Smart Redevelopment Creates Newfound Vibrancy

Several multi-use spaces such as Remington Row and The Rotunda in Baltimore City, as well as many successful mixed-use villages in Bethesda, Columbia and Annapolis, have proven the effects of new, modern development in the regeneration of the local economy. The Rotunda in Hampden, for instance, has quickly reached maximum capacity and has helped spark revitalization in a previously underused area of the city, bringing new residents, homes and jobs to a growing community. Modern, mixed-use spaces in surging communities, such as Columbia, have played a major part in the communities’ economic and population growth.

These smart redevelopments have changed the way that Baltimore lives. They are modern, luxurious and economical—housing with on-site retail, offices, shopping centers and event space is desirable for residents of a wide range of ages. They help connect the community, as well, with the interweaving of living space, retail and entertainment that allows both residences and business owners to mingle.

While these mixed-use complexes have been seen to spark growth in their established areas, development in Baltimore County has been slow to catch up with that of Baltimore City and the Washington D.C. area. The economic benefits, as well as the question of what to do with the growing population of the county, have shown that these mixed-use spaces are needed in the Baltimore County area.

Development Will Revitalize Lake Roland

Strategic development of multi-use villages allows for more living, office and retail space. That is why smart redevelopment in the Bare Hills Community, such as the Bluestem development, will allow for an economic jumpstart. As development in Baltimore City and the Washington Metropolitan area shows,  these small cities in a microcosm of mixed-use spaces are the future for living and business ventures and help to revitalize the surrounding communities and their economies.

Trends show that baby boomers and millennials alike seem to flock to multi-use spaces such as those like The Rotunda and Remington Row. Recently, baby boomers have made some of the greatest impacts in the retail market—as boomers seek to downsize, and millennials look to enjoy the best of both worlds offered in a “surban” mixed-use village, it is essential for developers to mindfully focus on redevelopment to fit these societal needs.

There is currently a major opportunity for growth in the Bare Hills and Lake Roland communities in terms of retail and rental living spaces. The Bluestem development team seeks to make improvements to the community through a multi-use space that will provide an answer to these needs, as well as provide community members safer and more convenient access to the beloved Lake Roland park.

A Commitment to Maintaining the Local Community

The development team at Bluestem understands the necessity of upholding the Lake Roland community, which is why redevelopment has been largely structured around maintaining and enhancing the community while also protecting Lake Roland. The team at Bluestem also values the importance of remaining local and catering to the needs of long-time residents of the Bare Hills Community, and that is why the development and design team is comprised solely of specialists who are based in, and familiar with, Maryland and its characteristics. These include professionals from Bozzuto, Vanguard Retail Property Development, Alexander Design Studio, Human & Rohde, Plusen Landscape Architects, SGS Law, The Traffic Group, MFI Realty, Morris & Ritchie Associates and more.

Bluestem’s multi-use village will not stand in isolation—instead, it will be an amenity that will work in harmony with the surrounding area, boosting the local economy as well as interweaving with the community and its already-existing amenities.

Around the Park, Not In It

Construction of the multi-use Bluestem development will specifically focus on the boundaries adjacent to Lake Roland park. Specifically, there will be no construction existing within the boundaries of the park, and no roads constructed within park limits. The Bluestem development project places thoughtful consideration on development that is friendly to the park, including native plantings and convenient access to the park through more functional and accessible park borders.

The Bluestem team understands the oftentimes negative connotation associated with the term “development,” and this is why the team has gone to such great lengths to ensure that the Bluestem development will not follow in the footsteps of traditional developers. Bluestem has, in fact, spent an extensive amount of time communicating with community leaders, working with local area specialists and thoughtfully planning the mixed-use project so that it will serve as a wonderful new benefit to the community. The plans for the Bluestem project have changed, not once, or even twice, but four full times before the Bluestem team was satisfied that it would meet the needs and address the concerns of the Bare Hills community and Baltimore County public at large.

Bluestem is also committed to enhancing Lake Roland park itself, not by development within it, but by development surrounding it that will contribute to accessibility and the health of the park. This will happen in myriad ways, including increased parking, safer access points, enhanced access to the “Orange” trail and more. In addition, the Bluestem team is committed to preserving the environmental integrity of Lake Roland park. This is seen in many ways, but a significant example is the team’s decision to move the development closer to Falls Road, instead of further towards the back of the property, which abuts the wooded regions of the park. This will allow for a larger forested buffer in between the development and the park, which will greatly enhance the ability for stormwater to be effectively managed; limit noise pollution and disruption within the park; protect unique landscapes, such as the serpentine barren, and ensure park-goers can enjoy the beauty that Lake Roland offers undisturbed.

Increase Park Usage

In addition, the development of multi-use property in the Lake Roland area will only work to increase the functionality and accessibility of the park. Currently, Lake Roland’s significant increase in park-goers in the last decade has placed an expanded strain on the limited parking space offered in Lake Roland and surrounding areas. In addition, park-goers who currently park on Falls Road to access the Red trail, often find themselves in a dangerous situation when parking just before a sharp curve located on the busy roadway. The development team at Bluestem has planned construction mindfully as to increase the accessibility of the park with the addition of useful parking and trail connections, such as improved access to the park’s Orange trail via a gate constructed at the back-end of the Bluestem property.  

While it is true that the new access point will connect to a trail that runs through the serpentine barrens within the park, the Bluestem team has already come up with creative and environmentally friendly ways to ensure this habitat is undisturbed. By teaming up with Human & Rohde—who were integral in the development of the environmentally-sensitive boardwalk through the wetland areas—as well as Plusen Landscape Architects, the Lake Roland Nature Council and others, the Bluestem team is putting into effect plans for another boardwalk-like structure, as well as signage informing community members about the sensitive nature of the serpentine barrens, in order to empower the community to act as stewards of the park and limit intrusion into fragile areas.

Work in Harmony with Environment

The Bluestem development team upholds their environmentally-conscious approach to building in harmony with the surrounding ecosystem. That is why the development of multi-use housing has been planned as to create minimal disturbance to the environment and with mindfulness to improve both human and local traffic. The Bluestem development project will only improve the surrounding landscape and environmental structure of the area—construction of Bluestem will eliminate an outdated mulch tumbler system located on a watershed site that has persistently wreaked havoc on Lake Roland’s delicate ecosystem. The objective of Bluestem, to promote conservation through re-development of the area surrounding the park, will ultimately best serve the park and the community through modern, updated waste management systems without impeding on park boundaries or the park’s unique ecosystem.

Bluestem Development is Mindful of the Community

The developers and designers of Bluestem aim for the construction of multi-use spaces to be community focused, environmentally friendly, innovatively designed and locally developed. That is why the development of the property surrounding Lake Roland will seek to enhance green space, ease traffic, promote safer parking space and provide more convenient access to the beauty of Lake Roland while protecting the integrity of the park.

Environmentally Sensitive Construction Standards

While environmental sensitivity should be foremost in the mind of any development team, this need is emphasized in a space that is surrounded by delicate and unique ecosystems, such as the serpentine barrens at Lake Roland. The Bluestem development team is committed to implementing environmentally sensitive construction and development standards to ensure that there is little to no impact on the surrounding environment and that the development stands in harmony with, and not in opposition to, the aesthetic qualities that nature has already provided. The park has been the driving force behind not only the team’s visual aesthetics for the development, but also their functional designs as they seek to “bring the park into the project.” This is evidenced by their use of native plantings in the landscape architecture, their use of specialists with previous experience on Lake Roland projects, their commitment to extensive research on the unique microclimates that exist within the park and more. The hope is that this attention to detail regarding environmentally sensitive practices will transcend throughout other development projects throughout the county and become an expectation, rather than an innovation.  

Bringing Modern Concepts to an Old Neighborhood

There is a clear and obvious need for multi-use developments in Baltimore County. As Baby Boomers seek to downsize and Millennials look for ways to enjoy urban amenities in a suburban environment, developers must construct spaces that meet these needs. The Bare Hills community is currently underserved in terms of retail, restaurant and rental living spaces, and the Bluestem development team seeks to serve this need through a mixed-use development that will provide all these needs, as well as give community members easier access to the bounty of natural beauty Lake Roland park has to offer.

Additionally, the current infrastructure and stormwater management surrounding Lake Roland is old and often outdated in terms of modern construction, environmental and safety codes. This takes a toll on community members and the natural environment. The Bluestem development team is committed to constructing a state-of-the-art stormwater management that not only meets current standards but surpasses them. In addition, it will provide modern infrastructure to the area by being environmentally sustainable, and serve as an example of one of the ways county neighborhoods can be revitalized to meet the ever-growing demands for quality housing and retail accessibility.