Chrysalis Dedicated To People Of Columbia

COLUMBIA, MD — You've seen the neon green through the trees from Little Patuxent Parkway. Now you're invited to come inside and scope out the futuristic structure.

The Chrysalis officially opened over the weekend during a rainy ceremony that still drew a crowd of more than 100 people. Designers and planners who had worked on the Chrysalis experienced the fruits of their labor as musicians performed within its carefully sculpted arches. Amps and lift capacity are built in, according to Michael McCall, founder of the Inner Arbor Trust, which oversaw its development.

Incorporating views of the forest in its open design and located within the footprint of Merriweather Park, the Chrysalis was designed as a public space.

McCall described it as a "high-performance stage" and "urban-scale sculpture" as well as a "gift" to the people of Columbia.

Inner Arbor Trust Chair Lin Eagan called the Chrysalis the "centerpiece" of Merriweather Park, stating it "shines" on the 50th anniversary of Columbia's founding.

“It’s open to you the community, 24/7,” Eagan said. She invited people to visit over and over again "to performances, to events, to just come and sit and read a book," noting that the "power soars" when sitting alone inside its open walls.

Visitors tilted their chins upward to take in the 5,000-square-foot space, which includes a wooden stage.

There will be events held there, and several are already booked in the months ahead. One is Books In Bloom!— the inaugural Columbia book festival, hosted by the Downtown Columbia Partnership — slated for June 11.

During the dedication of the Chrysalis on Earth Day (Saturday, April 22) two musical acts performed, and living art was on display, worn by models from ManneqART, a Howard County arts group.

Toby Orenstein, founder of nearby Toby's Dinner Theatre and Columbia Center for Theatrical Arts, began Saturday's program with a quote from Columbia’s founder, Jim Rouse: “What ought to be can be when you have the will to make it so," Orenstein said.

“We can do anything we want to, and we have," she said inside the Chrysalis, a whimsical structure that began with the Columbia Association.

Milton Matthews, CEO of the Columbia Association (CA), said the project was kicked into gear in 2013 when CA was tasked with figuring out how to turn 36 acres of Symphony Woods into a destination.

Since then, leaders said the Chrysalis has become a vital element in downtown Columbia's revitalization and a symbol of togetherness.

Said McCall: “We are now turning it over to the people of Columbia to use and enjoy for decades to come."

The Chrysalis is located in Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods, 10431 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia.

Photos by Elizabeth Janney.