It is a pleasure to be here today at the Towson Area Ministerial Association’s December meeting. The Towson Area Ministerial Association has been an important advocate for the people of Towson since its inception nearly sixty years ago, and over the past four years you have continued that tradition as an invaluable partner in the renaissance of the Towson community.
Towson is one of Baltimore County’s oldest and most vibrant communities. It is rich with history, beautiful neighborhoods, good schools, and significant opportunity. Towson has always been a model community, and has set standards for the renaissance of other communities.
But in 2002, like many other Baltimore County communities it was at a crossroads, facing the challenges of aging infrastructure and competition from newer developments. A renaissance was on the horizon and the people of Towson were looking for a way to implement their vision of a better tomorrow for all of its citizens.
Just a few months ago, people from every corner of the Towson community, including this organization, came together with the Urban Design Assistance Team to create a common vision for the Towson of tomorrow. I would like to thank TAMA’s Fred Weimert for serving as chair of the UDAT panel discussion subcommittee.
Just as it did in Randallstown, Essex/Middle River, and Dundalk, the Towson UDAT process took considerations and suggestions from every facet of the Towson community and created a vision for the future of Towson that we can all be excited for. I know that Jay Doyle from our Office of Community Conservation was here in September, but these recommendations of the UDAT promise to help shape an exciting new future for Towson, and I just wanted to summarize them again for you today.
The seven original recommendations of the UDAT have been consolidated into three primary recommendations: pursuing walkability, pursuing redevelopment opportunities and pursuing policy reform.
Walkability
The first primary recommendation of the UDAT places a high priority on reducing and calming traffic in the downtown Towson core to create a safer environment for both drivers and pedestrians. Traffic modifications would be accomplished through a narrowing of York road to two travel lanes with parallel parking on either side, and a small scale transit system with an emphasis on the York and Dulaney Valley Road corridor between Towson University and Goucher College. A proposed network of pedestrian pathways would enhance connectivity to downtown Towson from residential areas. I’m pleased to be able to tell you today that we will be hiring a nationally recognized expert in “walkability” to identify streetscape improvements that can be made to ease pedestrian travel in Towson. Once we have proposals on ways to make this happen, we will bring the community in as part of this process through a charette, which has proven to be a truly outstanding tool for collaboration and consensus throughout the County.
Redevelopment Opportunities
The second primary recommendation from the UDAT highlights the need to pursue redevelopment options throughout Towson, including expanded public space, new housing opportunities, and increasing Towson’s culture and entertainment venues. The UDAT team recommended several methods of expanding Towson’s public space, from linking Towson’s main street to the Old Courthouse via Banker’s Way to modifying the courthouse garden to become a more inviting, accessible plaza. Expanding open space throughout downtown Towson would not only provide this community with more green space and places for families to congregate, but also provide a venue for works of art to celebrate Towson’s culture and heritage.
There are a variety of locations available throughout downtown Towson that would bring new housing opportunities to this community in a way that adds and maintains to Towson’s unique character. A triangle parcel at York Road, Burke Ave., and Towsontown Boulevard could, over time, be redeveloped to feature a mixed-use project fronting on York Road. This area has the potential to emerge as a dynamic link between Towson University and downtown. The Joppa Wedge, bounded by York Road, Washington Ave., and Joppa Road, also would be a strong candidate for a mixed-use building. These are not specific plans, but they are ideas for the private sector to consider as redevelopment opportunities unfold. When it is time to move from ideas to plans, rest assured that TAMA and the entire Towson community will be involved.
However, there are several exciting redevelopment projects that I can tell you about today that are already moving forward in the Towson area. Towson Commons is being redeveloped by the Western Development group in coordination with Towson business and community representatives into a facility that can compete with malls in Hunt Valley and White Marsh. We anticipate an unveiling of plans later this month. We are continuing to work with the owners of Towson Circle III to find redevelopment options. Based on the success of the VIN restaurant which was developed by the Cordish Company, I know that we can expect great things in the future at that location. General Growth is in the midst of a major renovation of the Towsontown Center Mall, including the mall’s food court and its parking garages, and they have plans to expand toward Dulaney Valley Road with 3 nationally recognized higher quality restaurants, an expanded Crate and Barrel, and other retail venues, and a garage.
We are working towards the redevelopment of the Dulaney apartment complex located across from Goucher College into a 900-unit condo/apartment project called the Quarters at Towson Town. The Department of Economic Development is contributing $850,000 toward expansion of the Greenridge sewer interceptor to support this project and other redevelopment projects planned for northern Towson.
Another one of those exciting projects is the Towson Promenade, which is being redeveloped by the Hanover Company, out of Houston, into 300 loft style apartments. This company did a fantastic job on a similar project in Fell’s Point, and I think we can expect great things here in Towson. This downtown is growing at a remarkable rate, so the Baltimore County Revenue Authority and the Department of Economic Development are making plans to evaluate the parking supply and demand expected to be generated by these major redevelopment projects.
Policy Reform
The final recommendation of the UDAT was for policy reform in process and governance. The UDAT team recommended that the citizens of Towson establish an overlay district that would identify and define the core of Towson. An overlay district could provide a mechanism to maintain and enhance this downtown area, provide incentives for development, and establish new design standards for buildings in the district. The team also recommended that Towson consider adopting new form-based codes that essentially replace traditional zoning and focus more on the form of the building to be developed than on its permitted use. These standards could establish parameters for design elements such as building materials, size, height, and the relation of buildings to the street.
The UDAT recommendations have produced some exciting ideas and options to consider as we plan for the future of this community. I know that TAMA has been supportive of the UDAT process, and I know that you will remain a valuable partner as we move forward in continuing the renaissance of “Tomorrow’s Towson.”
Courthouse 