Development News

The aroma of fresh-baked confections will soon waft again from a retail storefront on Route 40 in Ellicott City.

Cooks N Cakes will open this month at 9251 Baltimore National Pike next to Starbucks. It’s the spot that once held the Breadery, which has moved to Catonsville.

Owner Adell Cothorne is a former Montgomery County principal who found herself baking cupcakes for family and friends. She decided to put aside her career in education after folks started putting in orders last month.

“I was up from Friday until Sunday trying to fill cupcake orders and decided that I can’t be a principal and bake cupcakes,” Cothorne says. “I’m going to follow my passion and do cupcakes.”

She chose Ellicott City because of its income and liked the spot because it is next to a heavily trafficked Starbucks. Cothorne hopes she’ll get Starbucks’ customers who want fresh-baked cupcakes made with cage-free eggs, local dairy and European butter.

The store will offer seven daily flavors, including several cocktail-inspired ones like Pina Colada and Bailey’s and Cream. Cothorne is hoping those flavors will be a hit at her cupcake happy hour. Cupcakes will cost $3 each, or $2.75 for six or more.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Adell Cothorne, Cooks N Cakes

A teacher at Tai Sophia Institute has opened her own wellness center in Columbia.

Jade Connelly-Duggan this month opened WisdomWell LLC, which offers acupuncture, massage, herbal treatments, yoga and nutrition counseling at 8955 Guilford Rd., just south of Broken Land Parkway.

The daughter of Tai Sophia founders Bob Duggan and Dianne Connelly, the business owner spent $30,000 to open the 4,700 square foot office. The space includes nine treatment rooms and a yoga studio.

Owned by Liberty Property Trust, the building faces a koi pond and extensive landscaping. Close to Routes 29 and 32, it’s also easy to get to, Connelly-Duggan says. The site is also near the Mall in Columbia and King’s Contrivance Village Center.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Jade Connelly-Duggan

The stage is set for the $65 million transformation of Owings Mills Mall from an old-style enclosed shopping mall to an open-air town center.

The project will be a joint venture between Kimco Realty Corp. and General Growth Properties. Each company will have a 50 percent ownership stake in the newly redeveloped property.

The companies plan to tear down the current building in 2013 and complete it the following year. The developers will retain the AMC Movie Theater, JC Penney and Macy's and sign up a new mix of retail tenants and restaurants to the complex, including boutiques and junior anchor stores that face the street. The dated building has long been a fixture of the website Deadmalls.com.

The Owings Mills Mall redevelopment project is one of several taking place in the Baltimore County town. The once-dormant Owings Mills Metro Centre project got a jumpstart in the summer with construction on a public library and community college branch. Greenberg Gibbons Commercial Corp. also said this month that it will bring Wegmans Food Markets as the lead tenant at the Foundry Row at Owings Mills, a redevelopment of the shuttered Solo Cup site.

Soures: General Growth Properties, Greenberg Gibbons Commercial Corp.
Writer: Amy McNeal

A Delaware craft brewer is moving to Maryland, where it will tap a larger production facility and open a new restaurant as demand for its drinks grows.

The two-year-old Evolution Craft Brewing Co.  is moving in February from Delmar, Del., to a former ice factory at 201 E. Vine St. in Salisbury. That’s also the site of the 150-seat Public House restaurant and offices for the company that manages it, Southern Boys Concepts. The brewpub will serve homemade sausages, regional oysters and local fish.

Evolution needs the 20,000-square-foot building because it had maxed out on its Delmar, Del., space, says Evolution Founder Tom Knorr. The new building will have the capacity to brew 50,000 barrels of beer a year, or 10 times what it will produce this year. It expects to double production to 10,000 barrels next year.

Primal Pale Ale, Exile ESB and Lucky 7 Porter are among Evolution brews sold in Maryland, Delaware, Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia. Knorr hopes to soon begin selling his brews in Southeastern Pennsylvania and the rest of Virginia.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Tom Knorr, Southern Boys Concepts

A Baltimore County hardware store has hammered an expansion deal that will allow it to carry a wider range of merchandise.

Suburban Ace Hardware has moved to 10912 York Rd. in Cockeysville. The 11,200-square-foot shop has 50 percent more space for its gardening supplies, power tools, propane grills, fasteners and window screens, Owner Mike Boulay says.

“In the retail business, you can only sell what you can see,” Boulay says. “You have to broaden your base if you want to get ahead. It takes more square feet to do that.”

Though it’s only a few hundred yards from its old location, the new spot offers better visibility on York Road, Boulay says.

“It’s tough to get good real estate on York Road.”

The spot is located at Railroad Crossing, a three-building site owned by Continental Realty Corp.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Mike Boulay, Suburban Ace Hardware

An upscale Italian chain is saying "ciao" to Baltimore's Inner Harbor this spring.

Brio Tuscan Grille will open a 230-seat restaurant and bar at 100 E. Pratt St. by early April, says Saed Mohseni. The CEO of Bravo Brio Restaurant Group Inc. says the company spends between $2 million and $3.5 million to open each new restaurant.

The Columbus, Ohio, firm operates 93 restaurants under the Brio Tuscan Grille, Bravo Cucina Italiana and Bon Vie Bistro flags. The location — the former site Legal Sea Foods — will hopefully attract tourists, business travelers and office workers given its central downtown location, Mohseni says.

The 8,000-square-foot restaurant will contain an open-air kitchen with stainless steel and stone to create a "Tuscan villa" sort of look.

Menu items will cost between $8 and $22.

Pratt Street will hold the third Brio in Maryland. One is located at the Annapolis Towne Centre while another spot will open in Bethesda Feb. 7.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Saed Mohseni, Bravo Brio Restaurant Group

The parent company of Advanced Radiology has acquired its major competitor for $40 million, creating one of the largest imaging service providers in the region.
 
RadNet Inc has acquired the majority of US imaging centers operated by CML Healthcare, including CML's subsidiaries American Radiology and the Imaging Institute.
 
“Our hope is that it is good news for the Baltimore market in that RadNet can bring its operating expertise to the area with these centers and improve what they're doing for the future.” says RadNet Executive Vice President Steve Forthuber.
 
RadNet operates 233 radiology centers in Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and California. The acquisition of American Radiology adds 2,000 employees and 61 radiology and imaging centers to RadNet's portfolio in the area.
 
"We're hard at work understanding all aspects of the (American) operation in Maryland so that we can make sure that we're providing high quality services, ” Forthuber says. “We plan on operating all of the centers with the objective of enhancing operations.”
 
RadNet says it intends to keep all of its Baltimore area centers open and maintain the same radiologists and staffers at all of the newly acquired American Radiology centers. The company may cut corporate positions where there is overlap.
 
Source: Steve Forthuber, RadNet
Writer: Amy McNeal

The Charm City Circulator, Baltimore's free bus service, launched a new route on November 1, 2011. The new Green Route will allow Circulator riders greater access to popular points downtown. The new route includes stops at City Hall, the Maritime Park connection to the Water Taxi and the Johns Hopkins Medical Campus.
 
The Green Route also increases access to the Fell's Point area including Harbor East. Popular attractions for both tourists and locals, including the Reginald F. Lewis Museum, Broadway Market, are features of  the new route. The new Green Line interconnects with the orange Line at Harbor East, but does not have a connection to the Purple Line. It  also allows riders to connect with Metro trains at the Johns Hopkins Hospital and Shot Tower/Market Place stations.
 
The launch of the Green Route also coincides with the addition of a new bus type to the Charm City Circulator fleet. The Orion VII BRT Hybrid bus will go into service as part of the Circulator fleet. The new model of  hybrid bus will be used throughout the Circulator's routes.
 
Financed by Baltimore's parking tax revenue, The Charm City Circulator has carried approximately 3 million riders since its initial launch. The Circulator is slated to expand service to include a new line running from the Inner Harbor area to Fort McHenry in the spring of 2012.
 
Writer: Amy McNeal
Sources: Downtown Partnership, Charm City Circulator
 
http://www.charmcitycirculator.com/route/green-route

The National Pinball Museum is coming to Baltimore. Fans of pinball and classic game machines will soon have the chance to explore the museum's offerings at the Inner Harbor.
 
First opened in a retail center location in DC's Georgetown, the National Pinball Museum has opted to move into a new, larger space at Power Plant Live. The National Pinball Museum's new location in a sprawling 12,000 square foot space will offer owner David Silverman the opportunity to fully develop his concept for the facility.
 
The museum will display snippets of Silverman's collection of  more than 900 pinball machines. Displays ranging from historic French bagatelle style games to more modern games based on popular pop culture properties will allow games enthusiasts to explore the history of the classic game. The new National Pinball Museum will feature two floors of action, including playable “pay to play” machines of many varieties, party rooms and educational programs.
 
Tiffani Huskey, Director of Operations, adds, “The welcome we’ve received from Baltimore has been overwhelming. We are honored to become part of a community that values the art, history, and pastime of pinball. We’re looking forward to building partnerships with local organizations and businesses to launch our Education and Community Outreach Program as soon as possible.”
 
The original Georgetown location of the National Pinball Museum opened in 2010 and cost approximately $300,000. The new museum location is expected to be significantly more expensive. The National Pinball museum drew more than 6,000 visitors in its 9 months of operation, a number that the museum hopes to exceed in Baltimore.

Writer: Amy McNeal
Source: Tiffani Huskey,  National Pinball Museum

The economic downturn had left several vacancies along Federal Hill's normally busy shopping corridor. The vacant storefronts and vacant stalls in Cross Street Market were definitely detracting from the neighborhood's appeal. The shopping outlook in Federal Hill is a little brighter now thanks to several new businesses that have opened recently in the neighborhood.
 
Cheese Galore and More has opened in a stall in the historic Cross Street Market to fulfill Federal Hill's appetite for all things dairy and and the things that enhance your cheese plate. The new market stand features many varieties of gourmet cheese, including some that is locally produced. Cheese Galore and More also offers crackers, breads, olives, butter, spreads and meats to complete your cheesy feast.
 
Federal Hill is the home of a new restaurant as well. Republic Noodle at 1121 Light Street offers modern décor and an emphasis on hormone free, all natural meats and eco friendly locally sourced accompaniments. It's BYOB. In addition to noodles and pho, Republic Noodle also features pan Asian cuisine and classic desserts with a modern flair.
 
A new gift shop, Bobabooi's Treasure Chest has opened at 1129 Light Street. This family run combination consignment store and gift shop offers new purses, jewelry, accessories as well as a selection of consignment items. The shop offers 10% discounts on Fridays.
 
Writer: Amy McNeal
Source: Federal Hill Main Street

Towson City Center will have some new residents when it opens next year. Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz and Caves Valley Partners announced the news that several leases had been signed for the office tower complex on November 1, 2011.
 
Towson University will be moving its College of Health Professions to Towson City Center in 2012. the Towson University outpost will include four clinics: a wellness center, the Speech Language and Hearing Center, the Center for Adults with Autism, and the Occupational Therapy Center. The university radio station is also considering moving to the new complex.
 
Business Suites, a shared office concept for entrepreneurs will also be taking a space in the new Towson City Center. Cunningham Kitchen, a white tablecloth farm-to-table restaurant from the chefs at Sotto Sopra and The Wine Market, will be opening in the complex in 2012 as well. The new tenants will join previously announced Towson City Center tenants Mile One Automotive Group and Cave Valley Partners.
 
Towson City Center is a redevelopment project. The transformation of the old Investment Building in central Towson into a new, modern LEED certified business center began in May. The building formerly housed an assortment of state and county offices and has been vacant since its closure in 2001. The facade of the building has been completely refurbished, and the cost of the redevelopment project is expected to come in at $27 million.
 
Writer: Amy McNeal
Source: Baltimore County, Towson University College of Health Professions

Grocery stores and casual restaurants in Greater Baltimore gobbled up empty storefronts during the third quarter, helping landlords fill space that might have otherwise gone empty in a tough environment.

That’s according to a retail report from MacKenzie Commercial Real Estate.

ShopRite and SuperValu Corp.’s Shoppers Food & Pharmacy have taken up spots in former Superfresh locations in the walk of the grocer’s store closures and bankruptcy. ShopRite took over Superfresh stores in Timonium, North Baltimore and Parkville while Shoppers opened in Ellicott City.

A handful of quick-service restaurants, including Gino's Burgers & Chicken, Miss Shirley's, and the Green Turtle, have expanded with new locations.

Retail vacancy remained largely flat at 6.19 percent.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: MacKenzie Commercial Real Estate

The Maryland Wineries Association is toasting a move into a larger space that will give it the room it needs to store supplies to host more events.

The group moved into a 1,200-square-foot warehouse space at 1940 Greenspring Dr. in Timonium. That’s double the size of its former Timonium office, which had been getting cramped for  the three-person staff, Executive Director Kevin Atticks says. 

The new office is located in a warehouse building with a loading dock that makes it easier to bring supplies into the office.
“We’re excited to have more space to be productive,” Atticks says.

The association is hosting more marketing events and needs the room to hold inventory. It just wrapped an event series called Eat, Drink, Go Local that pairs chefs with local wineries.

“The motivation was to connect local wine to the local food movement to bring more chefs and wineries together so they all got to know each other,” Atticks says.

The association is celebrating a major win in Annapolis. It lobbied hard for the recent change in wine shipping laws that allows Maryland consumers to order wine online.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Kevin Atticks, Maryland Wineries Association

Baltimore’s Contemporary Museum is moving into a larger space on Charles Street that will give it more room to host exhibits.

The museum will move in January to 505 N. Charles St., the former Craig Flinner Gallery. The spot is one-third larger than its former Centre Street location next to the Walters Art Museum, which is expanding into this space.

The 5,000 square foot space will give it double the exhibit space of its old venue, Contemporary Museum Executive Director Sue Spaid says. It received $10,000 from Downtown Partnership of Baltimore's Operation: Storefront initiative that aims to fill vacant spots in the city.

Spaid says she likes the location because it is close to Mount Vernon attractions the George Peabody Library, the Baltimore Basilica and the park.

The museum has a $350,000 operating budget and eight-person staff, seven of whom work part-time. Its upcoming exhibits include a retrospective of environmental artist Patricia Johanson.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Sue Spaid, Contemporary Museum

Howard County’s is debuting its largest branch next month — a $29 million new building in Ellicott City expected to bring in one million visitors per year.

Opening mid-December, the new Miller branch will replace an aging building with three times the space and, hopefully, a LEED Gold certification.

The 63,000-square-foot library will include a stone bridge, a garden to hold science and technology education and a terrace that will serve as an outdoor classroom or a spot where guests can listen to acoustic guitar concerts.

Yes, you just read library and acoustic guitar in the same sentence.

The site will house the Howard County Historical Society and a history education center, including genealogy resources, says Valerie Gross, CEO of the Howard County Library System.

A 3,000-square-foot meeting room will allow it to hold best-selling authors like Jodi Picoult, who will make an appearance March 16. Gross says she expects up to 600 visitors for the event, some coming as far away as New York.

A garden located in a quarter-acre park will be the setting for health, science and environmental education. It will include a pizza garden – a garden growing tomatoes, onions, green peppers and other vegetables to encourage kids to order vegetables on their pizza.

Howard County, and a $2 million grant from the Maryland State Department of Education, provided funding for the building.