June 2023

26A — June 2023 — Retail Development Reimagined — M id A tlantic Real Estate Journal

www.marej.com

R etail D evelopment R eimagined The Martin Architectural Group

The Village at Waugh Chapel: Celebrating 25 years of revolutionary living, shopping & dining

he Village at Waugh Chapel was originally conceived as an MXD-C development by Robert DeSte- fano (Sturbridge Homes) in or- der to combine living, shopping, dining and work in one location and maximize density and op- portunity as well as create us- able open spaces for relaxation and recreation. The Village at Waugh Chapel was a new con- cept for Anne Arundel County, Maryland in the mid-1990s. The re-zoning, while controversial at the time, was an attempt at envisioning village-style living and change the approach to T

suburban development in the area. DeStefano, a successful homebuilder in Anne Arundel County proposed this develop- ment style and sought approv- als to create a new style of living for residents of the region. Geared toward “active adult” residents, the village was de- signed as a campus of shared uses, creating zones for re- tail/restaurant uses, office, and residential buildings. The restaurants, situated around manmade lakes across from the residential buildings also pro- vided an active pedestrian path for access and recreation. There

is privacy and separation for the residential occupants, with easy access to the shops and restau- rants. Direct access from Crain Highway and Waugh Chapel Road quickly made The Village at Waugh Chapel a destination for daily commuters and gave way to fast lease up to the retail and restaurant components. The legislated approval re- quired stylization and façade el- ements to portray “Main Street” elements from architecture reminiscent of the early 20th century “small town” business districts. This Master Develop- ment Standard required façade breaks and aesthetic elements to be varied and complementa- ry. The requirement extended to all tenants and uses, mandating that even the restaurant pads stylize their facades to meet the development standards. In 1998 Greenberg Commercial, now Greenberg Gibbons, be- came a development partner to Sturbridge Homes on the retail, office, and other commercial portions of the development, garnering other investors’ sup- port for the fulfillment of the master-planned community. The Martin Architectural Group has been fortunate enough to be involved in the Village of Waugh Chapel since the early planning stages in 1996, almost continuously. This responsibility as the master architect required oversight of façade develop- ment for all the tenants and coordination of the reposition- ing of assets over the years to respect and adhere to the mas- ter development standards. Through the years tenants have come and gone, The Mar- ketplace and The Commons have adhered to the changing times, retaining original junior anchors and adding more as well as providing smaller food and service tenants further reinforcing the dining district. The story of placemaking at The Village at Waugh Chapel continues with Waugh Cha- pel Towne Center. There are many to thank for the hard work, efforts and creativity to get to this place called The Village of Waugh Chapel. The biggest thanks though go to Robert DeStefano, Greenburg Gibbons Commercial, The Re- liable Companies and Bozzuto Development, for the vision and commitment to making the dream become a reality. A true live, work, play; conceived 25 years ago. MAREJ

The Village at Waugh Chapel in Anne Arundel County, MD

MARTIN ARCHITECTURAL ARCHITECTS & LAND PLANNERS The Martin Architectural Group was established in 1967 with a commitment to client service and design excellence. Our diverse portfolio includes mixed-use, multi-family residential, senior living communities, retail and office designs, transit-oriented developments, and sustainable projects. We are award-winning architects and planners committed to delivering the highest quality professional services to private sector real estate development. IT’S ALL ABOUT THE PLAN TM

www.MartinAIA.com • 215.665.1080 • Philadelphia, PA • Baltimore, MD • Coconut Creek, FL • New Britain, CT

Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs