Development : Development News

A Baltimore County restaurant is toasting the New Year with a new bar that its owners hope will help it draw new customers.

Chappie's Diner Bar & Grill should get its liquor license at the end of the month, co-owner Brian Chapman says.

Located at 3648 Washington Boulevard inside the 112-room Beltway Motel, the 3,000-square-foot restaurant is adding six flat-screen TVs in a bar that seats about 90, Chapman says. The business owner and his partner, Paul Chapman, are spending about $100,000 on the expansion.

Adding a sports bar to the diner will hopefully help it attract a larger crowd, including younger folks who attend the Community College of Baltimore County in Catonsville and NASCAR fans.

Chapman likes the area because it is located on a busy road and attracts drive-by traffic from folks heading to the nearby Home Dept and Walmart.

To draw in bar patrons, Chappie's will offer specials such as steak night or shrimp night. By the summer, the restaurant and bar will host a DJ and hold karaoke nights.  

The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Breakfast costs between $3.99 and $7.99. Chappie's serves seafood, steaks, and burgers for lunch and dinner, costing anywhere from $3 for a bowl of soup to $22 for a crab cake dinner.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Brian Chapman, Chappie's

Shoppers looking for trendy clothes at bargain prices in downtown Baltimore can now rest assured. Construction on department store H&M has begun at Harborplace and the shop is expected to open in April, according to officials at mall owner General Growth Properties Inc.

The 20,000-square-foot store will be located next to Urban Outfitters in a two-story space in the Light Street pavilion of the downtown mall. The pavilion will undergo extensive renovations to accommodate the new store.

The Swedish clothing company has expanded aggressively in recent years and now has 2,000 stores worldwide. Its Greater Baltimore stores are located in Owings Mills Mall, White Marsh Mall, Westfield Annapolis Mall, the Mall in Columbia, Towson Town Center, and Arundel Mills. The Harborplace store is H&M's first location in Baltimore City.

The clothing store will hopefully draw city residents and workers to Harborplace, says General Growth Senior Marketing Manager Carmel Gambacorta. H&M gives Harborplace � a mall known for drawing mostly tourists � an opportunity to attract a broad range of shoppers, Gambacorta says.

In December, mall officials announced that Lenny's Delicatessen will open in the Pratt Street Pavilion of Harborplace in the spring. The shop will be the third in the Baltimore area for the 25-year-old eatery known for its conred beef.

Women's clothing and accessories shop Francesca's Collection will also open in the spring.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Carmel Gambacorta, General Growth

A retail center in Westminster has landed two new tenants in growing Carroll County.

Speech Pathways, a pediatric speech therapy clinic, and Cold Stone Creamery will join the Shoppes at Meadow Creek at 495 Meadow Creek Dr.

Cold Stone Creamery will open a 1,600-square-foot store by April and Speech Pathways will occupy 2,717 square feet of office space on the second floor of the project's main building.

Developed by Chesapeake Realty Partners, the Shoppes at Meadow Creek counts IHOP, M&T Bank, and the Young School among its current tenants. Walgreens will open in the next 60 days and local Italian eatery Illiano's Restaurant will open in the next month, says Jos� Santana of Segall Group Commercial Real Estate. Santana brokered the leases on behalf of the landlord.

The 15-acre retail center will hold 110,000 square feet of retail space, five pad sites, and 22,000 square feet of office space when it is completed. Phase 2 of the Shoppes at Meadow Creek will begin next year.

Santana says he is looking for two new restaurant tenants and has had discussions with several national restaurant chains, whom he declined to name. He says he believes the Westminster area is bereft of dining options. When IHOP opened its doors, people camped out overnight eagerly awaiting a bite at the pancake joint.

Located west of downtown Westminster, the Shoppes at Meadow Creek faces Maryland Route 140. It is adjacent to a 188-unit single-family housing development that is completed and a 190-unit residential development currently under construction.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Jose Santana, Segall Group Commercial Real Estate

The Greene Turtle Sports Bar & Grille is the latest tenant to join Hunt Valley Towne Centre, an open-air Main Street-style shopping plaza.

The 12,000-square-foot restaurant will be the 25th location for the sports bar. The restaurant will feature a flat-screen television in every booth and pub-style food.

Headquartered in Edgewater, the Greene Turtle has outlets in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and Washington, D.C. Last year, new stores opened in Rehoboth Beach, Del., Owings Mills, and Chesapeake, Va. The menu includes wings, burgers, salads, sandwiches, and steaks.

RestaurantChains.net, an online sales leads directory, last year named the Greene Turtle the fastest growing bar and grill chain with fewer than 200 units.

Other tenants at the outdoor mall include Wegmans Food Market, Best Buy, California Pizza Kitchen, Dick's Clothing and Sporting Goods, Jesse Wong's Kitchen, and Outback Steakhouse.

Greenberg Gibbons Commercial Corp. of Owings Mills is the developer of the nearly 1 million square foot shopping mall.

In the fall, the center welcomed several new tenants: Country Curtains, Five Below, Boardwalk Fresh Burgers & Fries, and Chick-Fil-A.

Later this year, the shopping center will welcome MVP Entertainment, the Ray Lewis-backed bowling alley and restaurant. The 62,000-square-foot facility will feature a sports bar, billiard tables, golf simulators, a coffee bar, and 38 bowling lanes equipped with flat-screen televisions.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Greenberg Gibbons Commercial Corp.

A new lunch spot will feed downtown office workers at Baltimore's SunTrust building.

Serving made-to-order salads and sandwiches, Nalley Fresh will open by the end of January at 120 E. Baltimore St. It will replace the closed falafel and gyro joint Cypriana Caf�.

Greg Nalley, who owned Tide Point's Harvest Table from 2001 to 2007, is launching the 830-square-foot caf�.

The former executive chef of the Maryland Jockey Club, Nalley says he is looking forward to serving the business crowd again as he did at the Tide Point office complex.

"You see the same people over and over again," Nalley says. "There's a camaraderie with people you see two or three times a week."

Nalley Fresh will also serve tart frozen yogurt sold by the ounce. Tart frozen yogurt � as opposed to the sweet concoctions that were all the rage in the 1980s � has been growing in popularity with the expansions of chains like Pinkberry. Lunch at Nalley Fresh will cost around $10.

The entrepreneur is renovating the interior with new floor, paint, cabinets and televisions broadcasting news and sports. Nalley declined to say how much he is spending to open the caf�.

Nalley says he likes the location because it's in the heart of the business district and provides plenty of outdoor seating on a nice day. The restaurant will seat 30 inside and another 30 outside.

Matthew Haas, vice president of Columbia's Manekin LLC, brokered the deal on behalf of Nalley. Manekin's Vince Brocato and Kevin Haus represented the landlord, Franklin Street Properties.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Greg Nalley

A new burger joint has eaten into the Canton spot formerly occupied by the short-lived Tangiers, offering locals a taste of Tom Cruise, Sylvester Stallone, and Lindsey Lohan. 

Hollywood Burger Bistro opened last month at 845 S. Montford Ave. selling organic burgers made with Certified Angus Beef. Manager Michael Stratigareas got the idea for the concept after frequenting gourmet burger joints in Los Angeles.

"I thought Baltimore is more than ready for something like this," Stratigareas says.

The menu's selection includes a turkey burger, black bean burger, and a fried green tomato burger. There's also a lot of name dropping. The $12 Lindsay Lohan burger is made with mushrooms and onions in a Bailey's Irish Cream reduction. The John Waters Burger comes with crab dip, bacon, and Fontina cheese while the O'Malley Burger is a broiled crab cake on top of a beef burger with cheddar cheese and tomato. Entrees include crab cake, pot roast, and blackened chicken alfredo.

Stratigareas says he isn't shaken by the fact that the spot has been unlucky. Moroccan restaurant Tangiers closed after just a few months. He points out that prior to that, the location held Red Fish for five years. Stratigareas was the original owner of that restaurant. The spot was also home to the popular Weber's of Boston Street.

The restaurant manager says he likes the location because it's in a visible spot, at the intersection of Montford and Boston Street. Canton is also home to both recent college graduates and empty nesters who are hopefully looking for a more healthful burger.

Stratigareas redid the 210-seat restaurant with new plasma screen TVs, zebra prints in the dining room, and Tiffany blue paint in the bar.
The manager pulled together an investor group to fund the venture and couldn't say how much they spent to open the restaurant.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Michael Stratigareas

An Asian restaurant, spa, and dry cleaners will open early 2011 at a $10 million retail center in Columbia.

East Moon Asian Bistro, a 4,154-square-foot Asian fusion and sushi restaurant, will open its third location at the Shoppes at Shipley's Grant.

The two East Moon restaurants in Bowie and Alexandria, Va. serve Japanese, Chinese, Thai, and Vietnamese food. Dishes at the Bowie restaurant include sushi, kung pao chicken, peanut sauce curry, and tempura.

Venus Spa, a 3,229-square-foot nail care salon and spa, will offer facials and massages. Royal Cleaners will operate a 1,449-square-foot store as well.

Located at the intersection of Route 100 and Snowden River Parkway, the Shoppes is located on the Columbia/Ellicott City border and draws residents and office workers from both towns, says Robert Bavar, vice president of developer Bavar Properties Group LLC.

The Shoppes at Shipley's Grant features multi-colored brick buildings with large arches, colorful awnings, and well-lit exterior eating spaces, designed to mimic historic Ellicott City.

Existing shops at the retail center include Starbucks, Cold Stone Creamery, Coal Fire Pizza, and the Wine Seller. The development contains 24,400 square feet, with about 6,000 square feet of space left. There's also a free-standing bank pad for lease.

The shopping center is located at the main entrance to Shipley's Grant, the 396-garage townhome community under development by Bozzuto Homes.

KLNB Retail LLC handles the leasing of The Shoppes at Shipley's Grant.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Robert Bavar, Bavar Properties

An eco-friendly home goods retailer has chosen Baltimore over several other cities as its corporate headquarters.

Bambeco moved its staff to the Brooklyn neighborhood in South Baltimore, to what is known as the old Lucky's Warehouse. The building is located at 3432 2nd St.

The one-year-old company sells furniture, rugs, pillows, and kitchen and entertaining supplies made from recycled materials.

CEO Susan Aplin says she selected Baltimore over Philadelphia, San Francisco, Pittsburgh, and Washington, D.C. Baltimore has an "underrated" work force that can aid the retail, technology, and marketing industries. By next year the company will have 24 employees and will add another 25 in 2012.

Since some of Bambeco's products come from overseas, Aplin likes being in a port city.

Aplin is also moving Bambeco's warehouse from West Virginia and is on the hunt for 10,000 square feet of space. The headquarters is 5,900 square feet.

Qualified for a LEED Gold rating, the renovated Lucky's building contains solar panels and a geothermal heat pump that heats the water when solar power isn't available. That seems fitting for a company that sells recycled products. Aplin also liked the fact that the building is close to Interstates 895, 695, and 95. It is also close to the Federal Hill neighborhood, where staff can get lunch.

Most of the products Bambeco sells are made by the company itself. As of now, everything is sold on its Web site, Bambeco.com. Next year, it will begin selling in department and specialty stores, says Aplin, who declined to name the stores.  

Aplin declined to disclose sales.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Susan Aplin, Bambeco

There's a new sweet spot in Baltimore's Federal Hill neighborhood. Midnite Confection's Cupcakery, brainchild of mother and son team Sandra and Aaron McNeil, opened its doors in October.

After finding her son busily baking one night just before the witching hour, attempting to satisfy his sweet tooth, mother and son teamed up to create several original recipes. They let their family and friends try them and were surprised when orders started coming in. The pair had been selling their cupcakes from their Prince George's County home before relocating their ovens to Baltimore.

"We were looking for an area to open our business that would be best for us. A friend of mine who lives in Federal Hill suggested the area. We came up looked at available properties. We kept our eye on the area to see if it was going in a positive direction. Everything looked good to us, we found a spot we thought was perfect and opened the shop," says Aaron McNeil who adds that he's planning on moving to Baltimore in the near future.

McNeil says the shop offers a variety of non-traditional cupcake flavors which will set it apart from other local cupcake retailers.

"We have six signature flavors and two specialty flavors every day. Other flavors can be pre-ordered. Our signature dozen includes vanilla, chocolate, carrot, lemon, and black velvet. Our vanilla cupcake is made with vanilla bean in the cake and icing. Our chocolate cupcake has a cream cheese and chocolate chip filling. We keep it basic for people who are no frills but like quality," he says.

The bakery also offers a line of "After Hours" cupcakes inspired by popular cocktails including, Mojitos, Fuzzy Navels, Pina Coladas and Kahluha and Cream.


Source: Aaron McNeil
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Devotees of Baltimore's Corned Beef Row will soon have a new reason to go to the Inner Harbor. Lenny's Delicatessen will open in the Pratt Street Pavilion of Harborplace, according to General Growth Properties, owners of Harborplace and The Gallery. The delicatessen will occupy approximately 3,100 sq. ft. It's scheduled to open Spring 2011. 

The Lenny's Deli Harborplace location will offer breakfast all day along with a full array of deli meats, fried chicken, wraps, salads, and baked goods for dining in, catering, and carry out. Owner Alan Smith and his father, Lenny Smith, recently celebrated the 25th anniversary of Lenny's in Owings Mills. The second location, on Baltimore's famed Corned Beef Row, opened in 1991. The Harborplace location will be the third in the Baltimore area.

"We felt the Inner Harbor area needed a place where tourists and business people could go for a good corned beef sandwich," says Alan Smith. "We are excited to be opening at Harborplace, where all visitors to Baltimore make sure to stop during their trip here. We look forward to serving the Baltimore business community and those who stop on their way to Orioles and Ravens games."

General Properties also revealed that Francesca's Collection, a boutique specializing in fashion forward women's clothing, accessories and gifts, will join the lineup of stores for spring 2011. The new store will be approximately 800 sq. ft. and will be located on the first floor of The Gallery. It will be the first Francesca's in the Baltimore area.

Source:General Growth Properties
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Federal Capital Partners (FCP), a Washington, DC-based real estate investment company, has purchased The Munsey, an 18-story high-rise apartment building in Baltimore's Central Business District at 7 N. Calvert St., for a reported $13.75 million.

"We are actively seeking new investments throughout Baltimore as the fundamentals continue to improve," says Alex Marshall, FCP Managing Partner. "The Munsey fits well with FCP's investment strategy and will be an important part of our portfolio as it is recapitalized and remarketed."

The Munsey is a landmark building that includes 146 apartments and 4,000 sq. ft. of ground floor retail space along with 109 underground parking spaces. The property, located a few blocks north of the Inner Harbor, was constructed in 1911 by newspaper icon Frank Munsey as an office building and was, at the time, the tallest office building in Baltimore.

The building was converted to apartments in 2003 and was an instrumental part of the resurgence of Baltimore's downtown as a live-work-play environment. FCP plans moderate improvements to common areas and amenity space.

The sale was facilitated by the receiver, Gray & Associates, LLC and was brokered by CB Richard Ellis. Wells Fargo provided acquisition financing for FCP.

Source: Federal Captial Partners
Writer: Walaika Haskins

The Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC) has agreed to an Exclusive Negotiating Privilege (ENP) with Philadelphia-based Carmel Realty Associates for the redevelopment of properties in the 100 block of West Lexington Street (101, 103, 114, 116-120 and 124 N. Liberty Street) on Downtown Baltimore's west side. Carmel Realty, a current owner of properties on West Lexington Street, was the only respondent to a BDC Request for Proposals (RFP) for these three development sites, comprised of five vacant properties.

With the acquisition of the properties, Carmel Realty plans a mixed-use development of ground floor retail space with apartments on above floors.

"Carmel Realty Associates -- and particularly its CEO Jerald Goldfine -- has long been committed to the city's vision for the Westside revitalization," says BDC President M.J. "Jay" Brodie. "We look forward to our continued partnership as the improvement of the Westside moves ahead."

The development sites are part of the Market Center Urban Renewal Area:an area bounded by Madison Street to the north; Cathedral and Liberty Street to the east; Pratt Street to the south; and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to the west.

Source: Baltimore Development Corporation
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Federal Hill has gotten another interior design and home d�cor store.

Curiosity opened last month at 1033 S. Charles St. on the second floor of a rowhome. The shop sells art, antiques, home decorations and gift books. Owner Katie DeStefano sells treasures she finds at auctions and flea markets.

"If it's pretty and fun we have it here," DeStefano says.

The interior designer also sells sketches, photos, prints, and other art pieces she collects on her travels to New York, Los Angeles, and Savannah, Ga.

"Everywhere I go I look for something that catches my eye," DeStefano says. "Every time I get on an airplane something is coming back with me."

The business owner describes the store's style as "sophisticated and fun" with an eclectic mix of furnishings � from 19th century pieces to modern 1960s-style items.

Curiosity is the latest design store to call Federal Hill home. SoBo Design Loft also opened last month. The neighborhood also houses Shofer's Furniture and linen and bath store Phina's for the Home.

DeStefano says she chose Federal Hill because it's full of young, stylish people who will hopefully want to shop at her store.

"I love that people here are young and open to the idea of great design," she says. "A lot of places are not forward looking enough."

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Katie DeStefano, Curiosity

An All-American diner has taken a bite out of Little Italy.

Walter Webb, a longtime restaurant operator at Harborplace, spent $160,000 to open the Diner at 413 S. High St. this month. In early December, the restaurant will include a sports bar on the second floor.

Formerly the site of tapas restaurant Tapabar, the eatery seats 81 on the first floor and 100 on the second floor. The second floor addition will double the space, to 5,000 square feet.

Webb closed his barbecue joint Brown Sugar at the Harborplace food court so operators of the downtown mall could make way for department store H&M. He decided to move to Little Italy to capitalize on the new hotels, apartment complexes, and office workers in Harbor East and Eastern Avenue traffic.

"I love the area," Webb says. "It's an exceptionally great place to work and live. People are right here in walking distance."

The Diner serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, costing between $9 and $13. The restaurant services nine types of pancakes, New York strip steak, stuffed flounder, sweet potato fries, and peach cobbler.

German cooks Christa Seiler and Claudia Phillips are selling pies, cakes and pastries in the shop as well.

"The people are so friendly," Webb says of Little Italy residents.  "I just love it over here."

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Walter Webb, the Diner

Baltimore City officials have created a new task force that will address the $2.8 billion shortfall for school construction and renovation projects.

The task force will explore alternative financing options, possible new legislation, and successful models used in other areas to come up with ways to raise money for construction. Appointed by Baltimore City Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and Baltimore City Schools CEO Andres Alonso, the 10-person task force will make its recommendations by February.

The task force members are as follows:

• Sophie Dagenais, the mayor's chief of staff;
• Arlene Friner, CEO of Philadelphia financial consulting firm Vantage Point Associates;
• Mike Frist, chief financial officer of Baltimore City Public Schools;
• Edward Gallagher, Baltimore City finance director;
• Valerie Greene, associate general counsel of Baltimore City Public Schools;
• David Lever, executive director of the Public School Construction Program for the Maryland State Department of Education;
• George Nilson, Baltimore City solicitor;
• J. Keith Scroggins, chief operating officer, Baltimore City Public Schools;
• Thomas Stosur, Baltimore City planning director; and,
• Sabrina Sutton, the city's special assistant for youth and education.

The city says it needs to raise $1.5 billion for basic facilities maintenance and another $1.3 billion for major renovations and new school construction.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Baltimore City