As The Jeffersonian recently reported, “Towson is all abuzz”. Towson has experienced an upsurge in projects with new and existing property and business owners investing in Towson. Highlights include:

The area’s first drive-through Starbucks is transforming the old Crown gas station at the intersection of York Road and Burke Avenue.
Bahama Breeze is a great success, posting record opening weeks for the Darden chain. It’s now open for lunch and attracting new people into Towson throughout the day.
The Greene Turtle, a Maryland favorite, took advantage of recent liquor license legislation and has now located in the Towson Core at the site of the former Finkelstein building. This family oriented restaurant and sports bar has renovated the inside and outside of the building.
One block north of The Greene Turtle, the popular Recher Theater expanded and renovated and the Kent Lounge dramatically improved its façade.
The County is negotiating to purchase the vacant Shell gas station at Towson Circle to redevelop it as a downtown park.
Dulaney Plaza has a fresh new look with new national tenants such as Starbucks, Chico’s, and Ann Taylor Loft.
Dulaney Crescent luxury apartments, Towson’s first new apartments in 25 years, are fully leased.
Olive & Sesame II, is now filling a long vacant restaurant space on Pennsylvania Avenue.
The last section of the York Road streetscape is nearing completion and complementing private reinvestment include a stunning new façade on the Alex Cooper building, improvements to the Mattress Giant/Carpet Land site, a new Saturn dealership, andrenovated Honda dealership.
A new Lexus dealership is now located at York and West Roads.

Institutional Hub

Four major institutions in Towson, which collectively employ nearly 9,000 people, announced or began construction in 2003 on expansion plans.

The Greater Baltimore Medical Center started construction of $42 million in expansion projects, which will include a new three-story building, expanded emergency rooms and intensive care units, and a new medical library.
St. Joseph's Medical Center invested in a new emergency room. St. Joseph is also planning a $100 million expansion plan to be implemented over 5 years which will inclulde a renovation of its main entrance, its neo-natal intensive care unit, and cardiac services facilities.
Sheppard Pratt psychiatric hospital started construction of a $90 million plan that will include construction of a new hospital building and renovation of the existing one into offices and residential programs.

Nearby Towson University unveiled a long-range development plan, on the heels of recent investments in parking lots and privately run student dormitories.