News Article

Maryland resurrects MARC station development


(7/16/2009) Four years after a deal that never got on track, state agencies are again moving forward to develop the area around the Laurel train station.

The Maryland Transportation Authority and Maryland Department of Transportation announced in June they are accepting conceptual proposals for a transit-oriented development project at the Laurel Maryland Area Regional Commuter train station, located on Main Street, east of Route 1.

The MTA is looking to either sell or lease the 4.35 acres at the site, which is the busiest on the Camden Line, MDOT spokesman Jack Cahalan said.

The space is currently being used as a parking lot for commuters.

Cahalan said the MTA and MDOT are reopening requests for proposals after previous developers were "unable to consummate the deal" for a residential and retail mixed-use development in 2005.

"The goal hasn't changed ... to create mixed use developments on government owned land that will maximize the use of that property both to increase transit ridership but to also create a positive economic and community development around the transit station," he said. "That's why the [request for proposals] is out there, to gauge the interests of the business community."

The deadline for proposals is Aug. 4.

Karl Brendle, Laurel's director of community planning, said the city is pleased the MDOT was starting the process again.

"We're ecstatic they're moving forward in this recession and there's evidently interest," he said.

There is additional state attention at the site, as the station was named one of 15 Smart Sites statewide June 29, in an initiative to spur mixed-use growth and encourage public and private investment in areas near public transit or job centers.

The Smart Site program is part of Gov. Martin O'Malley's (D) Smart Green and Growing initiative, said Kevin Baynes, director of office of community programs for the state's Department of Housing and Community Development's Division of Neighborhood Revitalization.

Cahalan said Laurel was chosen by MDOT because of its location which could serve "as a starting point or catalyst for the broader revitalization of Route 1 through Laurel," he said.

He added that a strong partnership exists between the state and local government, which is needed for a project to move from the drawing board to reality.

John Papagni, a program officer for the state Division of Neighborhood Revitalization, said Laurel's designation can serve as an example of private and public organizations working together.

"[Smart Sites] come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but the thing they have in common is they're site specific capital projects that are designed to encourage public and private investment," he said. "These are projects that [we] hope will serve as examples or best practices that other public or private sector actors can emulate in other parts of the state."


By Timmy Gelles

Copyright © 2009 Post-Newsweek Media, Inc./Gazette.Net

Link to the article: Maryland resurrects MARC station development

Source: The Gazette