Businesses to Tackle Odenton's 'Image Problem'

The Odenton business community is rolling out an “Adopt A Median” program to help maintain certain common areas in the community, potentially as part of a broader effort to improve the town’s image.

Developers and other businesses in town have agreed to help fund maintenance efforts for as many as seven medians and sidewalks in Odenton. The medians are generally kept up by the State Highway Administration or the county, but not at a standard preferred by businesses in the area. 

The median program came up during recent meetings of the Odenton NOW Coalition and West Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce, which have both sought to improve the perception of Odenton as a place to live and work. The median program was viewed as a simpler option than creating a business improvement district or similar organization.

“First and foremost, it was about establishing a better identity for Odenton,” said Jonathan Williams, a real estate consultant who serves on the economic development committee for the chamber of commerce. “That’s when the talk of the medians came up. And we said rather than go through all these legal structures, let’s just take it on ourselves and then maybe as Odenton grows, a downtown business district might be more applicable.”

Claire Louder, the chamber's president and CEO, said developers are in the process of getting agreements with the State Highway Administration and Anne Arundel County to gain access to the medians.

Louder presented the plans for the “Adopt A Median” program at Tuesday’s meeting of the Odenton Town Center Plan Oversight Committee, where it was well received. 

“The committee should recognize the willingness of the business community to move forward in the absence of the budgetary funding available to the state and county to maintain those public areas in the Odenton Town Center,” committee chairman Don Price said.

Talk of the median program on Tuesday sparked a broader discussion about how to build a better sense of community in Odenton and improve the image of the town, particularly in the eyes of retailers and restaurateurs, who have been slow to move in.

“There is an image of Odenton, and it’s not good, and that’s hurting us,” Louder said.

Louder said there have been early talks about creating a branding campaign to promote the area and the concept of the Odenton Town Center. As an example, Louder pointed to “Emerge Pascagoula,” a branding campaign for the city in Jackson County, MS, where she once worked as a chamber of commerce president.

Committee members talked informally Tuesday about holding more events, such as a concert series. They also encouraged more support for the Odenton Volunteer Fire Company, due to its status as a community organization and its location in the “center” of town.

“There are some relatively simple things we could do,” Price said.