Holey Moley

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There seems to be a building boom for churches in Howard County these days. According to this story by Jennifer Broadwater in the Columbia Flier, the Columbia Presbyterian Church on Route 108 has finally received the go ahead to double the size of their facility after initially being turned down by the county hearing examiner.

The neighbors of the church are not happy.

"Bruce Corriveau, a resident whose property abuts the church land and who has been serving as a spokesman for the group of concerned neighbors, said his group was "deeply disappointed" in the board's decision.

"I really don't think the board appreciated the concerns of the neighbors or factored our concerns into their decision," he said, adding that his group is considering appealing the decision."

The church purchased this 7 acre site back in 1988 from one of Howard County’s original veterinarians, Fred Lewis.

Oh Deer Three

I came across this article by Shantee Woodards in the Capital newspaper. It described a pilot program on Gibson Island that has reduced the deer tick population by 80%.

That’s significant.

What was more interesting is that this reduction has been achieved thanks to something called the 4-Poster Deer Treatment System that comes from a company right here in Ellicott City, C.R. Daniels.

“the contraptions are set up with bins containing corn, which acts as bait for deer. As a deer walks inside the system, it rubs against paint rollers, which administer a coating of insecticide to its head and body.

When ticks try to feed off of the deer, they consume the insecticide and die, said John Carroll, research entomologist at the USDA's Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory in Beltsville.”

Wow. I wonder if Dr. Beilenson knows about this.

I was surprised to find that CR Daniels was even into the deer ticks. The last time I checked in with them their business was primarily in the manufacture of canvas bags.

Scene This Week In...

I received an email this week from Barbara Kellner at the Columbia Archives asking me to plug the ninth annual Columbia Bike About this weekend. Barbara started this spring bike tour of Columbia nine years ago and though I’ve never participated I’ve heard from folks who have and they all tell me they learned new things about the town from the ride.

There are lots of hidden treasures along the 93.5 miles of Columbia bike paths. The Bike About only covers 12 miles but each year the Columbia Archives puts together a different route to highlight some of these treasures like this little park in the Bryant Woods neighborhood of Wilde Lake.

The weather is supposed to be nice this Saturday so pump up the tires on those bikes and go exploring in Columbia.

If the only exercise you are interested in doing this weekend is lifting a glass of wine you are in luck. In downtown Ellicott City the Wine Bin will be hosting a wine tasting to benefit Blossoms of Hope and Voices for Children. The new wine shop will put up a tent next to their building on Main Street and offer tastings of wine and chocolate. Tickets are $25.00 each and may be purchased at the door.

After sampling some wines you can get some exercise by exploring the shops in the old town. You never know what you might find. Be careful though, last week I spotted this sign in the window of the Antique Depot on Maryland Avenue.

A Real Pisser

Sometimes I just like to share something that gave me a good belly laugh. Yesterday, when I was searching through Google Images, I can across this.

Oh Deer Two

Earlier this month I wrote a post about the large number of deer in our neighborhood. Much to the consternation of their human neighbors, the deer seem to be enjoying the vegetation that comes with a new housing development.

Yesterday I found out that this is an issue throughout the region. The cover story by Liza Mundy in the Washington Post Magazine is entitled “Deer Heaven” and it provides an in-depth look at the lives of our clever four legged friends. Turn outs these critters are pretty smart and highly adaptable. You can read her story here.

New Stores for The Mall

According to this story by Sue Schultz in the Baltimore Business Journal, The Mall in Columbia has recently signed leases for seven new stores.

Four of the new businesses are food court tenant’s including Chipotle which is premiering the first food court unit for the chain. The other food court tenants are the previously mentioned Five Guys Burgers and Fries, Arby’s, and Ruby Thai.

The other three new stores are Bare Escentuals, Vans and Monica Jewelry.

It is interesting to note that this leasing activity comes in advance of next months annual ICSC spring convention in Las Vegas when the lions share of new retail leasing is conducted.

Just Don’t Come by at 3:16

Mama Wordbones spotted this sign yesterday. This has got to be one of the shortest open house time frames I’ve ever witnessed.

What gets me is that the realtor was able to blanket the community with bandit signs all weekend for a fifteen minute “open house” on Sunday.

Is this some kind of new marketing tactic?

Ten Votes

Ten votes. That was the margin of Phil Kirsch’s victory against Linda Odum in yesterdays Columbia Council election in Wilde Lake. That has to be heartbreaking but such is the political life. A wordbones wag of the tail to Linda for putting herself out there.

This particular election was also a temperature taking of the relative strength of the Liz Bobo political in the geographic core of her constituency. Although it looks as if it is as strong as ever there has to be some concern in her camp that this race was as close as it was.

In Long Reach, James Howard got whooped. I don’t really know Russ Swatek but the folks in Long Reach seem to like him. His victory margin was 137 votes. I feel bad for James. He has performed an extraordinary level of volunteer community for a young man. We need more guys like James in this town. I hope he stays involved.

Those were the only races I commented on before the election and so those are the only ones I’ll write a post election post about.

Besides, it’s a gorgeous, albeit a tad warm, day and I’d rather be outside on the veranda enjoying a five o’clock cocktail.

Letter from the General Manager

This just popped into my inbox from Greg Hamm so I thought I'd share.

Dear Friends,

By now most of you know about the recent decision by General Growth Properties, Inc. (GGP) and certain subsidiaries to seek relief under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code. In light of the active, long-standing partnership with the community that has been so central to creating a winning vision for downtown Columbia's future, I thought it appropriate to briefly address why this decision to reorganize was made, and what it means for properties in Columbia and the formal process now under review by the Howard County Planning Board (ZRA 113).

Chapter 11 reorganization

GGP is the ultimate parent company of approximately 750 subsidiaries, not all of which were involved in the recent filings. Local properties NOT part of the filings include:

• The Mall in Columbia
• Columbia Master Planned Communities
• Columbia Town Center Development

After months of negotiating with creditors, our Board of Directors and management team determined that a court-supervised restructuring is the best means of preserving the value of the company. In the simplest of terms, the filing aims to reduce and restructure GGP's debt because unprecedented circumstances in the credit markets have made it impossible to refinance maturing debt. As a preliminary matter, it's important to clarify that Chapter 7 is the form of bankruptcy which results in liquidation of a company and its assets. By contrast, Chapter 11 reorganization provides time to restructure and reduce debt while continuing to operate.
We are very aware that this is a complex process with many moving parts. For anyone who is interested in keeping current on the filings and related developments, including access to all public documents, please visit our website, www.ggp.com.

In the meantime, business as usual

All GGP properties, whether or not they have filed, will continue to operate as usual. The filing will not cause delay or alter GGP's pursuit of the public approvals relative to downtown Columbia and the General Plan Amendment submitted in October of 2008. We believe that Columbia's underlying real estate fundamentals remain strong and that the plan can be realized once market conditions improve. As in all great communities, adversity and challenge will hone our skills and deepen our resolve. It is precisely because of these economic challenges and uncertainties that a coherent plan for Columbia's downtown is so important.

A strong company

As most of you know, GGP is a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) with a primary business of owning and operating over 200 shopping centers in 44 states, in addition to a number of office buildings throughout the country. A smaller part of our business is the ownership and development of five master-planned communities. GGP's holdings in Columbia include all three of these business lines.

Although GGP's core business remains sound and is performing well with stable cash flows, the company believes that Chapter 11 is the best process for restructuring maturing mortgage loans, reducing the company's corporate debt and establishing a sustainable, long-term capital structure for the company. The collapse of the credit markets has made it impossible for GGP to refinance maturing debt outside of Chapter 11.

GGP remains committed to finishing the planning process that this community started together nearly four years ago. We want to thank all of you for your continued support during a long and challenging process.

Please send any questions or comments that you may have to www.columbiatowncenter.info.
Columbia, now more than ever!

Greg Hamm
Vice President,
Master Planned Communities
General Manager, Columbia

There you have it.

Tweet!

I decided to take another look at this Twitter thing. When JessieX first made me aware of Twitter last August, I signed up and then pretty much forgot about it. Admittedly, I just didn’t get it.

I’m still not sure I understand how best to use this communication tool but that never stopped me before.

Tweet!

She’s Back!

No sooner do we learn that the ethics complaint against Liz Bobo has been dismissed, than she fires off an email to the Wilde Lake villagers endorsing Phil Kirsch in his bid for reelection to the Columbia Council.

“Phil and his wife, Chris, have a good life, including doting over their new grandchild. He does not need this position for his own gratification. I am sad to see him be the target of a costly negative campaign. Yet he is willing to continue to serve the residents for another year at this pivotal time for our beloved Columbia .”

Is she implying that “our beloved Columbia” would be imperiled by electing Linda Odum instead of Phil?

Liz is feeling a little gun shy this time around though. Unlike last year, this email was sent via her lizbobo@comcast.net account instead of her state delegate email account.

Taking Your Kid to Work

“Can we listen to Raffi?”

My daughter and I were driving through Columbia this morning. I had my coffee, she had her OJ. It is taking your child to work day and we were headed to my office. I was initially taken off guard by the Raffi request.

I had honestly forgotten that Raffi was still in the car.

Peanut made the Raffi discovery. While I drove she went exploring in the large glove box thing that separates the front seats in my truck. Most days I’d be hard pressed to give an accurate inventory of what is in there. It’s more of a cargo bin than a glove box.
A random sample:

· used napkin
· box of Panda licorice (opened)
· nametag from HoCo Economic Development Core Tour 08
· dozen dry cleaning receipts (I never use them, she knows me!)
· 4 lollipops, various sizes and flavors
· golf ball
· corkscrew
· packet of Excedrin,

and apparently, not one but two Raffi CD’s.

It has been awhile for Raffi and me. Peanut is 10 ½ now. Raffi was big at least three years ago. Her music appreciation has moved on thankfully. Now we sometimes even share a new music experience together. Last night for example, we sang all 9 verses and nine refrains of My Darling Clementine. Until last night, I never knew My Darling Clementine had that many verses.

Anyway, this morning she rediscovered Raffi and with him, her youth. For me, it was just a way that my kid put a stamp on my otherwise ordered work day routine.

I sang along.

Sheraton Spiffs Up

The Sheraton Hotel in Town Center has just completed a $12 million renovation of the 290 room property. According to this item in today’s Citybiz Real Estate, the renovations include a major renovation of the lobby with “ a signature water feature, and dual registration pods. Another key feature of the improved lobby is the Link@SheratonSM, a communal connection destination with free Wi-Fi and broadband access, seating, and a flat-screen LCD television.”

The Sheraton, the first hotel in Columbia, was originally called the Cross Keys Inn and was one of only two hotels ever built by The Rouse Company. The other was the Cross Keys Inn in the Village of Cross Keys in Baltimore.

At least someone is able to make a multi million dollar investment in Town Center these days!

Fore!

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As the weather warms, golfers return to the links. When golfers return so do errant golf balls and for folks who live on Sandy Ridge Court in Lyndwood, that’s a problem. According to this story by Jennifer Broadwater in the Columbia Flier, the residents of Sandy Ridge Court want Timbers at Troy golf course to reconfigure the 13th hole of the course because of an “ongoing problem of golf balls hitting their houses, breaking windows and, in general, creating a safety hazard in their back yards.”

The thing is, the golf course was there before the houses were built. It’s not like these people woke up one day and to find a golf course in their backyard.

“Covenants tied to the course and the surrounding Lyndwood property state that homeowners “assumed the risk of injury to or death of persons and of damage to property resulting from the use of the golf course by other persons in a reasonable manner.”

It could be argued that some duffers stretch the definition of “reasonable manner” but the fact remains that this is, and always has been, a golf course community.

The county department of Recreation and Parks, the owner of the course, has informed the neighbors that it does not plan to change the configuration of the hole.

Fore!

HoCo Home Prices Increasing

According to this article by Michele Lerner in the Examiner.com, Howard County was one of three of the ten richest counties in the country that experienced housing price increases in the past year.

“In Howard County, Maryland, prices rose by 4.3% from February 2008 to February 2009. In Douglas County, Colorado, prices rose by 2.7% and in Putnam County, New York, home values rose by 5.8%.”

The other seven counties in the top ten saw price declines.

Of course, this is just an increase in the median sales price, not the median home value. There are plenty of HoCo homes that are worth less now than they were last year. The good news is that at least home prices are beginning to stabilize.

As I’ve said before, compared to most parts of the country, we’ve got it good.

No Takers at Auction

While others debate whether Dale Thompson Builders may or may not be out of business one thing is certain, they are pretty much out of their uncompleted Scot’s Glen development in Columbia.

According to this item in the Howard/ Arundel Report, an auction was held earlier this month for about a dozen homes in various stages of completion and 18 finished lots in the community. The winning bidder for all of the properties was Susquehanna Bank, the lender for the project.

This is yet another indication of just how far the local market for age restricted housing has fallen.

Making Good with Grassroots

According to this story by Larry Carson in The Sun yesterday, Bruce Taylor has backed off trying to stiff the non profit for half of the security deposit on a house they rented in Ellicott City. Taylor and Grassroots apparently reached an out of court settlement last week to return all but $834.80 of the $10,500.00 security deposit.

Taylor’s attorney, Ronald L. Spahn receives the award for understatement of the week when he told the reporter that “his advice to clients would be to avoid disputes with a charity.”

Duh.

Developer Breaks Ground for Town Center Development

April 19, 2012. GGP/MPC broke ground this morning on the first phase of the $500 million redevelopment of Columbia’s Town Center. The ground breaking comes three years after the developer won approval of the zoning amendment allowing for 5,500 new housing units and the creation of an new arts district in Symphony Woods.

The early spring morning ceremony was held in front of the vacant Sears store at the mall. The former department store is to be replaced with a new parking garage. County Executive Ken Ulman was joined by Delegate Jud Malone and Councilperson Mary Kay Sigaty in helping GGP/MPC vice president Greg Hamm to swing ceremonial sledge hammers at the building.

Alan Klein, spokesperson for the Coalition for Columbia’s Downtown was also in attendance. “We have always been supportive of this development program,” he said, “and are glad to have contributed to its success.”

GGP/MPC was spun off from General Growth Properties last year as part of the company’s bankruptcy reorganization. The new entity is a joint venture between General Growth Properties and Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company and focuses primarily on master planned communities.

Just before the groundbreaking, the 34th annual Clyde’s 10K race was held in Town Center. 1,200 runners crossed the finish line by 10 AM followed by a massive consumption of carbohydrates.

Risk Rouse Style

There is a good article in the Chicago Tribune contrasting how The Rouse Company approached risk to how General Growth Properties looked at it. In this article, Jay Hanock points out that Rouse “took risks with malls and marketplaces, not finances. General Growth Properties did the opposite.”

No Thank You

I received this post card in the mail this week. My initial reaction was “cool.” I’d been planning on picking up one of the new iPod Shuffles anyway. Now I could get about thirty bucks off. What’s not to like about that?

Then I turned the card over.

On the other side was a box for me to check off before I signed the card and sent it back in.
“I declare that I experienced scratching of my iPod nano that impaired my use or enjoyment of my iPod nano.”

Huh?

That simply wasn’t true. After five years of regular use, I am still enjoying my first generation iPod nano, scratches and all. I could not in good conscience check this box. I wonder how this frivolous litigation got this far?

No thank you.