Downtown Towson Gets Green Light On Harbor East-Like District
TOWSON, Md. (WJZ) — It's Towson's time. That's what Baltimore County developers are saying about plans to revitalize downtown Towson.
Jessica Kartalija reports--private developers plan to break ground on the new "Towson Row" in the next two years.
"New homes, new stores, new restaurants, new offices. Live where you work, shop and play." That's the sales pitch.
The idea is to make Towson the new Baltimore County hot spot.
Parts of Towson may not look like much now, but that could change in the next couple of years.
"Towson can be every bit as vibrant and successful an urban core as places like Bethesda or Harbor East," said Art Adler, Caves Valley Partners.
Five acres are set to be redesigned by Caves Valley Partners, a Baltimore based development group.
"This $300 million private investment totals more than one million square feet of mixed-use space," said Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz.
Space that includes restaurants, offices, garages, shops, hotels and student housing.
The idea is for locals to live where they work.
"It will serve as the perfect gateway to the southern end of downtown Towson," Adler said.
The planned development is just feet from 101 York, home to Paisans Pizza and York Liquors, set to be torn down and turned into another mixed-use complex.
"It seems like they want to push out all the small business people out of the business and bring in chains of this, that and the other," a man said.
While designed to revitalize the area, new construction also puts a stop to some local shops like Jerry's Subs.
"We're going to shut down. They did give us an opportunity to relocate, but we haven't anything about it. So I guess we are just out of it," said Manager Larry Harmon.
Towson Row will be bounded by York Road, Towsontown Boulevard, Chesapeake and Susquehanna Avenues.
Revitalizing Towson is bittersweet for some. Employees at Jerry's tell WJZ they have to find new jobs, but they say it may be good for Towson overall.
Construction is expected to begin in 2015.
For a virtual tour of recent developments in downtown Towson, click here.
