WOODLAWN, Md. — Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski has signed a bill into law establishing a redevelopment authority focused on pumping new life into a long neglected section of the county.
“Creating this authority really will transform our capacity to invest in Western Baltimore County,” said Olszewski.
Already, the county has combined with the state to purchase $30 million worth of property at the struggling Security Square Mall, but that’s just the beginning.
The redevelopment authority’s scope will reach well beyond the mall stretching all the way north to the Liberty Road Corridor and south to Route 40.
The goal is to halt the continuing blight in that 13 square miles.
“Social Security is consolidating so in November, one of those buildings that they’re in, they’re no longer going to be there,” said Maryland Senator Charles Sydnor, “Shoe City filed for bankruptcy and that’s on Woodlawn Drive so that’s going to be another vacant building that’s going to have to be addressed.”
The renewal effort is led by a lifetime Baltimore County resident who now holds the gavel in the Maryland House of Delegates.
“People were very, very upset, as you well know, when we didn’t get the Red Line,” said House Speaker Adrienne Jones, “and we’ve been talking about this for several years to get this right, because it’s been too long and I think this is the right time.”
The right time as Governor Wes Moore has pledged to bring back the Red Line with more investment and renewed hope for an area that’s been neglected for decades.
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