Baltimore County leaders are drawing new economic development areas, known as community equity districts, to target funding to help vulnerable communities. The county plans to spend $2.5 million of federal American Rescue Plan Act money to help give those communities an economic shot in the arm. The Liberty Road Corridor on the west side is the county’s first community equity district.
The county announced Tuesday that $600,000 of the $2.5 million was spent to entice a retailer to bring a grocery store to the Milford Mill Shopping Center, replacing a Giant that closed several years ago.
County Council Chairman Julian Jones, a Democrat, said when stores close, people living nearby feel they are being left behind.
“When announcements like this happen I think it’s a very big deal for the community,” Jones said.
County Executive Johnny Olszewski said, “Every town hall we’ve done on the west side of Baltimore County we’ve heard clearly and strongly that residents want to see more grocery options.”
The county is in the process of choosing other community equity districts.
“It’s what we’re hoping to replicate in other places across the county that would benefit from similar investments,” Olszewski said.
Grocery Outlet Bargain Market plans to open its new store at the Milford Mill Shopping Center in the spring of 2024 and is expected to employ 40 people. It will be Grocery Outlet’s second store in Maryland.
Besides the $600,000 in federal coronavirus relief stimulus money, the county is also using $1.4 million from its revolving loan fund to help the retailer open in the county. The loan fund is made available to businesses, sometimes at a lower interest rate. It is used partly to help businesses in the county’s revitalization districts.
Sean Naron, Olszewski’s communications director, said the $2 million will be used to renovate the site, as well as for new signs and landscaping.
“I’m really bullish on the west side of the county. I think it’s prime for revitalization,” Olszewski said.
The county recently spent $10 million to buy the old Sears building at Security Square Mall, which is about four miles south of the Milford Mill Shopping Center. The county is currently holding a series of meetings with residents to help plan the future of the mall, which in recent years has fallen on hard times.
“Just like at Security Square Mall, we have skin in the game and so we are very much focused on ensuring the success of both projects,” he said.
