GLEN BURNIE, Md. — A 13-acre site in the heart of Glen Burnie has long been owned by Anne Arundel County, but has remained undeveloped.
Now, local leaders are looking for someone to redevelop it.
It's a sprawling industrial site at 7409 Baltimore-Annapolis Boulevard, by the corner of Linden Lane. It actually has about 35 acres, but only 13 can be developed because most of it is on a floodplain.
The Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation (AAEDC), together with the Maryland Economic Development Corporation, just announced a request for proposal to develop the site.
They're looking to revitalize the area by "creating a vibrant, transit-oriented project with a mix of use" - because of its proximity to the Cromwell Station light rail.
They hope it can catalyze "the economic revitalization of the broader Glen Burnie Town Center (GBTC) and Glen Burnie Sustainable Community Overlay areas."
It's not the first time trying to develop that property. The Michaels Group had agreed to put a residential (apartments, lofts and townhomes) complex, and commercial space, there in 2022, but that plan fell through.
AAEDC president and CEO Amy Gowan said the post-COVID economic situation affected that project, but she believes this new request for proposal can be a real route for change.
She said the AAEDC will oversee the RFP process this time instead of the county, because a non-government organization can be a bit more nimble.
She said in a statement:
We are excited about the potential of this redevelopment project to enhance the community and spur economic growth.
Developers have until June 19 to select their proposals.
The property was the county's utility wastewater headquarters until 2012, and has nine structures, which are being used by God's Perfect Will church, a garage, police training, and storage for police, the Board of Education, transportation, and the Partnership for Children and Youth.
The site does have some environmental concerns, as excessively high petroleum amounts were found in the groundwater in a 2021 analysis.
