Well that's for Vantage Point, the neighborhood that raised me, after the housing stock is updated it will look brand new just like the rest of Town Center making it fit in perfectly.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Vantage Point Reinvestment
Well that's for Vantage Point, the neighborhood that raised me, after the housing stock is updated it will look brand new just like the rest of Town Center making it fit in perfectly.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Owen Brown Reinvestment
Like I've said before Owen Brown has some of Columbia's most dated housing stock yet it one of the fewest number of rental properties of any Columbia Village. Also the size of most homes in Owen Brown are very large. These reasons and more are why redevelopment on a large scale in Owen Brown isn't the answer to put it in the 21st century.
Other Villages warrant redevelopment so much more than Owen Brown but that doesn't mean Owen Brown doesn't need a massive face lift to stay viable. So, I will start a serious of posts that support the massive over haul of exterior facades in almost all Columbia Villages starting with Owen Brown. So here's the reinvestment of Owen Brown.Well that's it for the reinvestment of Owen Brown. Along with the redevelopment, Owen Brown will look completely renewed and you'll barely recognize it.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Dorseys Search Village Center
Casey's Coffee is a business that I think of as a competitor to Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks. Now Dunkin Donuts also host a Baskin Robbins these days, a good way for each business to expand while keeping costs manageable. I think Casey's Coffee, although indepently owned has room to host another business within itself. The Other Business? Smoothie King. Smoothie King is a rapidly growing business that needs to find a niche in Columbia. I suggested one for Owen Brown Village Center and now I'm suggesting one here in Dorsey's Search. I think the brand recognition of Smoothie King will in turn boost business in Casey's Coffee. Another win win. I'm not suggesting Casey's Coffee is struggling by any means I'm just saying that when was the last time a Business Owner has said: "I wish we didn't have so many Customers"
Chevy Chase Bank has been a long time tenant (I believe it's an original) but when facing Dorsey Hall Drive it appears its free standing building is vacant. This picture faces the main strip where the Bank appears as it should; Open For Business.I took this picture when I was getting gas at the Sunoco Station adjacent to the Bank. This is what is seen from Dorsey Hall Drive. I thought Chevy Chase had left the Center because I hadn't taken any pictures yet. There needs to be an illuminated sign and perhaps a second ATM on this side of the Building to attract more Business from Dorsey Hall Drive.
Now for some minor Cosmetic Improvements to the Center. There are archways that are freshly painted bright white. This makes the siding and stucco trim in the Center look washed out and faded. So, the siding should be replaced with the same bright white color and the stucco should be painted that same white as the archways. This will give the Center a new and refreshed look. In 2000, the Rouse Company (Center Owners at the time) put up signs to let people know what Businesses were in the Center. One thing that signs don't have for the most part are logos for chains and they're not illuminated for night time passers by. This is an improvement I'd like to see and it will pay off.
Last but not least is the intersection of Dorsey Hall Drive and the Main Entrance to the Village Center. This has become difficult to negotiate during peak day time hours and a traffic signal should be installed here to control the growing traffic volume.
Now, Dorsey's Search is one of Columbia's healthiest most vibrant Village Centers yet I wrote a very long post about it, Like any Village Center or any Retail Center for that matter, it needs to be closely examined to make sure it continues to do so.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Owen Brown Redevelopment
Owen Brown has some of the most dated housing stock in all of Columbia. That being said, it has very few rental complexes; two to be exact and one is still new.
Redevelopment in Owen Brown will be constricted to areas along Cradlerock that have struggled with crime and can't be modernized with major exterior facade over hauls. Other older Columbia Villages have more of this housing stock, therefore much more of their housing stock falls in the redevelopment category. Owen Brown's housing stock has gone stagnant and much of its housing stock needs a massive exterior face lift that will be discussed in another post. Now for the redevelopment of Owen Brown.
Royal Farms would make a great replacement for the blighted Cradlerock Mart. Shown here is a Flagship Royal Farms Store that Owen Brown should follow when redeveloping the Convenience Store.
I'm not proposing the New Building be a Goddard School but they should use this as a model.Well, like I said there's not much in Owen Brown that needs redeveloping. Stay tuned for the Owen Brown Reinvestment Post that will cover more of Owen Brown and really renew Owen Brown.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Harpers Choice Redevelopment
I'll be the first to say that Harper's Choice has made a huge come back in the past several years but is that enough? It needs to be more visual than that just a drastic reduction in crime, higher School Test Scores and higher property values.
There are still pockets saturated with blighted section 8 housing that may deter future homeowners and renters. With older Columbia Villages it's all about creating a sense of new. Why buy an older home in Columbia when you can buy a newer one in Ellicott City or Elkridge. Lets at least give them an option of new construction in Columbia. So with that, I give my redevelopment plan for Harpers Choice.First, we'll start off with Harper's Forest Apartments and Ranleigh Court Town Homes. Harper's Forest Apartments is market level rentals with a few Section 8 units thrown in. The buildings are old and tired looking. Despite recent renovations to the interiors it still lacks the modern conveniences that dwellers of modern day complexes take for granted such as a washer & dryer in the unit and walk in closets to name a couple. Ranleigh Court is a Community Homes development consisting exclusively of section 8 units.
In place of both developments will be new condos and apartments that look like these. It will be a mixed income community known as "Swansfield Crossing." A possible street connection making turnabout lane even with Twin Rivers Road should be considered. The name appropriate because the new community would be visible to passers by on Little Patuxent Parkway and will make a good impression of Harpers Choice. The income mix will be 45% Market Rate Homeownership, 40% Market Rate Rental, 10% Subsidized Homeownership, and 5% Subsidized Rentals.
Next we come to Fall River Terrace, perhaps the worst Community Homes development. It's struggled with drug dealing, loud parties, and messy common areas. The redevelopment of Fall River Terrace will be very symbolic in the continued renewal of Harper's Choice.
What will now grace the grounds of Fall River Terrace will be "The Townes of Harper's Choice." which will consist of two car garage town homes with said garage located in the back of the home. These wider town homes have a few narrow units made to look the width one of the normal ones. The narrow ones will be the subsidized units. The income mix will be 100% Home ownership 75% Market Rate and 25% Subsidized.
Next we come to the Meadows Town Homes located both off of Eliots Oak Road and Hesperous Drive. This is the first Community in Harper's Choice I'd like to see redeveloped that is Owner Occupied. That would make redevelopment all the more difficult when acquiring land and property from dozens of owners rather than just one or two, but "if you don't dream big don't dream it all" that's been my motto when writing these blogs. The meadows has become dated and the small size of the homes are not compatible with the needs of a modern family. Homeowners have tried very hard to maintain their homes but there are somethings they can't change. The streets located in the meadows are as follows; Hildebrand Court located off of Eliots Oak Road closest to Harpers Farm Road, Fallriver Row Court between Hildebrand Court and Hesperous Drive, Mystic Court located off of Hesperous Drive closest to Eliots Oak Road and Endicott Lane located farthest from Eliots Oak Road. The location of these streets will play a pivotal part in their redevelopment.
Notice the two different style of Town Homes I chose for this new Community. The first picture is of one car garage "stacked" two level town homes which will be on the outer edge of the new Community titled "Longfellow Pointe" The outer portions include the southern part of Hildebrand Court, the northern, eastern, and western ends of Mystic Court, and all of Endicott Lane. The inner portions of "Longfellow Pointe will include the northern portion of Hildebrand Court, all of Fallriver Row Court, and the southern portion of Mystic Court. These homes will be one or two garage "back to back" town homes where what you think is the back of a home is actually the front of a totally different home with a different street address. That's why I positioned these particular homes in the middle of the Community where they will only face each other. These will be 100% Market Rate with a 50-50 Homeowner/Rental split.
Capistrano Villas are town homes with an apartment underneath located between Fenland Fields Apartments and Harper's Choice Village Center. Their dated style and lack of exterior maintenance make them ripe for redevelopment. Also being near Fenland Fields Apartments has had a negative effect on this development (you have to drive Fenland Feilds to access it.)
In its place will be "Joesph Square Overlook" the original name for Harper's Choice Village Center was just that, Joesph Square. Capistrano Villas overlooked the Village Center and so will its replacement hence the name. I like to throw in a little history when I can. Joseph Square Overlook will be laid out the same as its predecessor; two story town homes with an apartment underneath. The town homes are accessible by going up the flight of stairs and the apartment entrance is at ground level. Upon entering the apartment, you'd go down a flight of stairs first. Joseph Square Overlook will be 100% Market Rate Home Ownership.
This vacant parcel at the corner of Harpers Farm Road and Rivendel Lane overlooks the Golf Course and would be prime for over priced condos. I'm choosing a different method for this piece of land.
What I have in mind is Senior Apartments ages 62 & Better. They will be 100% Subsidized Rentals and displaced Seniors from Ramleigh Court, Waverly Winds, Fall River Terrace, and Harper House will get first dibs. The new development will be called "The Fairways at Hobbits Glen."
Harper House (nee Abbott House) was once Harper's Choice's most dangerous development. There was drug dealing in the stair wells, loud parties, and even a shooting or two. There have been numerous drug related arrests here that have calmed things down in the mean time. The building is dated and casts a blighted shadow at one of Harper's Coice's most heavily traveled intersections; Cedar Lane and Harpers Farm Road. Currently this is 100% subsidized rentals.
In is place will be three mixed income buildings like this one with underground parking. They will be built on the grounds of the former Harper House, its parking lot, and green patch adjacent to it. The income mix will be 55% Market Rate Home Ownership 35% Market Rate Rentals 5% Subsidized Home Ownership and 5% Subsidized Rentals. The new development will be called "Swansfield Grove."
Harper's Village (Grand Banks Road) has seen better days (and worse.) Being located between two Section 8 developments (Harper House and Waverly Winds) has taken its toll on these owner occupied town homes. Although similar developments will be spared (Harper's Glen and Merion Station) and its Section 8 neighbors will be redeveloped, Harper's Village needs to be redeveloped as well to streamline the new development in Harper's Choice.
In its place will be "Swansfield Overlook", two story town homes with basements. These town homes pictured have two car garages in the back but Swansfield Overlook will not have garages and will utilize existing on street parking. Swansfield Overlook will be 100% Subsidized Home Ownership and will help moderate income families become home owners in Howard County.
Waverly Winds, the final "Community Homes" development has struggled with crime and drugs in the 1990s and still has a ways to go. In an effort to create a broader income mix throughout Harper's Choice, Waverly Winds will be redeveloped.
In its place will be the mixed income Community known as "The Crescent at Swansfield", which will feature three level two car garage town homes. The garages will be located in the back of the homes. The income mix will be 50% Market Rate Home Ownership 40% Market Rate Rental and 10% Subsidized Rentals.
Fenland Fields Apartments are sprawled in three different sections along Harpers Farm Road. Each section therefore, should be redeveloped differently. The first section (pic coming soon) is located at the intersection of Harpers Farm Road and Eliots Oak Road. It's between the Athletic Club and Fall river Terrace.
In its place will be "Longfellow Crossing", three story non garage "back to back" homes. It will utilize existing on street parking and paths leading to homes whose fronts aren't accessible through the parking lots. Longfellow Crossing will be 100% Market Rate Rentals. The second section is located between the Athletic Club, The Village Center, and Kahler Hall. Needless to say, this is a weird place for Apartments. So I pose this question to you; Why redevelop it with more of the same if something else the Village Center is lacking maybe a better suit for it? What do I propose for it? An Interfaith Center, Harper's Chocie doesn't have one and there's no other land in the Village available to build one on.
The last and largest section of Fenland Fields is lcoated between the Village Center and Rivendell Lane. Part of the redevelopment will include a Traffic Signal at Harpers Farm Road and Rivendell Lane and Cedar Lane and Route 108 due to the higher density of the redeveloped Fenland Fields and both intersections warranting them anyway.
In its place will be will be a new mixed income community of condos. The new community will be called "Parkside at Cedar Lane" due to its breath takign views of Cedar Lane Park. Parkside at Cedar Lane will contain the income mix of 60% Market Rate Home Ownership, 35% Market Rate Rentals, 3% Subsidized Home Ownership, and 2% Subsidized Rentals.
Well, that's it for the redevelopment of Harper's Chocie. This will ensure the continued revitalization and renewal of Harper's Choice that the Village has been enjoying since the real estate market surged after the turn of the century. It's time for new construction to go along with it.
Monday, October 26, 2009
The Recession: The Time to Take Stock of Town Center
It's parking garages like these on the south side of the Columbia Mall Office Buildings that keep this area from being Pedestrian oriented. Shown here would be the north end of a pedestrian promenade that would extend from Symphony Woods across Little Patuxent Parkway in between the existing buildings. The Parking Garages can serve as footprints for new construction. The southern Mall Road can be reconfigured to reflect this and allow for a better Pedestrian connection between the Mall and the Buildings south of it.Here is yet another example of how parking garages can obstruct Pedestrian access.
The south portion of the Mall Ring Road has room to be extended to Broken Land Parkway connecting the Ryland Homes building both via car and on foot to the mall.
On the other side is a vacant parcel of land that will surely be developed when the time is right.The extended "south ring road" will let here, at the entrance to the Gramercy Apartment Complex and will most likely warrant a traffic signal.
Shown here is an example of how a parking garage can act act as a foot print for future development. This is also where the Mall Ring Road bends and the southern connector to Broken Land Parkway will begin shown at a different angle.
The One Mall North Building is located in exactly the wrong place. Its parcel is huge yet its location smack dab in the middle doesn't allow for future development on the parcel. The One Mall North Building may have to hit the wrecking ball in favor of a higher density mixed use residential/retial/office complex. Despite the high density, where the current building sits is the perfect place for a courtyard.
Another goal in the Town Center Master Plan would be to create "Wincopin Street." It would be comprised of what is now a part of Wincopin Circle (shown above), a Courtyard next to the American City Building, and surface parking lots for existing buildings. The finished product will be a two lane pedestrian oriented urban boulevard that runs parallel to Little Patuxent Parkway from the Southern Mall Entrance to Sterrett Place.
Wincopin Street will begin at the far end of this photo and make a sharp left (not shown here) and begin its run parallel to Little Patuxent Parkway roughly at the GGP building. This surface lot in the foreground will be sealed off for future development.
Shown here is another stretch of Wincopin Street. The parking lot here will be separated by curbs and the street, instead of making that mandatory left turn towards Little Patuxent Parkway will continue straight into the current courtyard.
Here is that courtyard that Wincopin Street will run through. It currently features three of Columbia's most well known Statues. First off there's "The Hug" a young girl receiving, you guessed it a hug. Then there's a Mother Bear feeding her Cubs. Lastly there's a Statue of the man himself; Jim Rouse. The Statue is just his head but roughly 10 years ago it was subject to constant vandalism. This brought tears to my eyes when I read about it, in fact it still does. Jim Rouse was always a personal hero of mine.
Finally Wincopin Street will end at Sterrett Place near the original Cross Keys Inn. Again the surface lots will have to be reconfigured and separated by curbs to create a true street. The surface lots, once again will be sealed off for future development. The intersection of Wincopin Street and Sterrett Place will be a roundabout.
Now it's time to focus on development along Wincopin Street. This dated parking garage is a waste of space that is a pivotal part of the redevelopment of the Wincopin Street part of Town Center. The Columbia Sheraton and the Office Building that replaced the old Rusty Scupper will have to park elsewhere, perhaps under the building that will replace this garage, a shared underground garage if you will.
The old Welcome Center has seen better days i.e. having a first floor tenant. The restaurants below can find a new home in the new mid rise building on the old grounds of the Columbia Cinema.
There is space for ground floor retail here that is unfilled and putting Sushi Sono and Jesse Wong's Asian Grille here will create the ground floor retail feel needed for Wincopin Street.
This is where the controversial 22 story high rise will go. Our economy and "Concerned Citizens" trying to uphold "Jim Rouse's dream" have thwarted these plans in the mean time. Those of you who have read Mr. Rouse's biography will know that he planned for buildings 30-50 storys high where if you look out the south window you can see DC and look at the north window you will see Baltimore. This building will only be a mere 22 storys, all you "Concerned Citizens" should read a book and stop warping Jim Rouse's vision to fit your own agenda.
These three buildings located on Sterrett Place or Little Patuxent Parkway are either vacant or outdated in design. The two office buildings should have Little Patuxent Parkway frontage when redeveloped into mixed use buildings and the vacant Gas Station site should be raised so new development won't slope down for better visibility from the road. Their current parking lots on Sterrett Place will be used for additional development on Wincopin Street.
These two buildings, coupled with the site of the 22 story condo building will make a great redevelopment site when put together. If the 22 story building were built without redeveloping its neighbors would make all the buildings look out of place.
Now we come to the Lord and Taylor promenade. As seen from Wincopin Circle it looks like a "no man's land." This intersection warrants a traffic signal with countdown pedestrian signals. The land itself should be leveled and a pathway from Wincopin Circle to Lord and Taylor should be created complete with a brick walkway, elegant lighting, landsacping, and furniture. The promenade should branch off to the Merril Lynch Building as well. The pedestrian bridge currently in this area should be demolished as it creates a barrier between the two rather than a connection.
Last but not least we have the Twin Rivers Road connection. Even as a three way intersection like it is now it warrants a traffic signal. Obviously of Twin Rivers Road is extended to meet the Mall's "Ring Road" it will become a four way intersection making the need for traffic signal that much clearer. Well that's it, we've completely prepped Town Center for its redevelopment. Lets get to work so when the market turns around the 3,000-5,000 new residences and the millions of square feet of Office and Retail space can be added right away.
