Here's some recent news on the Owings Mills Metro Development:
http://www.explorebaltimorecounty.com/news/4166/will-construction-metro-centre-resume/
Will construction at Metro Centre resume?
County says negotiations not stalled, just complicated
By Bryna Zumer
bzumer@patuxent.com
Posted 10/22/08
While posters around the Owings Mills Metro station still promise the 2009 arrival of the mixed-use Metro Centre development, the project seems to be moving at a snail’s pace.
Sandra Kurtinitis, president of the Community College of Baltimore County, which would have a new campus at Metro Centre, said college administrators had been told last week that construction on the site would probably begin next fall, two years later than originally planned.
County spokeswoman Ellen Kobler said she could not confirm that because negotiations have not been finalized.
A groundbreaking had been set in the fall of 2007, but county officials and the developers, David S. Brown Enterprises, Ltd., and The Whiting-Turner Contracting Co., went back to the drawing board after the county said it wanted the building 18 percent larger than originally planned — in part to make the planned library larger — and said it needed to include environmentally sensitive features.
The developers replied that the changes would nearly double the $16.7 million cost of the building.
Kobler said the county is continuing to negotiate with the developers.
“We don’t consider (the project) to be stalled at all,” she said. “Both parties continue to negotiate in good faith. It is just a very complicated project.”
She declined to discuss the nature of the complications.
Calls placed to David S. Brown for comment were not returned. Ron Eisenberg, division vice president at Whiting-Turner, declined to comment.
Councilmember Ken Oliver said the economy is the major reason for the impasse, but would not elaborate. He said he remains optimistic that the project will eventually be built.
Arnold Keller III, director of the county’s Office of Planning, had said at a May 6 breakfast with the Reisterstown-Owings Mills-Glyndon Chamber of Commerce that he also was confident the developer would ultimately build Metro Centre.
“People don’t spend that kind of money on parking garages to sit vacant,” he told the chamber. “That project will happen.” The development’s garage was finished last year.
Nor did Kurtinitis seem concerned about the project’s being stalled.
“We are pretty confident, and sometimes with projects this big there are delays beyond everyone’s control,” she said. “I think it’s all in place. I think it’s a matter of getting all the I’s dotted and the T’s crossed.”
She said she looks forward to having an expanded Owings Mills site for the community college, which would be shared with the new library branch.
“We are really enthusiastic about having that new building to really do the kinds of things we have been wanting to do in the Owings Mills area,” she said.
Many subway riders who park in the new garage said they had seen the posters for Metro Centre but did not know the details of the project.
Those who were familiar with Metro Centre seemed skeptical of the need for it and whether it would benefit the area, although they said they were enjoying the new garage.
They also said the project does seem slow in coming.
“I guess I’m not surprised, because of the economy. I assume that’s the reason,” said Ed Flavin, a Westminster resident.
He said he is also unsure if the area needs more retail.
“I look at Owings Mills Mall and half of it is empty, so I am not sure, if they build (Metro Centre) here, if there is business enough to support it.”
Natasha Skorik, of Reisterstown, said she thinks the project is probably a good idea for people without cars, but it could also hurt nearby retail.
“It’s probably going to kill that mall,” she said.
She thought it might be better to invest in the mall’s revitalization, such as adding more bus service between it and the Metro station.
“I think (Metro Centre) is a good idea, but it’s not practical to build another (retail) space,” she said.