On Monday, April 28, 2008, almost 500 members of the Columbia and Howard County community turned out for “Many Voices; One Vision,” the presentation of General Growth Properties' draft Master Plan for Columbia Town Center.
Highlights included plans for the following:
- Five distinct neighborhoods within Town Center - The Crescent, The Lakefront, Merriweather, Symphony Overlook and Warfield will each have its own unique character and feel, and feature a mix of uses including office, residential, retail and hotel as well as amenities to bring a diverse mix of people and vitality to Town Center.
- Connections between Communities - Paths, greenways and other features will connect the Town Center neighborhoods and make it easier and more appealing to walk and bike between Town Center and the nearby Villages.
- A Cultural Heart for Columbia - Merriweather Post Pavilion will be renovated to become the centerpiece of a cultural area with proposed cultural amenities including a new, expanded �experience� library, exhibit space for artists, children�s space, public art and a visitor�s center.
- Natural Beauty and Environmental Sustainability - The natural beauty of Columbia will be enhanced through the best in environmental sustainability practices designed to restore and protect the lakes and waterways, create public green areas and conserve natural resources.
Click here to watch the video (WMV 157 MB)
Click here to download the transcript (PDF 234K)
Click here to download the Master Plan powerpoint presentation (PDF 19.4 MB)
Opportunities to participate in the planning process continued with a "Vision in Focus" series as a continuation of the April 28 presentation draft master plan. Specific elements of the draft plan, including sustainability/environment, transit/traffic and culture were presented by the consultants engaged on the project.
GGP also hosted a "Community Discussion Series" at all 10 Columbia villages. These discussions were designed to gather comments and ideas from the community about the draft master plan.
Details about time and location of upcoming meetings can be found online here. Check back regularly for news about these events or sign up to receive email alerts.
In addition to encouraging residents to attend these meetings, GGP urges everyone interested in the formation of this plan to offer feedback here.
