Wilde Lake Village Center: Demolition is Underway

It's been close to seven years since Wilde Lake has lost its 22,000 square foot Giant Anchor but it appears finally that the long awaited redevelopment of Wilde Lake Village Center is underway. Since Giant closed, there have been multiple businesses that have closed their doors since. They include Produce Galore, Riedel's Florist, Tokyo Cafe, Star Nails, Feet First, Great Clips, The Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy, The Columbia Bank, and KFC. Luckily a big new lease has been signed; CVS Pharmacy will build a store on the grounds of what is now a Crown Gas Station. With that and David's acting as Co-Anchors it is believed new tenants will flock to the Center. I hope they're right.

In addition to the businesses who have departed, there are still tenants who have held tough through it all and are eagerly awaiting redevelopment; Anthony Richard Barber Shop, Wilde Lake Cleaners, Absolutely Wine & Spirits, Bagel Bin, Pizza Bolis, The Melting Pot, Wilde Lake Karate, Hunan Family, Achievers Hair Salon, The UPS Store, and finally the two known stores that will be housed in new buildings; David's and Today's Catch Seafood Market. 

 

With most of the aforementioned businesses agreeing to stay on, this begs the question; Who should be joining them i.e. what businesses should to the Village Center? Whatever businesses they are they should be "draws", businesses that will draw people into the Center and patronize other businesses. 

I had originally proposed (years ago) a Quiznos Sub Shop but given how many of them have closed in the past few years. Jimmy Johns, is opening lots of new restaurants in the area and I think a Wilde Lake location would be a great addition. Although not necessarily a draw, a Nail Salon would also be good given that it's a staple in most Village Center and Wilde Lake currently doesn't have one. 

In the redevelopment plans there's a very small Retail space proposed in the middle of the Courtyard. This would be perfect for an Ice Cream Stand similar to Rita's or The Meadows Frozen Custard. Obviously neither of these would work at Wilde Lake given that they're at Harper's Choice and Hickory Ride respectively. Ice Cream stands are also draws. Along Lynx Lane there's a new space proposed for a Bank. Given that the Columbia Bank has left a new Bank for that space will have to be sought out. 

Not included in the renovation plans are what is to be done with the old KFC space. I don't believe Kimco originally owned it but they're talking about leasing it out which makes me believe that they have either bought it or are taking over leasing duties on behalf of the owners. I personally think that building is outdated and will stick out like a sore thumb in the newly redeveloped Center. I believe it should demolished and replaced with a Sonic. There's one coming to Ellicott City and I think Wilde Lake should usher Sonic into Columbia. I had originally proposed it for Long Reach but I have other plans for it so Wilde Lake it is.

The redevelopment of Wilde Lake has been seven years in the making and has been filled with pitfalls. I don't doubt that such problems won't continue until completion but at least for now we can say; The demolition has begun.

Family Market: Why it Closed

I know I'm a little behind the curve on this one but I was on vacation for two weeks so please forgive me. As we all know just 19 months after its opening, the Family Market the long awaited replacement for the beleaguered Safeway in Long Reach has closed. There are numerous reasons and theories behind its closure, ranging from Health Department Complaints to unpaid rent. What it boils down to is that it's impossible (or darn near) to run an independent Grocery Store that size. But how will Long Reach come back?

When the Family Market opened in February of last year, it was hailed as the Village Center's rebirth. The poorly stocked Safeway that offered overpriced expired foods had worn out its welcome and was no longer a good anchor. The plethora of vacant storefronts in the Village Center served as proof for this. Given the very diverse demographics of Long Reach, a Grocer was needed that catered to this.

When it was announced that the Family Market, a new independent International Grocer was replacing Safeway, Long Reach celebrated what they thought would be a proper anchor to their Village Center. The vacant storefronts that plagued the Center during the final months of Safeway's tenure had begun to be leased out. So what happened to the Family Market? Why did it close?

I can tell you in one word; Cash. The Owner simply didn't have enough of it. Although he had run Grocery Stores in the past they were smaller and the expenses were no near that of a 55,000 square foot space. The rent, the amount of stock needed, labor costs, utility costs, insurance, maintenance, these are all things that require a lot more cash on hand, something that any soul Proprietor would feel overwhelmed and burdened with when taking over this venture. 

The amount of cash it takes to start a business like this is staggering and the amount needed just to keep it chugging along is even more so especially given how long it takes to pay off loans and debts. It could take a good solid decade before such loans are paid off and the Business is profitable. All the while additional investments must be made and the cash to do so must be on hand.

When the Family Market opened, it appeared that the owner had "just enough" cash to put the operation together. The amount of stock in some of the more General Grocery Departments were not on par with that of a store that size. It did however have lots of Asian, Hispanic, and Indian foods that most Grocers (including Wegmans) did not have and their prices were in line with the demographics of Long Reach. Not only that, websites such as "Yelp" and "Foursquare" had given the Market rave reviews.

The space however was just too big. There were parts of the store that never opened. When Safeway occupied this part of the store it was mainly used for prepared foods. It had a creepy eerie feel to it. Eventually the owner had planned to turn this into a food court. Now that the Market has closed, this plan will never come to fruition. 

Another thing to keep in mind is the haste in which the Family Market opened. Safeway closed in November 2011 and in February 2012 the Family Market had opened. Given that the last renovation of the space was done in the mid 1990s, costly repairs would be in the near future.

As 2012 wore on, the high cost of running the Family Market and the lack of cash on hand began to show on the operation itself. More and more isles were void of stock and a general lack of upkeep began to keep would be customers from shopping there. Reviews began to acknowledge that something was going terribly wrong. 

In 2013, things continued to worsen. The store appeared very dimly lit and departments such as Seafood, Deli, Bakery, and Frozen Foods has been closed and sanctioned off. The only part of the store that was "open" was the non perishables and those shelves were quite bare. On the entrance doors there was a lone cardboard sign that read "We are Staying Open." I talked to the owner on the phone regarding the situation and he told me that they were making upgrades to the refrigeration system in the entire store and that it would be up and running in full capacity within the next couple of weeks.

Well here we are now and that has happened. Despite Safeway (who sublet the space to the Family Market) has evicted them due to unpaid rent stemming from day one and Health Department complaints stemming from the fact the store had been run on a generator instead. This would explain the poorly lit store and the fact that so much of the store was closed off. All of these problems stem from lack of cash. The owner however, has stuck to his guns and believes that the store will reopen soon and they're "renovating and restocking" however in order to reopen he must come up with $300,000 in unpaid rent and $55,000 in additional fines. That's a lot of cash and like I said, the failure of the store was due to lack of cash. How will he come up with that much money? I don't know either.

Moving forward, I do believe that an International Grocer is right for Long Reach. I had hoped that while still in business, the Family Market would sell itself to chain such as H-Mart. H-Mart has a business plan that's a proven success. The one in Catonsville is small however it's very crowded. H-Mart would have the adequate cash flow to fund proper renovations to the vacant Family Market Space and pay its rent on time even when the business is getting on its feet. Although H-Mart is mainly an Asian Grocer but given the large space in Long Reach, it could diversify its selection to include Latino, Indian, and African Foods. I hope an international chain similar to H-Mart can come to the rescue and soon.

Long Reach Village Center: A Hub for International Foods & Culture

It's no secret that the closure of the Safeway in Long Reach Village Center and it being replaced by the Family Market shows the tremendous diversity of Long Reach and the Village Center that serves it. As you know, the Family Market focuses on International Foods representing India, Latin America, Korea, China, Africa, and the Caribbean to name a few. In Columbia, there are large populations of all of these ethnicities yet in both the grocery world and the restaurant world many of these sub-groups are under-represented. The Family Market can and should cater to all of these sub-groups. But what about Restaurants? True, the Restaurant Market in Columbia is crowded with all the usual American Chains many of which are just a stones throw away from the Village Center. I would like to see Long Reach put on the map as a destination hub for the "hidden gem" Restaurants located in its Village Center as well as some new ones I would like to see here while turning away from some of the low rent businesses that have tarnished the image of the Village Center.

Although the Village Center appears to only have low rent tenants there are also hidden gems. These hidden gems must be brought out in order to put a new face on Long Reach Village Center to expand its outside draw. First we have Kuramo a Caribbean Restaurant that has recently opened. This type of Restaurant is just what I envision Long Reach filled with. It occupies a niche that's not found along Route 175 or by the Mall. Along with the Family Market, Kuramo could be a building block for making Long Reach a regional destination. 

Next we have Long Reach Pizza and Indian Food. It sounds pretty generic and as well as a bizarre mating of food choices. I have read many good reviews of the food here but patrons are disappointed at the size of it. Long Reach Pizza and Indian Food replaced the long standing Dominos Pizza after its departure. In short, this hidden gem is just take out and patrons would love the option to sit down and eat. If Long Reach Pizza and Indian Food were to relocate two storefronts down where United Optical once stood, this could be a reality. The space now occupied by Long Reach Pizza and Indian Food is much better suited for an Ice Cream or Frozen Yogurt Stand similar to Ritas or Meadows Frozen Custard. 

Granted a low rent cell phone place known as Multienvois now occupies this space but the cell phone market in Long Reach is grossly over saturated. Cell phones can be purchased at the Family Market, Dollar Buys, and Long Reach Beauty Supply. Given that this a Master Plan for the Village Center I reserve the right to throw out tenants I deem detrimental to the future of the Village Center. With this larger space, Long Reach Pizza and Indian Food can do eat in and carry out perhaps even via wait staff.

Perhaps the biggest gem in Long Reach is Chick 'N Friends. This has received rave reviews since its opening several years ago and has received accolades from Food Critics across the board. Once reviewer said it's "worth the drive from DC." Like Long Reach Pizza & Indian Food, the storefront is not large enough for seating. I would move into the space now occupied by the Long Reach Laundromat. This will offer patrons the option to eat in rather than just carry out.

Long Reach Laundromat is again one of those tenants that brings down the Center as a whole. If you read any of my residential redevelopment plans for Long Reach you will see that ALL new housing be it rental or for purchase will feature full size washers and dryers. The space now occupied by Chick 'N Friends would be better suited for a breakfast type place not unlike the Bagel Bin in Wilde Lake, Kings Contrivance, and River Hill.

The last Restaurant tenant that brings down the Center as a whole is Delitown. It appears that this place is straight out of West Baltimore. Having covered West Baltimore extensively in my sister blog I can make this comparison with true conviction. Anyway, I believe a Mexican Restaurant is one key niche that is missing in Long Reach. Ironically the building that houses Delitown was once a Taco Bell up until the mid to late 1990s. The type of Mexican Restaurant I envision is not like Taco Bell, Qudoba, Chipoltle, or Baja Fresh. I envision it to be a Family Style Sit Down Restaurant that serves fresh authentic Mexican Dishes that can't be found along Route 175. The old Delitown building would have to be torn down and rebuilt to fir the needs of a larger restaurant. Again, I'm catering to a Niche Market that will draw patrons to Long Reach Village Center from beyond the Village itself.

Drawing the focus away from Restaurants there are other businesses I would like to see at Long Reach that would fit needs of Residents that currently go unfilled. First there's no Pharmacy, in the space next to Delitown that used to house a Bank, (pictured above) I think that would be perfect for a small Pharmacy like "The Medicine Shoppe." True Safeway's Pharmacy closed months before the Grocery Store as a whole did but I still think that with so many Long Reach Residents who don't have cars, the option of driving to Target or Walmart or Giant for a Pharmacy just isn't feasible. Although an independent Pharmacy in this space would be nice, the Family Market does have space to put in a Pharmacy in its store some day. Since this space had held a Bank, it has drive-up access, something that larger Pharmacies have but I think that a smaller Pharmacy should have one too.

Speaking of Banks, another missing store is a Bank. I think that the space that traditionally held a bank is too small for today's needs hence why I suggested a small Pharmacy for it. So where would I build it? I would actually build on the grounds of the current Exxon Gas Station. The Exxon has become a hotbed for drug dealing and I believe it to be a deterrent to would be shoppers at the Village Center. There are many Residents who be happy to see the Gas Station go. There are lots of other Gas Stations nearby. As Wilde Lake Village Center is going through a large redevelopment, the finished product will also be without a Gas Station. The Exxon site is large enough not only for a modern Bank Building but for drive up Banking as well. 

Now the last store I will mention in this Master Plan is Long Reach Beauty Supply. I find that with Dollar Buys right next door as well as the Family Market, the market is over saturated with beauty supply items. It also offers services such as Cell Phone Plans, Check Cashing and Money Orders, all things that can be purchased at the Family Market if not Dollar Buys. One thing missing in the Center is a second Hair Salon. "Naapstar" just opened next to Subway and is welcome addition to the Center. Naapstar is mainly an African American Salon. Although a large demographic that utilizes the Center is African American there are a lot of Hispanics who use it too and there are Whites in Neighborhoods such as Phelps Luck, Kendall Ridge, and Jeffers Hill all parts of Long Reach. It's safe to say that a second Hair Salon where Long Reach Beauty Supply currently is would be a welcome addition. 

Well that just about wraps up my plan to turn Long Reach Village Center into a Hub for International Food & Culture, If you're a tenant in the Village Center whose store wasn't mentioned, that means I have no issues with you. If you were mentioned unfavorably I apologize.

 

The Family Market: Under Renovations

 

The Family Market in Long Reach is under renovation and is staying open during said renovations. I had the day off today and I decided to go to Long Reach Village Center among other places to get a feel for how things are going throughout Columbia.

Among the places I visited was the Family Market. The first thing that struck me was how deserted the place was. It immediately conjured up old images of the Safeway (pictured above) that once occupied the very space now occupied by the Family Market. Some lights had been dimmed in certain parts of the store and most of the shelves were bare. I was forced to ask just what was going on. There was a sign in the vestibule that reads "We are Staying Open" so that lead me to believe that the Market was in the middle of some sort of renovation.

I had once had my doubts on the sustainability of an Independent Grocer with stiff competition from National Chains like Walmart, Costco, and Wegmans to name a few but I think that the Family Market with its selection of rare produce and international foods not found at so called upscale Grocers like Trader Joes and Wegmans, I believe that it had found its niche and was happy to be wrong.

I was obviously worried about the fate of the Family Market after my visit today so I did all nosy Bloggers like myself do; I called their number and asked what was going on. I was happy to learn that yes in fact the Family Market is under renovation and that there is a very good reason that the store is so barren; the refrigeration system is being upgraded and replaced and during the transition, the amount of stock that can be sold is limited to strictly non-perishables.

When I was told about this change, I was reminded just how important refrigeration is to a Grocery Store. Departments like the Bakery, Deli, Seafood, Dairy, Frozen Foods, and even Produce has to be shut down if the Refrigerators are out of order. With those departments out of order, how can a Grocer appear to be well stocked? Of course the shelves will be barren without refrigeration, all the stock will go bad. No matter how good business is, the shelves would have to be barren.

The good news is that in a month or so, the renovations will be complete and the Family Market will be as good as new. I can only hope the owners are pro-active in advertising and announce a grand re-opening throughout East Columbia so that it can regain its customer base.     

New Posts Coming Soon

Just as the title suggests, new posts are coming, I have not forgotten about this blog. I would also like to take this opportunity to express my deepest condolences to the Friends and Family of fellow Howard County Blogger Dennis Lane. Mr. Lane was taken from us on Friday morning far too early in a senseless act of violence. Though I did not know Mr. Lane on a personal level I was an avid reader of his blog; A Tale of Two Cities and he played a part in how I wrote and crafted my blog. I think I speak for all when I say that Mr. Lane will be missed.

Introducing the Neighborhood of Bellows Spring

It was thought that there was no real room along Old Stockbridge Drive. It appeared to be built out when driving down the road that parallels Mayfield Avenue and connects Route 108 to Meadowridge Road. Hoever, 10 years ago that changed when Old Stockbridge Drive, which contains several Condo and Town Home Developments built in the mid to late 1980s and through the early 1990s was to be the site of the badly needed new Northeastern Elementary School. At the time, there was an outcry due to the fact that the School is literally a stone's throw away from Waterloo and how could both Schools maintain populations of their own etc. Well that wasn't really a problem as both Schools are bursting at the seams as they await the delivery of ES#41 set to open Next School Year. When looking at how far back Bellows Spring Elementary is set from Old Stockbridge Drive I couldn't help but notice how much additional land is available for development. Why not build the Neighborhood of Bellows Spring?

When turning into the School's driveway from Old Stockbridge, one feels as if they're traveling in time, a time when Eastern Howard County wasn't being built out by suburban style and new urban subdivisions. Be that as it may Bellows Spring still generates a good number of Walkers as Old Stockbridge itself, like I stated before contains several Condo and Town Home developments that yield large numbers of School age Children. One thing that caught my eye is that Old Stockbridge contains no Single Family Detached Housing. Perhaps if the land around Bellows Spring were developed that could be a type of housing used.

Some of the land surrounding Bellows Spring backs up to Route 100, that land in 2003 was zoned POR or Planned Office Research. Given that only 3 million of the planned 14 million square feet of Office Space will be used in Howard and Anne Arundel County, this land is set to be rezoned A-15 which is suited for Apartments and Condos. This particular piece of the Bellows Spring land is accessible via Meadowridge Road opposite Wesley Lane. I happen to agree with the County's and Land Owner's desire to use this for residential uses. If we were to build a Neighborhood of this caliber, it would need a Main Road perhaps a Boulevard?

This is where my idea for Bellows Spring Boulevard comes into play, a good portion of it already exists as the drive way for Bellows Spring Elementary. It would be widened and given a signalized intersection with Old Stockbridge Drive. It would then have a turn off for the Elementary School and continue on where the Schools's Ball Fields currently are. I've never liked how the Ball Fields are positioned in relation to the School, Students have to cross the parking lot to access them. As part of the new development plan, I would have them relocated next to the black top and School Gyms. Bellows Spring Boulevard would then continue past the School and then make a sharp right turn before ending at Meadowridge Road opposite Wesley Lane. 

Now what types of housing should flank this new Bellows Spring Boulveard? Well, I'd like it to respect that existing housing stock by blending like types with one another while at the same time introducing detached Single Family Homes. So lets start at Old Stockbridge. Given that both side streets on either side of the School's driveway which is what would become Bellows Spring Boulevard have Town Homes, I would put Town Homes in the beginning section of Bellows Spring Boulevard. When getting closer to the School, I would introduce Single Family Homes. I would also build a street in between Stockbridge Overlook Court and Maryland School for the Hearing Impaired. These would be duplexes not unlike those found in Stockbridge Overlook. Whether this road connects to Bellows Spring Boulevard or not is a decision I have yet to make. Past the School, and onto the land near Route 100 and Meadowridge Road. One thing I forgot to mention is that only PART of this land will be rezoned from POR to A-15. The A-15 or Apartment zoned land will be further back from Meadowridge Road and the remaining POR land is closer. I would build mixed income Apartments and Condos on the A-15 zoned land and build small scale convenience based Retail with upper floor Offices on that. It would face Meadowridge Road opposite Wesley Lane. 

Well that concludes my proposal for the Neighborhood of Bellows Spring. I hope one day it can become a reality.

The Marshalee Pebble Creek Connector

Here's something that has always bugged me; the Senior Town Homes that were built at the end of Deborah Jean Drive in Elkridge. For those of you who don't know Deborah Jean Drive is located in the Rockburn section of Elkridge west of I-95 and was built around the Timbers of Troy Golf Course. I'm not against the Senior Town Homes it's just that one has to drive all the way down Deborah Jean Drive and then down an undeveloped access road to get there. Deborah Jean Drive is a very young family oriented Single Family Homes Community and those Senior Town Homes feel very out of place.

On the other hand, Marshalee Drive has Senior Condos located just off of it and wouldn't you know it? It's directly adjacent to Pebble Creek Drive which is what Deborah Jean Drive becomes when it extends into the Senior Community. Like I've said before the Greater Rockburn Community has been built around the Timbers of Troy Golf Course but there's a swath of land in between Pebble Creek Drive and Marshalee Drive that could be made into a road that connects Pebble Creek Drive to Marshalee Drive without disturbing the delicate eco system that is a Golf Course.

If this new Pebble Creek Connector were to be built the connection to Deborah Jean Drive would be closed and all of the undeveloped land at the end of Deborah Jean Drive, Golden Crest Court, Calvert Drive, and Ruxton Drive would then be developed as Single Family Homes which fits its surroundings much better. And that's it! This post is short and sweet. 

In Response to my Elkridge Post

I'm writing this post as a response to my recent post regarding Elkridge and its School Construction. This being a hot button issue I'm not surprised that I got so many comments so quickly. I will attempt to the best of my ability to address every issue raised.

The reason I listed past construction projects is because I have read multiple articles and comments to said articles stating that according to Residents Elkridge has historically been denied adequate funding for School Construction. If one looks at the history of School Construction in the past 25 years one will see that almost every year there has been a new School opening, or existing Schools receiving additions, renovations, or modernizations in Elkridge.

I do agree that a few years after ES#41 opens there will be a need to deal with crowding at the Elementary School level once again but there are ways in which to do so. First off in 2019 the County is planning for a 42nd Elementary School in the east whether it's the northeast or southeast depends on how crowded the Schools in each region are and where a site can be obtained.

Secondly there's additional redistricting and renovations. As far as redistricting is concerned I think it can help Deep Run immensely. In addition to what is planned, I think Jessup, located southeast of the I-95 and 175 interchange can be redistricted to Guilford (pictured above), which due to the redistricting of 2012 is now under capacity. This coupled with Deep Run's renovation and 100 seat addition will allow relief of Bellows Spring and ES#41 in 2016.

Also there's Waterloo, If PREK, RECC, and Emotional Disturbances Programs were to leave that School and have them held at say Jeffers Hill which is under capacity then Waterloo will have close to 100 seats to absorb growth and provide relief to neighboring Schools. PREK and RECC alone will be the equivalent of a 100 seat addition.

Waterloo Floor Plan with my proposed renovations

 The Emotional Disturbances classrooms could be renovated to serve as a second art room and a third music room which will up Waterloo's core capacity.

Also enrollment at Rockburn is slated to go down even without the opening of ES#41. Since ES #41 is located in the Rockburn district there will have to be redistricting in Rockburn and that will probably leave Rockburn open to have students from Elkridge or ES#41 redistricted there in future years. All of this can be done prior to 2019, the slated opening of ES#42. 

Location of the undeveloped Oxford Sqaure

In regards to Oxford Square, I don't believe that it will be built very quickly. If you look at how long it has taken Downtown Columbia to get redeveloped or Turf Valley to get built you will see that there are numerous pit falls regarding adequate public facilities other than Schools such as roads, sidewalks, fire stations (something Elkridge needs) that the developers will face before Oxford Square is built in its entirety. Just because the County granted the developer zoning for his requested 1776 homes doesn't mean it will be as easy to actually build them. One reason a lot of the development along Route 1 has gone ahead as quickly as it has is because of the large additions that were built on Elkridge and Bellows Spring in 2009 and 2011 respectively. Once ES#41 has opened and all it does is balance enrollments before Oxford Square is built, the County will have to delay construction on at least some of Oxford Square.

My Preferred MS#20 Site

 I think the MS#20 site in Oxford Square should be banked for an additional Elementary School instead of a Middle School. I do think another Middle School is needed in the Northeast and it should open no later than 2014 but I don't think Oxford Square is the appropriate location given how many Middle Schools already exist and that there are other parts of the northeast that are bused very and will continue to be if MS#20 is built in Oxford Square. I will dedicate an entire post to this. 

Perhaps the only site large enough for a High School in Elkridge

 I do think that the only real failure done by the School System as far as Elkridge is concerned is the fact that they haven't acquired a site for a High School. Right now all that's available is the Troy Hill Park so that will have to do. I agree whole heartily that Elkridge is due for a High School all its own and the opening of Long Reach in 1996 robbed the Community of it because all of Elkridge now takes long bus rides to either Howard or Long Reach. 

I do like that it was mentioned that Western Howard County has fallen way under capacity. I don't think it's a good idea to bus students from Elkridge all the way out there as a solution to Elkridge's crowding. I wrote a post regarding the excess capacity in the west and suggested that three Schools close out there. Clarksville Elementary would close in 2013 and its entire population would go to Dayton Oaks. West Friendship would close that same year and its entire population would go to Bushy Park. Clakrsville Middle would close in 2015 and would be split between Folly Quarter and Lime Kiln. Part of Folly Quarter would then go to Glenwood to balance it all out.

Well I think that I've addressed all issues brought up in yesterday's comments. Keep in mind that I will write another post about things that Elkridge feels it's lacking and yet another one explaining my position on MS#20 and where it should be built.