Lt. Governor Brown Tours Proposed Howard County BRAC Zone

 

ANNAPOLIS JUNCTION, MD (May 28, 2009) – Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown, joined by Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development Secretary Christian Johansson, Howard County Executive Ken Ulman and local officials, toured the proposed 13 acre Howard County BRAC Zone at the Savage MARC station today. DBED will announce the second round of BRAC Zone designations next month.

“The area designated for Howard County represents the true partnership of local and state agencies working together to reach a common goal,” said Lt. Governor Brown. “I am proud of these partnerships which expand opportunities and services for all our citizens including local businesses through BRAC growth.”

Howard County’s application includes more than 578,000 square feet of development, including 120,000 square foot of hotel space and 350,000 square feet of residential space.

“I’m excited about this proposal for many reasons, and one of those reasons is the partnership between the State, the County, and the private sector. Working together we will return State-owned property to the tax rolls, continue to develop property in the County’s Route 1 Re-development corridor (that is also a Transit Oriented Development district,) contribute to our overall efforts to prepare for BRAC growth, and improve services for MARC patrons,” said Howard County Executive Ken Ulman.

Passed during the 2008 legislative session and signed by Governor Martin O’Malley in May, the BRAC Community Enhancement Act authorized the creation of BRAC Revitalization and Community Enhancement Zones to accommodate growth resulting from base realignment and closure (BRAC). Maryland anticipates the statewide creation of 60,000 jobs and the arrival of 28,000 new households before 2015 because of BRAC.

The BRAC Zone legislation offers financial incentives to local governments for the infrastructure necessary to encourage BRAC-related businesses and households to locate within existing locally-designated state priority funding areas. All jurisdictions are eligible to apply for BRAC Zone designation, with priority given to areas that are served by public transportation and have the greatest capacity for economic growth.

Five BRAC Zones were designated last December in Baltimore City, Laurel, Odenton, Frederick and an area in Prince George’s County near Andrews Air Force Base. DBED began accepting applications for the second round of designations earlier this Spring and will formally announce the awards on June 15.

In addition to the Howard County application, DBED accepted an application from Aberdeen which Lt. Governor Brown toured the proposed Aberdeen earlier this week.

Howard County Key Facts 

  • Project Name: Savage Towne Centre
  • 12.73 acres
  • BRAC Zone area infrastructure needs:
    • Repayment of the debt to be issued by Howard County through Tax Increment Financing (TIF) for the construction of a parking garage.          
  • County Priority list of infrastructure:
    • 704 space parking structure 
  • BRAC Zone Projects include:
    • Savage Towne Centre Transit Oriented Development (TOD) mixed use development to include market rate and affordable rental housing, Petrie Ross Ventures.   The State of Maryland has agreed to sell 10.53 acres of the property to Petrie Ross Ventures in return for commitments by Petrie Ross Ventures to construct a 704 space parking garage o 2.2 acres of the site retained by the State and $3.3 million to be paid by Petrie Ross Ventures toward the costs of the garage and other commitments to develop the remaining 10.53 acres of the site.   Howard County will fund the costs of the garage through the issuance of $17,000,000 in TIF bonds.  
  • Projected Construction:           
    • Office                                                   78,000 square feet
    • Residential (416 units)               350,000 square feet
    • Retail (2 buildings & 2 restaurants)        30,164 square feet
    • Hotel (152 rooms)                                120,000 square feet
    • TOTAL                                               578,164 square feet 

 

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