Main Street Eldersburg is Now Eldersburg Station

Black Oak Associates announced that the Main Street Eldersburg project will now be called Eldersburg Station and will focus on a 10 screen movie theater and restaurants.

The reason for the change is the continuing down economy.  We are now in our 6th year of a down economy, 5 of those under Obama, but it's still Bush's recession according to Martin O'Malley. Black Oak Associates has made this decision for what it feels is best for Eldersburg based on our appetite for retail and entertainment.

Don't confuse Eldersburg Station with Carroll Station (Wine Cork Pub), or with Eldersburg Marketplace (Home Depot), or with Eldersburg Plaza (Oscar's), or with Johnsville Station (Ledo's Pizza), or Liberty Station (former Little Professor), or with Monroe Station (Serra Brothers).  Seems that Eldersburg is running out of combinations for popular names for shopping centers.  I can't wait for the Eldersburg Liberty Market Station Plaza Nail Salon.

With regard to the new plan, Dixon Harvey said that they are aiming for a Spring 2016 opening.  Knowing the lightening speed which Black Oak and Dixon Harvey operate, I think what Harvey really means is that we should expect a Fall 2027 opening.  I expect to watch Men in Black 13 there when it opens when I'm in my mid-50's.

Additionally, how are they going to fit in a 10 screen theater?  If you look at the map on the Baltimore Sun's page (top link), the footprint of the building is about 1/3 of the footprint of the current Wal-Mart.  I supposed each theater could have 100 seats, 10 rows of 10.  That may be comparable to the old Tollgate Movie Theater in Bel Air for those of you who remember that.  Again, I think Dixon Harvey and Black Oak are way too optimistic for their own good.  Good intentions, but too optimistic.

What are your thoughts on this new plan?

Mainstreet Eldersburg - Empty Promises?

You all remember the Mainstreet Eldersburg project that's scheduled to be built in 2007, right? It's on that empty plot of plan behind Wal-Mart and Safeway. How long has that been sitting there watching the weeds grow?


Black Oak Associates, the owner of the property, had promised the new shopping center as a main street shopping district with "green" construction. There were going to be higher-end stores, unlike their other property, Carrolltown Center, which seems to cater to people not from Eldersburg with its low-rent tenants.

Then the economy of Maryland collapsed. Then the cost of construction material for "green" construction went up. I'm really not sure what the delay is now. Are they waiting for the nationwide economic recovery? Do we have to wait until Obama and Martin O'Malley are out of office?


Previously on the corner there were a couple of signs that proudly informed passers-by of the forthcoming shopping center. Now - there is nothing there but poles. What's going on? Is Black Oak Associates canning the project? Or did someone steal the valuable signs? Or were they vandalized and removed as a prank?

Regardless, it seems like the joke has been on us. That property hasn't changed in the 12 years that I've been living in Eldersburg. I would not be surprised at all if that land is still fallow in another 12 years. And I'm sure we'll still hear Black Oak Associates proudly telling us that the plan is still in the works and should begin soon. How many times have we heard that?