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Towson, Maryland revitalization effort to bring more walkable design.

July 12, 2011

For a county its size, it's unusual that Baltimore County has always lacked a strong urban core. The closest thing to one has been its county seat, Towson, which has high-rise office and residential buildings, shops, a large university, and a bustling mall. But its downtown has been plagued by vacancies.

The potential is certainly there. A recent article in the Baltimore Sun spells out the efforts by the County Council to bring more visitors to the area. Towson has a street layout conducive to more Main Street style developments. A good example of what is currently working in Towson is Allegheny Avenue where many restaurants are located. Wide sidewalks provide room for outdoor cafe seating. Tall buildings where people live are in walking distance. There are very few vacancies. Folks are frequently seen walking along the streets--even after normal working hours.

These are some of the aspects that the County Council wants to replicate on other blocks in Towson. A revitalization bill has been adopted that includes "urban design standards." The standards are voluntary but submitting to them can allow a development to be fast-tracked for approval. Some standards include wide sidewalks, two-story height minimums, store fronts on the ground floor, and no window tinting on the store-front windows. Interestingly, there are no height maximums, but a setback would be required for buildings taller than four stories.

Towson has quite a bit going for it now, but new development meeting these standards would be an added plus. Additional Main Street shopping and dining could make Towson a competitive destination and an urban oasis in the suburbs in much the same way that Bethesda is in nearby Montgomery County. True, Towson does not have a mass transit system like the Washington Metro but Towson does have some of its own pluses going for it. With nearby Towson University just to the south, Towson could capitalize on that and capture a bit of a college town feel. As new apartments go up in the area, it will be interesting to see our Towson's urban core grows.