RETAIL NEWS

CHEVY CHASE, MARYLAND – The Frederick County Planning Commission recently paved the way for a new retail center in Urbana, a move that soon will give the residents of the burgeoning area another option for their day-to-day shopping needs.  Urbana Village Center, a planned retail development at the intersection of Route 80 and the relocated Route 355 in Frederick County, is a joint project of Stanford Properties and Baier Properties, both of Bethesda, with leasing managed by JBG Rosenfeld Retail (JBGR) of Chevy Chase.   JBGR already has secured leases totaling nearly 25,000 square feet with five retailers for the 94,000 square-foot center, including national brands Rite Aid and Bank of America, as well as locally owned and operated dry cleaner Georgetown Valet, and Maryland’s own Ledo Pizza and donut shop The Fractured Prune.  In addition, JBGR currently is in negotiations with an upscale grocer to anchor the retail center.

“The town of Urbana, much like Frederick County as a whole, has seen explosive residential growth in recent years,” said JBGR Executive Vice President Bob Schwenger, “but retail development has not kept pace. With the new Urbana Village Center, area residents will benefit from a choice of where to spend their hard-earned dollars, without having to travel extensive distances to do so.  We are pleased to have the opportunity to influence retail development in Urbana.” Construction on the center is scheduled to commence this summer, with delivery scheduled for early second quarter 2008.

Based in Camp Hill, PA, just outside of Harrisburg, Rite Aid is one of the nation’s leading drug store chains, with more than 3,000 stores across the country, including five in Frederick County.  The 14,500 square-foot, free-standing store at Urbana Village Center will feature a drive-thru pharmacy.  The site plan for the store was approved last month.  Rite Aid will be the first tenant to open at the center.

Located in the southeastern portion of Frederick County east of Interstate 270, the community of Urbana has long been identified for its rich Civil War history, architecture, and proximity to the Monocacy River and Sugarloaf Mountain. Since 2000, the community has faced a tremendous surge in residential development, with population counts expected to top 19,000 by 2010, an increase of 84%.  In order to accommodate the growth and maintain the historic character of Urbana, Route 355 (Urbana Pike) is in the final phase of relocation to the western edge of the Villages of Urbana housing development, and through the Urbana Village Center property.

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