Future Of Merriweather District Revealed: Columbia Groundbreaking

COLUMBIA, MD — Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan was among those celebrating the groundbreaking for the new Merriweather District. The project is expected to draw people to live and work in Columbia for decades to come and establish the city as a hub for cyber security and technology.

Once built, the Merriweather District will include a 12-story office building housing the headquarters for Tenable, a software company that specializes in cyber security. It will also provide high-density housing in a neighborhood where businesses will be within walking distance.

STEER Tech Founder and CEO Anuja Sonalker announced that the district will offer self-parking technology.

The Merriweather District officially broke ground on Monday, April 30. In addition to the governor, County Executive Allan Kittleman and Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot were among the dignitaries who helped:

Leaders from the Howard Hughes Corporation, which is redeveloping the core of downtown Columbia, and executives from Tenable and STEER Tech, which are establishing a presence in the Merriweather District, spoke and participated at the groundbreaking, which took place from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Monday, April 30.

The groundbreaking featured a look at the future of downtown Columbia through what organizers called the "Experience Room." This is what was playing there:

This story will be updated.

Photos by Elizabeth Janney.