In the background of this year’s news & events, many of Frederick’s commercial projects have been steadily moving forward with impressive results.
Below we’ll help catch you up on some of the adaptive reuse, redevelopment, and new construction projects you might have lost track of in recent months:
LIDL
DLC Management Corp has announced new tenants at Frederick County Square along the Golden Mile. Lidl will occupy a 27,799 sq. ft. portion of a former Big Kmart box, along with Ollie’s Bargain Outlet.
Ranked as a Top-3 grocer by Food & Wine Magazine, Lidl operates more than 11,000 stores and is active in 32 countries, employing around 287,000 employees globally. Lidl offers customers fresh produce, meat, bakery items and a wide array of household products at discount prices. The grocer is projected to open in 2021.
Learn more here.
2. Sharpe’s Square
Photos Courtesy of: Zavos Architecture + Design
This new four-story mixed-use project located at 820 Motter Avenue, known as Sharpe’s Square, features affordable, 62+ senior living residential units and over 9,000 square feet of 1st floor, street-facing commercial space. The downtown apartment building — which includes a 24-hour fitness center, club house, lounge and laundry facilities — is now accepting lease applications.
Explore the apartments here or view the commercial opportunities here.
3. District 40 (Former Frederick Towne Mall)
The Warehouse Cinemas Frederick, MD project at the former Frederick Towne Mall is nearing completion. When finished the new destination theater will feature 10 auditoriums, a full bar with 28 self-serve beer taps, leather recliners, and top-of-the-line picture & sound technology. The independently-owned and operated theater will create over 60 new local jobs. Learn more here.
Additional activity is underway across the repositioning mall. Earlier this summer, Frederick Furniture and Taj Mahal Bar & Grill — a restaurant featuring Indian Cuisine — opened their doors. The remaining available spaces is being marketed to prospective tenants with an entertainment-flair.
4. Mega Mart
Photos Courtesy of: James Schultz, High Sight Solutions
Construction is winding down at the new Megamart along Route 40. Megamart is an international supermarket chain based in the Maryland/DC/ Virginia area. In addition to the basics, the grocery store will offer a variety of foods and ingredients not currently offered in the area.
Learn more about Mega Mart here.
5. Former Visitation Academy
Photos Courtesy of: James Schultz, High Sight Solutions
This planned adaptive reuse and redevelopment project will transform the former Visitation Academy into a boutique hotel. The new hotel is expected to have 67 rooms and a "still to be determined upscale” restaurant -- as well as a bridal suite, meeting space in the auditorium, a small fitness center, shops and a salon. The site plan for the project also includes several residential buildings that will contain about 30 condominiums. The project team hopes to start construction in the next coming months.
6. Common Market: 7th Street Location
Photos Courtesy of: Common Market Coop
Common Market is nearing completion of their second store located at 927 West 7th Street. They expect to open their doors mid-September.
“We couldn’t be more proud to serve Frederick the best in natural and organic products with two locations! Over the last several months, the Frederick community rallied behind Common Market and in-turn, we have been able to provide more support to local farmers, vendors and suppliers! Buy Local, Support Local.” - Pamela Francis, Common Market Coop
Look here for the most current progress, updates and opening day information!
7. SpringHill Suites in North Frederick
Construction is well underway at the intersection of Byte Drive and Thomas Johnson Drive — near the new US 15 interchange — for a SpringHill Suites by Mariott. The plans feature 118 rooms with a roof-top terrace bar. The project is being coordinated by Cohenterprises.
Learn more here.
8. SMH Auto
Significant work has been completed at 1513 W Patrick Street — transforming the former Barbara Fritchie restaurant. Following the closure of the restaurant, the property was purchased by SMH Auto Sales as an expansion opportunity. The site will serve as the compnay’s second location along Baltimore National Pike.
The property’s iconic candy cane has been preserved.
Learn more about SMH Auto Sales here.
9. Bottling Plant
Photos Courtesy of: The Bottling Plant & James Schultz, High Sight Solutions
Featuring 85 new apartments and almost 10,000 SF of commercial space, the new “Bottling Plant” project at the Former Coca-Cola bottling factory is winding down.
Construction at the residential building was completed in March 2020. The new residential units range from one to three bedroom rentals with common amenities such as a pool, fire pits, wellness center, dog run, and an outdoor area. Apartment leasing velocity has been better than expected due to the pandemic, averaging 18 leases per month since April. The community is currently approximately 60% leased. Explore the apartments here.
On the commercial side, the base building construction is also complete. Individual space fit-outs remain to be completed depending on the finalization of tenants. A dentist has been confirmed and begun fit-out for a 2nd story space. Approximately 2,200 SF of office space remains on the second floor. The entire first floor, of roughly 4,500 sf of retail space - is also available. The space is designed to enable a potential restaurant the ability to utilize a front patio activating the street and enable the public to enjoy the property’s historic features.
Project-related roadway work on North Market Street - which includes the installation of City’s first protected bike lanes, which were funded by the developers - has also been completed.
10. Riverside Tech Park Expansion: Veterans Center and Goodwill Building
Photo Courtesy of : St. John Properties
Construction is underway at a 12.6 acre property adjacent to the existing Riverside Tech park near Monocacy Boulevard and Progress Drive. The developer, St. John Properties, intends to ultimately construct four single-story R&D/Office/Retail/Flex buildings on the site comprising of 146,600 square feet of space.
Work began on the first two of these buildings last fall. These initial buildings have been pre-leased to Goodwill Industries of Monocacy Valley -- which will relocate its existing retail outlet and administrative offices to the the 32,560 sq ft space-- and a Veteran Services Center. Upon completion of the project, more than 100 employees are expected to work in these new facilities.
11. Ox Fibre Brush Apartments
Photos Courtesy of : James Schultz, High Sight Solutions and Morgan-Keller Construction
Construction, led by Morgan-Keller Construction, has commenced at the historic Ox Fibre Brush Company factory building located at 400 E Church Street. The impressive adaptive reuse project is transforming the existing warehouse into over 80 loft-style apartments - providing new, centrally-located workforce housing to the Frederick community.
Explore the project here.
12. Monocacy Center
Photo Courtesy of: Morgan-Keller Construction
This project involved the construction (led by Morgan-Keller) of a one-story, 14,280 SF retail building with eight tenant spaces. Anchored by a Dunkin Donuts, the new strip center is located on Monocacy Boulevard in North Frederick.
The structural steel building includes light gauge framed exterior walls and sheathing with brick and precast veneers. See more here.