Surprise! The Safeway in Long Reach has closed! Actually this is only
a surprise if you’ve been living under a rock for the entirety of
2011. It began with the fact that Long Reach was left out as chain
wide renovations took place and then in the summer time the Pharmacy
closed due to increased competition. Although Safeway insisted this
wasn’t leading to a closure of the entire store, everybody including
the Village Center’s Owners were skeptical.
America’s Realty Corp. whose knack seems to be renting out distressed
properties at below market rent to low income tenants and doing little
to no renovations of the property. In my book, that’s a textbook
definition of a slumlord.
Although Safeway closed in November, America’s Realty Corp. had been
in talks all year with potential Grocers to replace Safeway because
they saw the writing on the wall just like everybody else. I had
written previously about how I would like Columbia’s and Howard
County’s only Whole Foods Market to come to Long Reach to make the
Center a regional draw not just for the residents of Locust Park.
Whether America’s Realty Corp discussed this possibility with Whole
Foods is unknown, what is known is that Long Reach, for now at least
won’t suffer a fate like Wilde Lake. A new Grocer is lined up to
replace Safeway, but in classic slumlord fashion it’s an independently
owned one. Without further ado, I give “The Family Market” no the
above image has not been air brushed or otherwise doctored that is the
sign that one sees while driving past the Village Center, I’d park the
car but not to buy anything, just gawk at what passes for an Anchor
Tenant nowadays.
The Family Market is said to be “upscale” but given that it’s meant to
cater to the population immediately surrounding it rather than the
Village as a Whole I find that hard to believe. Still, in addition to
Hispanic and Asian Foods there will be a Cafe with Wi-Fi access and
Residents are excited to see a replacement to the troubled Safeway.
The past couole of years have not been kind to Long Reach, in addition
to the Safeway, the Village Center has lost Dog House Pub, Dominos
Pizza, State Employees Credit Union, and Rave Day Spa. The news of The
Family Market’s arrival has brought new signed leases to the Village
Center including Subway, a Hair Salon, a Caribbean Restaurant, and
Long Reach which also serves Indian Food.
All and all this appears to be a solution to the woes Long Reach
Village Center has been suffering. This may help in the short term but
I don’t believe this to be a viable long term solution for Long Reach.
I believe that like the collections of stores that were there with the
Safeway, the Family Market will continue in the tradition of only
drawing patrons from Locust Park, the distressed Neighborhood
surrounding the Village Center rather a broader clientele this new
roster of tenants will suffer a fate similar to Safeway in a few
years.
So what’s the long term solution? Obviously it would be to find a
roster of tenants that serves the entire Village of Long Reach and
beyond starting with a strong Anchor Tenant. That’s a simple solution
to a not so simple problem. Notice I’ve said repeatedly that the area
directly surrounding the Village Center is distressed? Regardless of
the condition of the Village Center, patrons are scared due to the
crime and blight that holds back the entire Locust Park Neighborhood.
Lately the County has been spearheading efforts to redevelop blighted
Neighborhoods such as Guilford Gardens, Hilltop, and Ellicott Terrace
into amenity filled modern mixed income Neighborhoods. Granted these
developments are County Owned but a similar campaign should start in
Locust Park to modernize the Neighborhood and diversify its Residents.
The worst offenders in Long Reach are Lazy Hollow Apartments, Sierra
Woods, Long Reach Knolls, Columbia Landing, and Heatherstone Town
Homes. There are others throughout Locust Park that are in need of
redevelopment as well but these need it the most.
As Residential redevelopment flanks the Locust Park Neighborhood, the
desirability of the Village Center to new Merchants and Patrons
outside Locust Park will go up. Perhaps the long term answer to Long
Reach Village Center isn’t the Center itself but the residences
surrounding it.
Columbia Maryland’s Future
