Community and Economic Development of Long Reach Village Center

About the Program

Category: Community and Economic Development (Best in Category)

Year: 2021

Long Reach Village was established in 1971, a planned city developed by James Rouse in Columbia, Maryland. To serve the residents, the Long Reach Village Center (LRVC) was created providing convenient retail and office space, the Stonehouse community center and the Art Center recreational center. By 2011, LRVC had lost Safeway, its main anchor and the center began to suffer from high vacancy rates, security issues, and poor maintenance. In response, the Howard County Government established a 19.1-acre Urban Renewal Area centered around the LRVC. Hoping to turn around the Center, the county purchased LRVC as part of a 7.7-acre redevelopment area. In 2015, the county held public meetings to provide input for the 2016 Reimagine Long Reach Plan which led to a partnership with a private developer. Unfortunately, by 2019 the development firm was no longer interested in the project and the county decided to move forward on its own. In late 2019, County Executive Calvin Ball initiated the Long Reach Rising program to revitalize LRVC, a fast-paced renovation plan with long-term renewal goals. The program centers around revitalizing the Center, cleaning and beautifying the Center and activating it with new businesses and non-profits to serve the community.