CA board set to vote on motion opposing Symphony Woods development
By Andrei Blakely
ablakely@patuxent.com
Posted 7/21/08
The Columbia Association Board of Directors is set to vote on a motion to oppose a developer’s plan to construct buildings and roads in Symphony Woods as part of the proposed rebuilding of downtown Columbia over the next 30 years.
Some members of the board believe that developing Symphony Woods, which encloses Merriweather Post Pavilion, would disturb a serene, natural and forested area in downtown Columbia, according to board member Cynthia Coyle, of Harper’s Choice, who proposed the motion.
“I think it has the potential to be developed into a nice park,” Coyle said.
The idea to build in Symphony Woods comes from officials of the Chicago-based developer, General Growth Properties Inc., who are writing a master plan to guide downtown’s redevelopment over the next three decades.
Overall, the plan proposes adding 5,500 new residences, a million square feet of new retail space, nearly five million square feet of new office space, 640 hotel rooms and 265,000 square feet of cultural and civic space to Town Center.
The development would take place in five neighborhoods connected by pathways and new roads that General Growth would build around the Columbia mall.
As part of the plan, General Growth foresees removing about 38 percent of the existing trees in Symphony Woods, which company officials said are unhealthy, to make room for a new arts district centered on Merriweather Post Pavilion.
The arts district would include a new library, a center for the study of small cities and a children’s museum.
General Growth officials say Symphony Woods is little used and that the new amenities would attract more visitors to the woods, the pavilion and the proposed arts district.
The company’s plan also includes a substantial reforestation and restoration of Symphony Woods and the surrounding open space through the planting of 9,000 new trees, said Gregory Hamm, General Growth’s general manager for Columbia.
However, in order for General Growth to build in Symphony Woods it would need the CA’s board’s approval. CA owns a portion of the woods and counts it as part of Columbia’s open space.
On July 10, the board’s three-member Planning and Strategy Committee, which includes Coyle, passed a motion stating that the board wants General Growth to protect Symphony Woods’ natural setting for community use and would oppose the construction of buildings or roads there.
“The motion is saying that we’re not ready to accept buildings yet in Symphony Woods,” said CA board chairman Tom O’Connor, of Dorsey’s Search. “We haven’t had that full discussion with General Growth yet, so we’re not signing up for it.”
The full 10-member board has scheduled a vote on the motion for Thursday, July 24.
In the meantime, General Growth officials last week launched an eight-day exhibit of the proposed plan in their downtown Columbia headquarters building, through which they hope to receive more public feedback on the plan.
The exhibit, which runs through July 24, is part of the process through which the company has gradually unveiled the plan to Columbia residents before it submits the proposal to county officials for approval next month.
The exhibit includes renderings, maps and other information about the plan.
General Growth’s headquarters is at 10275 Little Patuxent Parkway.
For more information about the exhibit and the master plan, go to www.columbiatowncenter.info.
Some members of the board believe that developing Symphony Woods, which encloses Merriweather Post Pavilion, would disturb a serene, natural and forested area in downtown Columbia, according to board member Cynthia Coyle, of Harper’s Choice, who proposed the motion.
“I think it has the potential to be developed into a nice park,” Coyle said.
The idea to build in Symphony Woods comes from officials of the Chicago-based developer, General Growth Properties Inc., who are writing a master plan to guide downtown’s redevelopment over the next three decades.
Overall, the plan proposes adding 5,500 new residences, a million square feet of new retail space, nearly five million square feet of new office space, 640 hotel rooms and 265,000 square feet of cultural and civic space to Town Center.
The development would take place in five neighborhoods connected by pathways and new roads that General Growth would build around the Columbia mall.
As part of the plan, General Growth foresees removing about 38 percent of the existing trees in Symphony Woods, which company officials said are unhealthy, to make room for a new arts district centered on Merriweather Post Pavilion.
The arts district would include a new library, a center for the study of small cities and a children’s museum.
General Growth officials say Symphony Woods is little used and that the new amenities would attract more visitors to the woods, the pavilion and the proposed arts district.
The company’s plan also includes a substantial reforestation and restoration of Symphony Woods and the surrounding open space through the planting of 9,000 new trees, said Gregory Hamm, General Growth’s general manager for Columbia.
However, in order for General Growth to build in Symphony Woods it would need the CA’s board’s approval. CA owns a portion of the woods and counts it as part of Columbia’s open space.
On July 10, the board’s three-member Planning and Strategy Committee, which includes Coyle, passed a motion stating that the board wants General Growth to protect Symphony Woods’ natural setting for community use and would oppose the construction of buildings or roads there.
“The motion is saying that we’re not ready to accept buildings yet in Symphony Woods,” said CA board chairman Tom O’Connor, of Dorsey’s Search. “We haven’t had that full discussion with General Growth yet, so we’re not signing up for it.”
The full 10-member board has scheduled a vote on the motion for Thursday, July 24.
In the meantime, General Growth officials last week launched an eight-day exhibit of the proposed plan in their downtown Columbia headquarters building, through which they hope to receive more public feedback on the plan.
The exhibit, which runs through July 24, is part of the process through which the company has gradually unveiled the plan to Columbia residents before it submits the proposal to county officials for approval next month.
The exhibit includes renderings, maps and other information about the plan.
General Growth’s headquarters is at 10275 Little Patuxent Parkway.
For more information about the exhibit and the master plan, go to www.columbiatowncenter.info.
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