Poll: Do We Need Owings Mills Mall Revamp?
The Owings Mills Mall will be knocked down and replaced with an outdoor shopping center, with demolition starting in 2013.
"It's happening."
Those were the words on a projected screen at the Historic Courthouse in Towson Thursday, when Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz announced that the "it" was the dramatic redevelopment of Owings Mills Mall.
Most, if not all, of the indoor mall will be demolished as part of the redevelopment, which will turn the shopping center into an outward-facing and walkable retail area.
But with major shopping centers like those in Towson, Hunt Valley and White Marsh -- and that's just Baltimore County -- is the need really there for a redevelopment project? Or should the land be used for something else?
You tell us by voting below. If you have your own ideas, leave a comment too, and let's keep this conversation going in Owings Mills.
Chuck Burton
10:25 am on Monday, November 14, 2011
The population and demographics of the RR corridor is adequate to support much better shopping opportunities than we currently have. We now have to go to Towson or Columbia for quality shops -- Why?
Jeffrey Freedman
6:05 pm on Monday, November 14, 2011
I chose other, because I agree with "yes," that we need more shopping opportunities, but I don't agree that the mall needs to be torn down to achieve that. The mall could still be revitalized in its current form.
Mike
2:54 am on Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Has anyone figured out why none wanted to shop at all the stores that used to be in the mall? Why would they come back for any new ones? High crime caused by the subway gave it a bad reputation. They built a huge fence trying to block it off.
Jeffrey Freedman
6:35 pm on Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Yes, I definitely feel that that is a concern. If the current mall is not working, it does not necessarily mean that replacing it with more shopping of another type will get more shoppers to return. Although I don't support the tearing down of the mall, but would absolutely like to see the project succeed in bringing more shoppers back to the area, it is difficult to say if that will really happen. If people are already scared off with the perception of crime close to the Metro station and want to completely avoid that area, then this project may not be successful after all. Hopefully that will not be the case.
Michael
1:17 pm on Friday, November 18, 2011
It seems to me that such a huge and relatively recent, modern development could and should be revamped into a viable asset and valuable resource.
The reasons for its demise have been obvious for several years now; the Light Rail has certainly darkened our doorstep.