Thursday, June 7, 2012
perhaps road improvements are required regardless of the ultimate development of the solo site. as far as visibility, the solo property is highly visible from reisterstown rd., painters mill rd. and i-795,
Chuck Burton
12:58 pm on Thursday, June 7, 2012
The Mall is not visible from I-795, or from Owings Mills Blvd, or from Painters Mill. Do you want to cut the beautiful trees that hide it from travelers on Red Run? It might make a good extension of Mr. Brown's Metro Centre, oriented toward the Metro.
ddbs00
1:33 pm on Thursday, June 7, 2012
To be fair, the mall is visible from 795, or at least it is from the on ramp, as you're leaving Owings Mills...
kanders
6:24 pm on Thursday, June 7, 2012
Why is this meeting in pikesville?
Lynn
8:25 pm on Thursday, June 7, 2012
I strongly support Foundry Row and Wegmans being there.
Zoobie
1:54 am on Friday, June 8, 2012
SOLO Property is much larger than the average passers-by realize. Having delivered product there, I can affirm that it's Huge, both inside and out. My point is, it will take a giant like Wegmans to take that property and develop it properly. There will be competition in the area for sure, but isn't that usually beneficial to the Consumer?
Just asking the question
12:28 pm on Friday, June 8, 2012
Ask yourself this question. Are you excited about Wegman's -- or excited about the redevelopment of the Solo Cup site in general? That is, delete Wegman's from the equation and rate your interest in adding more retail to that area of Reisterstown Road. Is the RR corridor that needy for more retail outlets? Or, do we need places for jobs?
Catherine Ridgely
10:26 am on Saturday, June 23, 2012
Wegmans will bring jobs.
Charles Kane
6:42 pm on Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Zoning plan PASSED by a 6-1 vote. Booyaah!