The Verona: The Tip of the Iceberg?

As I'm sure you've all heard by now that the County has purchased the Verona an older Apartment Complex in Columbia's Oakland Mills Village. The Verona is located among a vast array of aging Apartment and Condo complexes in Oakland Mills that have seen better days. In the short term, the County's plans for the Verona are relatively small; landscaping, perhaps a fresh coat of paint here and there. In the long term however (2023 and beyond) the County hopes to redevelop the property much in the manner it did with Guilford Gardens (now Monarch Mills) and is currently doing with Hilltop (now Burgess Mill Station.) 

Residents are wary of the prospect of adding more subsidized to a Village that already has a deep concentration of it. But I think redevelopment will help give Oakland Mills (any older Columbia Village for that matter) a much needed face lift. There are however some aspects of the County's plan that I don't agree with. First, when the County says "Mixed Income Community" they're only really covering half the market; the Rental Market. In Baltimore when its notorious Public Housing High Rises were redeveloped with mixed income housing communities there was always an element of home ownership. Home Ownership (whether it be Market Rate or affordable) is intermingled with the Rentals. I think when the County is ready to redevelop the Verona, their vision for the new development should include units for purchase (both market rate and affordable) as well as rentals. This holds even more precedence when considering what I'm about to write below.

In the same breath the County makes when announcing its intentions for the Verona, they also make mention of providing assistance to renovate the Single Family Housing Stock in Oakland Mills to make it appealing for civil servants (teachers, fire fighters nurses etc.) to buy into Oakland Mills and "put down roots." Although I very much agree with that concept for the aging Single Family Homes in Oakland Mills I must pose this question; What's wrong with putting down roots near the Village Center? The take away message I got was that you must own your home to put down roots in the Community and you have to do so in a Single Family Home on the outskirts of the Village. I personally think that Oakland Mills will gain a lot by having more for purchase housing near its Village Center. Most Village Centers that are thriving have lots of for purchase housing surrounding it. I think keeping options limited to rental around Oakland Mills Village Center would prohibit those looking to buy a small condo or town home from putting down roots in Oakland Mills.

Next, as part of the County's purchase of the Verona, they're upping the amount of subsidized housing in the area. Roughly 17% of the Verona is subsidized while the remaining 83% are Market Rate. The percentage of subsidized housing will go up to 20% in the short term and perhaps even higher once the property is redeveloped. Granted some of these subsidies will be "Moderate Income Housing Units" or little less than the Median Rent for Columbia and/or Howard County. Given the relatively low rent for the Verona, some moderate income rents would be MORE than what the rent currently is at the Verona. Will the County RAISE the market rate rent at the Verona? Time will tell.

I can see why the prospect of more subsidized housing would make Residents nervous (even if the rent isn't any different) especially when Forest Ridge located next to the Verona, is 100% Subsidized. This is when Master Planning the area begins to come into play. Forest Ridge although it received some renovations in recent years could stand to get attention similar to the Verona. With its sole concentration of subsidized housing, the County should team up with Enterprise Housing (the owners of Forest Ridge) and combine the percentage of subsidized housing and redevelop the two properties in conjunction with one another. The finished product will include a redeveloped Verona and Forest Ridge with a 20% Subsidy across the board. Keep in mind this 20% is only for Rental Subsidies there will be additional for purchase subsidies in the new Verona/Forest Ridge as this will be a true mixed income community.

Now as I get accused of trying to gentrify Oakland Mills and run out the low income Residents I will also propose this; Senior Housing. Subsidized Senior Housing to be exact. One problem area in Oakland Mills is the vacant site that once housed an Exxon Gas Station. Since its closing in 1999 Community Leaders have worked frivolously to get something built on that space but at the end of the day it remains an eyesore. As part of the Verona/Forest Ridge redevelopment plan I would place a 100% Senior Subsidized building on that site. 

When looking into the future of Oakland Mills there comes the question of connect-ability. Connect-ability to Town Center to be more specific. This fits perfectly into Master Plan. Although the new multi-modal road proposed to connect Oakland Mills with Town Center doesn't effect the Verona or Forest Ridge, it does effect Grand Pointe. This new road is projected to lead to a partial demolition of a couple of buildings in Grand Pointe. I think with all this talk of redevelopment in Oakland Mills, I think a complete redevelopment of Grand Pointe will create a "gateway" to Oakland Mils that will capture the energy created by the redevelopment of Town Center. 

There are four Apartment Complexes in Oakland Mills and I've already discussed redeveloping three of them. The 4th one is Autumn Crest and you guessed it, redevelopment should be a viable option as well. With all this new housing coming down the pipeline in Oakland Mills, Autumn Crest will definitely begin to show its age. Indeed, Autumn Crest's larger Apartments (2 and 3 Bedrooms) still don't have two full baths. Something like this as well as other modern conveniences will only add to the lack of desirability of Autumn Crest. Redevelopment may be the only option to keep it viable. 

In Oakland Mills there are also privately owned developments that are showing signs of blight that would benefit from redevelopment. They include but aren't limited to; Shadow Oaks, Holly Court and Cinnamon Tree Quads (both in Talbott Springs and Stevens Forest) in order to fully understand whether or not redevelopment is in any of their futures a study would have to be conducted to see what percentage of occupants own their home and if one goes on the market; see how long it takes to find a buyer and if that buyer intends to live in it or rent it out. Also in the study, the County must see if the Home Owners Associations in each development is willing to invest in their properties by modernizing the exterior facades, landscape improvements and additional lighting. The finding of these studies will determine whether or not these developments have a sustainable future.

As Residents of Oakland Mills ponder the future of the Verona. They may or may not be surprised to learn that at least in my humble opinion, it's just the tip of the Iceberg.     

Town Center Is Finally Taking Shape

It's been 46 and a half years since the dedication of Columbia on June 30, 1967. Since then Columbia has grown leaps and bounds with 10 Villages and a population teetering at 100,000 setting the bench mark for a truly integrated and diverse community. However there's one thing that's lacking in Columbia and that's a proper Downtown. Similar communities such as Silver Spring, Bethesda, Towson, and Rockville, and eventually Owings Mills boast a Downtown dense with Housing, 1st Class Retail, Office Space, and Hotels as well as recreation. Bits and pieces of Columbia's Downtown were built over the past 46 and a half years but today for the first time, all cards are on the table to make Columbia's Downtown as world class and special as the Villages that surround it.

The biggest piece of Downtown to be built came early on which of course was and is the Mall. Opened in 1971 the Mall was just a two story straight line between Woodies (Now JC Penney) and Hoschild Kohn (then Hects now Macys.) After countless Renovations and additions the Mall now boasts a whopping 5 Department Stores (JC Penney, Macys, Sears, Lord & Taylor, and Nordstrom) as well as four exterior Restaurants and a 14 screen Movie Theater. Enclosed Shopping Malls were in style way of shopping back in the 1970s and since then have become more and more obsolete with the advent of Big Box Shopping Centers and finally the return of Main St. style shopping known as "Lifestyle Centers" The Columbia Mall has bucked this trend and has remained a destination despite increasing competition in the Dobbin/Snowden area.

Between 1967 and 2013 a sparse array of Office Buildings and Housing Developments have popped up around the Mall. A lot of these Buildings face Columbia's Lakefront. The Lakefront is one of Columbia's best attributes with free concerts and moving screenings in the summer. These attractions have been great for long time Restaurants that face the lake as well. Although the Lakefront should be a huge draw and meeting place for Columbia Residents, it's decidedly

sparse unless there's an event going on.

To give Downtown Columbia the dense population it needs to thrive (living working and shopping) the Howard Hughes Corporation, a subsidiary of General Growth Properties, the company who purchased the Rouse Company developed a Master Plan for Downtown Columbia that includes 5500 new Housing Units, 1.25 Million Square Feet of Retail, 4.3 Million Square Feet of Office Space, and 640 Hotel Rooms. The planning for this Master Plan began as early as 2005 with community concerns regarding the affordability of Downtown, whether the crime rate will go up, whether the proposed Grocery Store will hurt efforts of luring a new one to Wilde Lake Village etc. Finally some parts of Downtown are taking shape.

There was once a sixth mini department store at the Mall; LL Bean. which has seen been demolished in favor of a Lifestyle Center that will eventually connect Wilde Lake to the Front Doors of the Mall as development continues. There are numerous businesses that have signed leases to be part of the new lifestyle center which opened to pedestrian traffic on November 1st but the first and only store to open as of yet is a bra shop.

The new entrance to the Mall created by this redevelopment is exactly opposite Lord & Taylor. This is a fact that I have kept in the forefront of my mind regarding a 24 hour cut through between the Warfield Neighborhood of Downtown and the Lakefront via another Lifestyle Center. What I would do with Lord & Taylor is up in the air but I think the area near the Merrill Lynch Building is grossly under utilized. 

Opposite the new Lifestyle Center, the foundations are going up for what will eventually be "Metropolitan Downtown Columbia", a new community of 800+ ultra upscale Apartments built on two slabs of land into between Broken Land Parkway and Mall Ring Road. The plan is to have Twin Rivers Road cut across Broken Land Parkway to meet Mall Ring Road as an effort to connect Wilde Lake with Downtown and perhaps the Lakefront and perhaps even Oakland Mills. 

One question that lingers is whether or not early Office Buildings of Downtown will remain as later phases of Downtown begin to come down the pipeline. Two buildings that come to mind are the American City Building and the Teacher's Building. There was also talk of demolishing the Howard Hughes Building designed by architect Frank Gehry but obviously that will not happen.

The beleaguered Howard Hughes building that once was headquarters to the Rouse Company is being renovated and expanded to accommodate a Whole Foods Market. CA is also building a Gym above the Whole Foods. This shows the truly upscale nature of Downtown Columbia given how expensive a trip to Whole Foods is. This will more than likely set a bench mark for the type of additional Retail that will come Downtown. Lakefront Restaurants like Clyde's, Tomato Palace, and Sushi Sono, should expect to see a spike in sales once Whole Foods is open.

Although these are the only parts of Downtown currently in the construction phase, there are many others in the planning phase. The Multi-Modal Pathway/Roadway connecting Downtown to Oakland Mills is in its early stages, plans the Crescent Neighborhood have been filed with the County as have plans to revamp Symphony Woods and Merriweather Post Pavilion. A new north south road and the extension of Hickory Ridge Road are also on the table. It is unclear whether the Central Branch of the Howard County Library will be demolished as a result. It is also unclear if the Grand Pointe Apartment Complex in Oakland Mills will survive the Multi-Modal Pathway/Roadway. It is unclear if Wincopin St. will still be created. One thing is clear; the focus on the future if Downtown Columbia is bright and front and center.

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.