I wonder what qualifies as a Baltimore suburb. Does it have to be really close to the city? I'm thinking Columbia, Owings Mills, Odenton, Hunt Valley, Towson, White Marsh, Hanover, BWI etc.
wonder if we could say anything about annapolis?

Columbia is trying to develop a real downtown.
Odenton MARC TOD.
Owings Mills Metro TOD.
BWI aerotropolis
Rt 1 HoCo redevelopment

etc

Columbia should develop a real downtown, but the NIMBI's alwalys seem to get there way in Columbia. Anyone who bought in Columbia knew 20 years ago it was eventually be a city of 100,000 people. The NIMBI's moved there and try to stop almost all development.

I wonder what qualifies as a Baltimore suburb. Does it have to be really close to the city? I'm thinking Columbia, Owings Mills, Odenton, Hunt Valley, Towson, White Marsh, Hanover, BWI etc.
wonder if we could say anything about annapolis?

Columbia is trying to develop a real downtown.
Odenton MARC TOD.
Owings Mills Metro TOD.
BWI aerotropolis
Rt 1 HoCo redevelopment

etc

Annapolis is certainly inside the metro area and there is a relatively contiguous band of burbs between it and Baltimore so It's a suburb as Columbia is. In addition, what with all the building that's been done on Kent Island and all the commuters that cross the Bay Bridge, it seems to be inside the suburban circle now. It wasn't that long ago that Kent seemed like another world

Columbia should develop a real downtown, but the NIMBI's alwalys seem to get there way in Columbia. Anyone who bought in Columbia knew 20 years ago it was eventually be a city of 100,000 people. The NIMBI's moved there and try to stop almost all development.
I currently live in Howard County, and I can honestly say that the NIMBYs don't get their way as much as people think. the EXTREME concern for NIMBYs is the Plaza Residences at Columbia Town Center. i say let 'em build it. it's ONLY 22 stories. when all is said & done, expect this tower to go up very soon.
http://wci.wcicommunities.com/images/PT/87/1118416985782/1118416985797/0106PlazaElevationRendering.jpg

I currently live in Howard County, and I can honestly say that the NIMBYs don't get their way as much as people think. the EXTREME concern for NIMBYs is the Plaza Residences at Columbia Town Center say let 'em build it. it's only 22 stories. when all is said & done, expect this tower to go up very soon.
http://wci.wcicommunities.com/images/PT/87/1118416985782/1118416985797/0106PlazaElevationRendering.jpg

This would be a milestone. Maybe people will start to realize all development isn't bad.

Columbia should develop a real downtown, but the NIMBI's alwalys seem to get there way in Columbia. Anyone who bought in Columbia knew 20 years ago it was eventually be a city of 100,000 people. The NIMBI's moved there and try to stop almost all development.


And I would BET Alot of Money that those So-called NIMBY'S are not from the state of Maryland.

Reston which is the same age as Columbia is gaining twice as much land(than Columbia) for new Downtown/Town Center Development that will definately complement the Dulles Toll Road and the future Subway Extension to the Dulles Airport.

Again I say until Maryland gets rid of the same old good ol' boy anti-Growth Communist Democrats and their slaves(Special Interest Groups) then Maryland will continue to suffer from lack of Upscale Urban/Suburban Development and Business Growth.

Annapolis is certainly inside the metro area and there is a relatively contiguous band of burbs between it and Baltimore so It's a suburb as Columbia is. In addition, what with all the building that's been done on Kent Island and all the commuters that cross the Bay Bridge, it seems to be inside the suburban circle now. It wasn't that long ago that Kent seemed like another world

Kent Island only has residential and small retail businesses.

I don't look at that as something as Upscale as Dale City, Dulles, Ashburn, Sterling, Chantilly, Dulles, or Springfield.

who can forget harford co considering brac. carroll co.

http://www.topix.net/content/trb/1979401745063297655737719010983124635500

By Larry Carson and Tyrone Richardson

February 21, 2007

From Day 1, the Plaza should have been part of the planning process.

The long fight over whether a proposed 23-story tower should be allowed in Town Center is coming to a head as Howard County officials try to spur a compromise or, if that fails, impose a height limit of about 14 stories through new zoning regulations.

Howard County Executive Ken Ulman said he is pushing all parties in the dispute to reach a consensus 'soon' on The Plaza Residences at Columbia Town Center.

At the same time, County Councilwoman Mary Kay Sigaty, a west Columbia Democrat, has submitted two proposed zoning changes that would limit the height of any Town Center building to no more than 150 feet - equaling 14 or 15 stories - and change the county's grandfathering provisions to allow the height limit to retroactively cover the tower.

A group of four citizens opposed to the height of the tower is appealing county approvals for the 275-foot high-rise, although the builder, WCI Communities Inc., has all three building permits it needs to start construction.

'I'm actively engaged in discussions with all parties,' Ulman said, and 'I'm hopeful all parties will come together and compromise.'

If a compromise is not reached, Ulman said, he would back Sigaty's measures. As a candidate last fall, Ulman vowed to block construction of the tower building, if elected.

'I'm hopeful it won't come to that,' Ulman said about Sigaty's proposals. He is worried about the message to the business community..

'Everyone knows the urgency and the significance of the issue,' Ulman said.

Sigaty said she, too, would like to see an agreement, but added that her zoning proposals also serve a purpose. 'This allows the public process to go forward,' she said.

Douglas M. Godine, vice president and general manager of General Growth Properties, Inc., Columbia's developer, said he has been trying to mediate a compromise between WCI and protesting residents, so far without success.

But Godine said General Growth also objects to a 150-foot height limit, even as an interim measure, because it could influence the final downtown Columbia plan.

'I think right now we should be open to all kinds of discussions as to building heights,' he said.

Officials at WCI had no comment yesterday.

The first of Sigaty's proposals would impose an interim 150-foot height limit, preventing new high-rise towers until a complete plan for redeveloping central Columbia is adopted. The second measure, according to Marsha S. McLaughlin, the county planning director, would apply the height limit to any proposed building under appeal.

McLaughlin said planning staff members will examine Sigaty's requests and make written recommendations to the county Planning Board. The board then will discuss and vote on whether to recommend the changes to the County Council - a process that could take several more months.

'I think it's what we expected to see. It comes down to the grandfathering issue,' McLaughlin said. 'There are folks who feel passionately on both sides.'

The retail and residential tower has been delayed for more than a year by residents' appeals. Attorneys for WCI are seeking a Circuit Court ruling to dismiss an appeal by four citizens of the Planning Board's approval of the project. The county Board of Appeals, which was asked by four residents to overturn the approval, has suspended further action on the issue until the court rules.

The building is to include street-level shops and 160 residential condominiums, which would sell for $600,000 to $2 million each.

Because the request to build the tower was made before the start of the public planning process on Columbia's downtown redevelopment, it was not included in that discussion. Columbia's zoning has no limit on building heights, but the tallest structures now are about 14 stories.

Other County Council members are hoping for a negotiated settlement, said Jen Terrasa, a North Laurel-Savage Democrat. She supports a height limit.

West Columbia Del. Elizabeth Bobo, whose husband, Lloyd Knowles, is one of four residents who appealed to block the project, said she heartily agrees with a 150-foot height limit. 'From Day 1, the Plaza should have been part of the planning process.'

'She'll get a lot of support from the community,' Bobo said of Sigaty.

larry.carson@baltsun.com tyrone.richardson@baltsun.com

^^ ^^
If I get diagnosed with a terminal illness I'm going to strap a chemical weapon to my back and blow it up in Howard County. Just putting that out there.

^^ ^^
If I get diagnosed with a terminal illness I'm going to strap a chemical weapon to my back and blow it up in Howard County. Just putting that out there.

Somebody's pissed. Those are some pretty extreme measures, especially coming from somebody who doesn't even live in Howard County.

If they build this tower, it could really lead to some great things for Columbia.

I really like the development I'm seeing around the Metro and Owings Mills Mall. Good stuff happening out there right now.

If they build this tower, it could really lead to some great things for Columbia.

I really like the development I'm seeing around the Metro and Owings Mills Mall. Good stuff happening out there right now.

i know this has been discussed but what is the timeline for this? What is the current progress of the metro development? I used to live in om.

Somebody's pissed. Those are some pretty extreme measures, especially coming from somebody who doesn't even live in Howard County.

You Don't Either.

If they build this tower, it could really lead to some great things for Columbia.

I really like the development I'm seeing around the Metro and Owings Mills Mall. Good stuff happening out there right now.

That will be very good because I am sick and tired of Novern Virginia Constantly Building Upscale Mixed-Use Development and Upscale Retail Malls while Maryland(DC and Baltimore areas) lag behind.

It really feels good to have Maryland maintain the same level of Business/Economic/Revenue Growth that Northern Virginia has.

Somebody's pissed. Those are some pretty extreme measures, especially coming from somebody who doesn't even live in Howard County.

Because you actually don't know me I'm just going to flat out say it: no, I'm not actually psychopathic. I think I can safely say suicide bombing an American city is not something I would actually do. It was meant in jest.

That will be very good because I am sick and tired of Novern Virginia Constantly Building Upscale Mixed-Use Development and Upscale Retail Malls while Maryland(DC and Baltimore areas) lag behind.

It really feels good to have Maryland maintain the same level of Business/Economic/Revenue Growth that Northern Virginia has.

Too bad that the proposed Columbia Tower is being challenged in the way that it is. It is approved, but "local" residents (4 people from around Columbia) are fighting it. The only resident with any possible legal standing is challenging it based on the same planning/zoning laws that allowed his building to get built, and now it could affect his view. His wife sits on county council (or something like that) so they is some influence there, and the council introduced two bills to limit height to 150ft which they would retroactively apply to this tower. The new county exec has stated he supports these bills, which the county Economic development department has stated are anti business. A note before harlem gets fired up that they are anti Maryland northern Virginians, the residents and county exec are all from Columbia for at least the last 30 years

Because you actually don't know me I'm just going to flat out say it: no, I'm not actually psychopathic. I think I can safely say suicide bombing an American city is not something I would actually do. It was meant in jest.

I knew you were only kidding, but seemed to be excessively angry over such a trivial matter. No offense intended. :)

You Don't Either.

The thing that says "location" isn't my home address. And by home, I mean like, 'residence'.

Anybody know what happened to any of the proposed developments in Towson? There was the proposed 14-story Towson University dormitory with restaurant space on the ground level. It was supposed to go near or on the actual site, I can't remember exactly, of where the Burger King next to Towson Circle is now.

Then there was that Towson York Rd. redevelopment plan that was actually quite similar to the Pratt St. redevelopment. It included a tram along York Rd. and a public space for the farmer's market and video screens in what is now the Towson Circle parking lot. There were also a number of other improvements that I can't quite remember. Anybody remember this?

Anybody know what happened to any of the proposed developments in Towson? There was the proposed 14-story Towson University dormitory with restaurant space on the ground level. It was supposed to go near or on the actual site, I can't remember exactly, of where the Burger King next to Towson Circle is now.

Then there was that Towson York Rd. redevelopment plan that was actually quite similar to the Pratt St. redevelopment. It included a tram along York Rd. and a public space for the farmer's market and video screens in what is now the Towson Circle parking lot. There were also a number of other improvements that I can't quite remember. Anybody remember this?

It seems like lots of projects in Towson are stalled. The dorm isn't moving although I think it was to be on the campus near Burke Ave. I recall that there was an intention to swap a stretch of York road for Bosley Ave/Towsontown Blvd so that the county could constrict traffic on York and create a better pedestrian environment. There is also the big residential project behind Towson Circle (students were ruled out there) and the redevelopment of Towson Commons. What with Borders and several other spaces empty on that block, it's looking forlorn. Somebody needs to be poking the government and developers with some sticks there.

^Yeah, REALLY, how hard can it be to get Towson going the way it ought to? People are too preoccupied with, (broken record), parking, and taking it away. Towson has to admit it's urban and move forward. More residences in the core is exactly what downtown needs.

It won't completely fix the non-planning wreck Towson became when developers and politicians allowed poor projects to done willy-nilly way back when (so the older natives expounded on me), but things could be much better.

They are definitely better now though, than when I first attended Towson U as a dormer in 1996. That's what got me into planning issues in the first place: "why did they do it this way..." and so forth.

Nate

^Yeah, REALLY, how hard can it be to get Towson going the way it ought to? People are too preoccupied with, (broken record), parking, and taking it away. Towson has to admit it's urban and move forward. More residences in the core is exactly what downtown needs.

It won't completely fix the non-planning wreck Towson became when developers and politicians allowed poor projects to done willy-nilly way back when (so the older natives expounded on me), but things could be much better.

They are definitely better now though, than when I first attended Towson U as a dormer in 1996. That's what got me into planning issues in the first place: "why did they do it this way..." and so forth.

Nate

While we're at our litany of problems, how about the Investment building? A few years ago the 1000 state and county employees there moved down the road after a rash of sick building complaints. Now the building, which is ugly as sin and sits at the summit of the highest hill in the area, appears to be mostly empty and it's hard to figure why anybody would actually move INTO a sick building. Where do we go with that one?

And here's what's happening at Towson circle (see link for story):

http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/7164/towsoncirclesf9.jpg

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4183/is_20060823/ai_n16687515
The clearing of a Towson site slated to be home to a landmark building planned by mutual fund giant Fidelity Investments began this week with a project manager forecasting the start of construction in less than two months and the start of a bull run for the neighborhood.

Large cranes began demolishing buildings at 610-616 York Road near the busy Towson Circle traffic rotary in the heart of the Baltimore County seat...

And here's what's happening at Towson circle (see link for story):

http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/7164/towsoncirclesf9.jpg

Anybody know what IS going in here? From the site preparations, it doesn't appear to be too large. The "landmark" designation appears to be somewhat of an overstatement.