Forest Drive Development Could Bring 1,400 Jobs to Annapolis, Analysts Say

On Wednesday, a Baltimore-based firm presented an economic analysis on Crystal Spring, a new $325 million development proposed for Forest Drive that aims to bridge the gap between retirement and community.

The analysis, presented by Anirban Basu, chairman and CEO of Sage Policy Group, Inc. at an Annapolis Economic Development Corporation meeting Wednesday, concludes that the project will create approximately 1,400 permanent jobs in the city of Annapolis and more than 1,800 permanent jobs in the State of Maryland.

According to the report, 2,000 jobs will be created during construction, with 1,620 of the jobs in the City of Annapolis and 1,220 of the jobs directly on the Crystal Spring site. Once fully operational, the project should generate 1,829 permanent jobs, including 1,112 jobs created directly by the development and 717 jobs that support the development. The positions would be a mix of white collar, healthcare and retail.

“To add 900 jobs a year saves employment,” said Lara Fritts, president and CEO, Annapolis Economic Development Corporation. “Who doesn’t want that for their community?”

Plans for the development are currently under review by the City of Annapolis. Pending approval from the Maryland Department of Aging, phased construction could begin in 2012.
 
Basu’s report stated that each year, the project will generate more than $900,000 in net fiscal benefits for the City of Annapolis and more than $1.3 million for Anne Arundel County. Once the project is complete, Crystal Spring will produce more than $250 million of business sales annually, with nearly $190 million of those sales occurring locally.

“Seniors don’t want to be isolated from their community – they want to be a part of it,” stated Andrew Bing, community spokesperson for Crystal Spring at an Annapolis Economic Development Corporation meeting on Wednesday.

Crystal Spring’s main feature includes the proposed Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRC) with a clubhouse facility, 350 residence apartments and one-story private and duplex homes for seniors. Plans include 50 healthcare beds for a complete range of on-site holistic wellness and medical services. In addition, 125 non age-restricted townhomes will be located within the retail village. Pricing has not yet been decided.

The development will be built on property owned by Annapolis residents Janet Richardson-Pearson, an ASID-certified interior designer, and her husband, retired Rear Adm. William “Bill” Pearson. The land, known as Mas-Que Farm and Crystal Spring Farm, is located along Forest Drive and Spa Road.

A portion of the 180-acre property will remain within the city limits, with 75 acres of developable land along Spa Road to remain as open space subject to a conservation easement.

Approximately 123 acres—or 70 percent of the entire site—will be green/open space allocated for the project’s lawns, forest cover, village green, walking trails, water features, wetlands, critical areas and landscaped outdoor gathering/dining areas. According to an earlier press release, existing views of the equestrian facilities and pastures will remain largely unchanged from Spa Road.

Crystal Spring is a shuttle ride away from the Historic Annapolis business district. Some may choose not to leave since their community includes a grocery store, retail stores, a boutique inn and day spa, outdoor restaurants, cafe and an ice cream parlor. A cultural arts center and a central village green will also spotlight community performances and events.

Since most of the shops are self-contained, Bing said the development should not impede traffic flow.

“We feel our project will capture a lot of traffic that would otherwise have to travel to Forest Drive,” he said.

At the meeting, the Crystal Spring Development team assured Annapolis residents that a traffic study is still in the works. At least one participant did not mind the disturbance.

“I would take 1,400 jobs for my neighbors for a couple extra minutes of traffic,” relayed Fritts.

Crystal Spring is led by Crystal Spring Development LLC and Annapolis Attorney Alan J. Hyatt of Hyatt & Weber P.A. The team includes Forest Drive LLC, Annapolis, FreemanWhite, Charlotte, N.C. and Streetsense, Bethesda, Md. For more information about Crystal Spring, visit www.crystalspringannapolis.com.