The effort to restore Columbia Town Center and set forth a promising vision for the future of the entire community took another step forward last week. The board of the Columbia Association took up the subject of its important land holdings in Symphony Woods, listened to the perspectives of numerous residents and turned back calls for placing the land "off-limits" for involvement in Town Center redevelopment plans.

The many community voices have made one thing quite clear. Saving Symphony Woods, bringing it to a life it has never really known, is inextricably linked to the potential greatness of Merriweather Post Pavilion, which in turn can be the pivot for the creation of a new cultural district, unlike any other and worthy of Columbia's great social heritage. The linking of the environmental, cultural, civic, educational and commercial places is our great opportunity to make Columbia a sustainable city.

Each of these elements, along with details of their phasing and funding, will be included in our imminent submission to the county.

With the commencement of the first phase of our development, General Growth Properties will be concurrently undertaking as part of its environmental commitment to the county and community a vital restoration project. In the areas known as the Crescent and Symphony Woods, our minimum proposal will be to do the following: reforestation, 22.7 acres; forest restoration, 57.5 acres; wetland enhancements 1.8 acres; stream restoration, 4,880 linear feet; new trees planted, 9,200; street trees, 1,000.

Symphony Woods has a vital part in the cultural and environmental life of Columbia and the connectivity of a redeveloped downtown. The stewardship of CA's land there and an effective collaboration between CA and GGP around this and other issues are going to be central to planning the way forward.

As July ends GGP draws closer to submitting a proposed master plan to Howard County. We look forward to continued discussions with CA leadership and all other stakeholders in advance of that submission and thereafter. There will be further, extensive public process around the county's consideration of that planning proposal.

One of the fundamentals to keep in mind is that county approval of a long-term master-planning and zoning approach would not be an ending but another, momentous beginning. The site planning and other particular details of all redevelopment in Town Center will undergo full public consideration all along the way, across a time horizon of some 25 years.

I have spent a lot of enjoyable time looking back at Jim Rouse's thought processes, in general and with particular regard to Columbia. There are many inspired elements to his thinking, but if there is one organizing principle that seems to emerge from his professional life it is that "city building," as he called it, should be organized around people and the lives that they aspire to lead. Rouse understood the marketplace and he always strove for profitable development, but his great insight may have been that commercial and human success go hand-in-hand. The former without the latter is unlikely, and in any case useless.

Cultural richness, environmental restoration and a connected, cohesive community with a diverse make-up can in fact be achieved amid a commercially successful downtown Columbia. If the community continues to embrace that unifying principle as the planning process continues, concepts can be refined, differences can be resolved and an exciting future can come into clear focus.

Gregory F. Hamm is regional vice president for General Growth Properties Inc.

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