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INSIDE THIS ISSUE APRIL 2017 A free publication serving Owings Mills, Pikesville, Randallstown, Reisterstown, Windsor Mill, Woodlawn and Catonsville 3 Construction to Begin on New The Future of Security Square Mall Courthouse Metro Centre Developer Howard Brown shares his vision for a town center People who live and work in the western Baltimore Councilman Tom Quirk, whose district includes County area can’t help but lament the decline of Security Catonsville and Woodlawn, and the Woodlawn-Security Square Mall, and the long-closed, boarded eye sores that Business Association, headed by president Marisol were once Bennigan’s and IHOP restaurants. Johnson, organized the meeting so community members With the mall’s proximity to the beltway and Social could learn about the future of the mall site. Security Administration and Centers for Medicare and Brown declared the mall dead with its two most Medicaid Services, many wonder why it is languishing. In prominent anchors, Macy’s and Sears, on life support. 4 addition to suffering the effects of online shopping habits, Macy’s will probably close soon and then Sears will Elimination of the mall is also seeing suburban shoppers seeking more probably follow, he said. “Then the mall is done.” tobacco sales upscale and robust offerings, as well as more variety of He offered a plan for a mixed use project that have to minors restaurants and entertainment, head to Columbia Mall vibrant activity 24 hours a day, seven days a week. “That’s and Towson Town Center and Arundel Mills Mall. what you want for this community,” Brown said. Walmart, Hope for revitalization dissipated when in 2015 the Sam’s Club and Cosco are options, he said. “But I think Governor announced that he was cancelling the Red Line the combination of the box stores with small retailers, transit project, which had a light-rail stop on Security more restaurants where people will gather, is probably the Boulevard in front of the mall. direction.” Help and hope may be on the way. Howard Brown of David S. Brown Enterprises, continued on page 18 which developed Metro Centre in Owings Mills, offered his vision for future redevelopment of the mall at a Macy’s and Sears, retail anchors at Security Square community meeting held March 15 at the Morning Mall, are not expected to survive, as they follow Star Baptist Church Community Outreach and the trend of other major retailers that are 13 losing business to online shoppers looking Interfaith Educational Center in Woodlawn. for better selection of goods and more Legislative Night convenience. However, developer Howard Brown is looking to demolish and redevelop the site. 16 Schools shine on It’s Academic Be among the first to be in the know. Sign up for news updates from nwvoicenews.com. Page 2 Northwest Voice April 2017 From the Publisher, Kenneth Brown Does Capitalism Determine What Communities Deserve a Mall? What does it mean when a new shopping mall I know that e-commerce, such as Amazon, has lots of money and time to spend there. I do too. opens in a community? It certainly reflects well changed the way people purchase goods. We shop Thank you, Councilman Tom Quirk and on a community that attracts a new mall. It means from their tablets, laptops and cell phones. People Security-Woodlawn Business Association President that the community is upwardly mobile, growing, are less social and the loss of malls won’t help that Marisol Johnson for your leadership on this issue. vibrant and healthy. Conversely, what does it say loss of interaction and connection. Clearly, the about a community when it loses one? trend in shopping venues is town centers, such as I know that across the country, malls are Metro Centre and Foundry Row in Owings Mills. beginning to fade. But what I would like to For a long time, many of us went to Mondawmin understand is why they are disappearing in certain Mall, one of the earlier enclosed malls in the areas and neighborhoods, and not others. country. There was a center court for activities and When these malls leave the communities, they major attractions, such as when Santa Claus and lose jobs, revenue, property taxes, and a sense of the Easter Bunny paid a visit and left families with community. Some might say you see a decline in many great memories. property values when major retailers leave the area. Who remembers Westview Mall when it I remember the hey day of the ‘80s and ‘90s was enclosed? Before Valu City, the department The Northwest Voice is a privately-owned when enclosed malls flourished. People wanted stores there were Stewart’s and Hutzler's, which community newspaper founded in 2005 to to live near a mall. They became the community had a bakery and even a hair salon. There was a inform, entertain and inspire, as well as share hub of activity where you could count on bumping Woolworth’s five and dime with two floors and a news of interest to the northwest Baltimore into your neighbors. You socialized there. You lunch counter. Westview even had a York Steak County communities of Owings Mills, Pikesville, purchased all types of merchandise from clothing house, Pace (Sam’s predecessor) and movie theatre. Randallstown, Reisterstown, Woodlawn, Windsor to furniture to meals. It was one-stop shopping in a I digress. Mill and Catonsville. pleasantly controlled environment. I have fond memories of when Owings Mills At one time, the county had eight malls— Mall and Security Square Mall opened. As a matter Readers are welcome to comment and respond to Security Square Mall, Towson Town Center, White of fact, I had my first job at Security Square. I was articles. We reserve the right to edit for clarity and Marsh Mall, Golden Ring Mall, Eastpoint Mall among the first hires that opened Sears in 1972. length, as well as to publish them online, in print or and Westview Mall, Owings Mills and Hunt Valley After 45 years, Security is on life support. I’m not at all. Anonymous letters or those that cannot Mall. Three were on the east side, two in the north excited that something new is on the drawing be verified will not be published. The opinions of and three on the west. Westview is no longer an board to come to the area. With so much blight readers and guest columnists are not necessarily enclosed mall, Owings Mills has been demolished from vacant commercial buildings, such as the the opinions of the Northwest Voice. Unsolicited and Security Square is slated for major changes, old Mariner Bank, retailers such as Best Buy, and material will not be returned. according to developer Howard Brown, who shared restaurants such as IHOP and Bennigan’s, Security his vision of a town center format at a community Boulevard is quite depressing. meeting on March 15. (See our cover story.) I hope we get the right mix of stores, business Publisher: Kenneth C. Brown, If you live in the northwest and want to go to and a community component. I like what’s been [email protected] a mall, you’ll likely go to Towson Town Center, done with Metro Centre, the Avenue at White Writer-Editor: J. Anderson, Columbia or Arundel Mills. Marsh. I’m excited that developer David S. Brown [email protected] Those malls seem to be doing well. A few years Enterprises sees some value in the community, and Writer: Jamie Rockymore-Bess ago, Columbia added a new section anchored by is taking action to acquire the Security Square Mall Creative Director: Lori Kirkpatrick Nordstrom that also featured new boutiques and properties and invest in the area. Photographer/Circulation Manager: restaurants. Towson Town also added a couple of He told the attendees basically that malls are George E. White new sections with luxury retailers and restaurants. dead and that the new wave is the town centers. Advertising: Kenneth C. Brown, And the same company, General Growth Instead of the Macy’s, Sears and other department [email protected] Properties, owned Columbia, Towson Town and stores, developers are looking to create a 24/7 hub Owings Mills. How did it come to the decision of activity by mixing big box stores with small that it was worthwhile to invest in two of them and boutiques and restaurants. P.O. Box 47266 not Owings Mills, which was located in an area Howard Brown’s plan won’t happen overnight, Windsor Mill, MD 21244 Baltimore County had designated as a growth area? but a plan is in the works. In my opinion, that Phone: 410-508-1424 Again, what does the closing of the stores says the Security Boulevard community has a lot Web: nwvoicenews.com say about the community? Does it say that the of potential. A new courthouse is being built, the Email: [email protected] community does not have what it takes to attract neighborhood is very diverse, and government and or keep a mall? What are retailers and investors business appear to be supportive. No reprints or copies without express permission. looking for? How do they view a community? I’m sure Mr. Brown is hoping everyone will have © 2017 Northwest Voice April 2017 Northwest Voice Page 3 Construction to Begin on New District Courthouse in Security-North Rolling Road Area Shovels tossed dirt at a March 13 groundbreaking the groundbreaking, “which represents economic code of the courthouse it was replacing, which of the new Catonsville District Courthouse, finally development and job growth with 35 constructors presented a challenge to find a Catonsville site. putting into forward motion a project that began and suppliers, including 13 minority business The courthouse’s location is within a half mile 15 years ago.