WOODLAWN, Md. — Its empty parking lot makes the former Sears building look more like a ghost town now, but in the months before the retailer announced it would close its store, community leaders had already come together in an effort to try to revitalize Security Square Mall.
“As the community has changed in the Security/Woodlawn area, more Black and brown individuals have come in, and as they have come in, we’ve seen the resources leave the community as well, whether it’s stores, whether it’s green space, whether it’s amenities,” said Randallstown NAACP President Ryan Coleman.
MORE: Baltimore County plans to pay $10 million for former Sears building at Security Square Mall
Enter the state, with a $10 million commitment to pump new life into the mall and Baltimore County, which is expected to approve $10 million of its own to purchase the building and 18 acres of land.
It plans to hold a community forum to determine exactly what would work best.
“Whether it’s more traditional commercial opportunities or re-imagined commercial opportunities---again, housing, green space, training centers,” said Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski. “We’ve already partnered with the OWE Center in the back of the mall site to put a new health facility on site there so I think there’s a lot of really exciting possibilities.”
The mall first opened back in 1972 and its demise has not occurred overnight. In fact, it was 20 years ago that Bennigan’s, IHOP and JCPenney all left and no one ever replaced them.
Now, one of its shuttered anchors will get a new lease on life hopefully benefiting a community in need of additional resources.
“What the community is telling me if we have the proper stores, stores they want to see, they will come here,” said Coleman. “They kept telling us repeatedly, over and over, they’re tired of going to Howard County to do their shopping. They’re tired of going outside of the community.”
Olszewski said Baltimore County will host a design charrette, a collaborative process that will engage Woodlawn-area residents and community leaders in re-imagining the Security Square Mall area.
The charrette, scheduled to take place in Fall 2022, will provide a forum for ideas and feedback, allowing everyone who participates to contribute as an author of the plan for the site.
“Input in the planning process from local residents, community leaders and business owners — those who know the area best — is consistent with our values of open and connected government, and will be key to the success of a reimagined Security Square mall,” Olszewski said. “Revitalizing this community hub will be a boon to the local economy and a game changer for the health and wellbeing of the Woodlawn community.”
Consultants JMT, Ayers Saint Gross and Landwise have been contracted by the Baltimore County Department of Planning to lead the charrette process and the schedule will be as follows:
- Project kickoff (V): Tuesday, Sept 13, 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
- Setting the vision workshop (IP): Wednesday, October 12 at 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Design open house session (IP) Thursday, October 13, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Design open house session (IP) Friday, October 14, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Design open house session (IP) Monday, October 17, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Design open house session (IP) Tuesday, October 18, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Design open house session (IP + V) Wednesday, October 19, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Design open house session (IP) Thursday, October 20, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Design open house session (IP) Friday, October 21, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Reimagine Security Square workshop (IP) Saturday, October 22, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Design refinement meeting (IP+V) Wednesday, November 2, 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Closing presentation (IP+V) Wednesday, November 9, 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
All in-person (IP) meetings will be held at the Set the Captives Free Outreach Center, located at 6901 Security Blvd., Windsor Mill, 21244. Virtual (V) meeting links will be shared here. While events do not require registration to attend, constituents with questions about the sessions or overall project should email securitysquaremall@baltimorecountymd.gov.
