In earlier posts I’ve lobbed a couple of zingers at Ken Ulman for what appeared to be his lack of enthusiasm and public support for the Town Center redevelopment enabling legislation, CB 58 and CB 59. I may have been a little too harsh with that criticism.
In his annual state of the county address to the Howard County Chamber of Commerce this past Tuesday; Ken delivered a pretty strong endorsement of the plan that will be voted on this coming Monday.
“Working together, we have created a comprehensive master plan for the revitalization of downtown which incorporates green development, environmental restoration, arts and culture, workforce housing, pedestrian and bicycle connectivity, new amenity areas, transit, and a renovated Merriweather Post Pavilion – all in a carefully phased development plan.
It is important to recognize, as Jim Rouse did, that doing it right is the right thing to do – not only for the benefit of the community, but also to add value to the development itself. As I look at how far we have come, I am proud of what we have accomplished and excited about the future of downtown Columbia.”
More importantly, Ken’s chief of staff, Jessica Feldmark has worked tirelessly behind the scenes over the past few months to keep this effort on track. Those who have been intimately involved in process acknowledge the extraordinary effort she put in to make this a reality. So while Ken may not have been as visible as some in this effort, he does deserve a lot of credit for marshalling his staff to bring it to fruition.
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