ANALYSIS: Live-Work Units in Odenton

Recent conversations about development in Odenton have centered on the use of live-work units to fill requirements for retail space in new projects.

At least two proposed projects—the and those from—include a handful of live-work units in the plans instead of traditional shops or restaurants.

Live-work units are meant to look like regular retail spaces, but would also offer living space. For instance, an artist might use a ground floor as a studio and live in an apartment right above it.

Required Retail

In most parts of the , development projects are required by the area’s master plan to be mixed-use in nature. Usually, if you want to build apartments, there must be some ground floor retail to go along with it. Or, the apartments must be that includes shops, restaurants or other commercial space.

Residential developers have started to introduce live-work units in their projects because they say traditional retailers (stores, restaurants, etc.) aren’t yet ready to sign leases in Odenton. (Or, like in the case of the North Patuxent project, they recognize that typical retail isn’t appropriate for the neighborhood.)

County planners have said they’re OK with live-work units counting toward retail requirements. Members of the , which advises county planners on development in Odenton, have also recommended approval of projects with live-work units, though not unanimously.

Up for Debate

Last December, the town center committee debated whether of “retail.”

Then at the town center committee meeting on Tuesday, one member questioned whether live-work units were in high enough demand.

Parag Agrawal, a former Anne Arundel County planner who now works in Montgomery County, said he was not aware of many projects where live-work units were installed successfully.

“It’s become a buzz word in planning, but we don’t have many examples,” he said. “I’m really concerned about whether we can support live-work units, but we’ll have to see how it goes.”

Novus Residence has proposed 239 apartments and five live-work units at Nevada Avenue and Hale Street, across from the fire hall. Novus representative Rob Seldon said the developer would not want to build more than five live-work units out of fear that some might be left vacant.

In the case of Novus, the live-work units would be constructed in a way to allow for a traditional retailer to move if they wanted to.

Seldon said he knew of some successful live-work units in Arlington County, but that they formed “organically” due to a demand from residents in the area. At some projects, he said, developers offer the live-work units for free or at reduced rents.

He cited a development near the Branch Avenue Metro Station in Suitland as one example where live-work units have been left unoccupied.

Would you consider purchasing a live-work unit in Odenton? Do you think live-work units should be considered retail? Let us know in the comments.