Heritage Society Pitches Workshops for North Patuxent Road Project

This article has been updated from its original version. Please read the editor's note at the bottom.

The wants to hold special work sessions to help guide development of an area near North Patuxent Road and Becknel Avenue.

Heritage Society president Roger White said he would like to sit down with representatives of The Hogan Companies and county officials to help ensure the developer’s plans are a good fit for the Odenton Historic District, which includes several historic homes and other structures in the center of town.

The heritage society last month by the Hogan Companies for townhomes on the site. Society members and officials from the Hogan Companies spoke at a meeting of the on Tuesday.

Tim Hogan, the company’s executive vice president, stopped short of saying he’d participate in workshops. Rather, he said he has asked an architect to perform a survey of all the buildings in the historic district to get a sense of size and architectural style in the area. That work will take about 90 days, he said.

“It will be an interactive process,” Hogan said. “Hopefully, we can reach some sort of consensus.”

Members of the town center committee endorsed the idea of work sessions involving the heritage society, the developer and county planners.

Earlier in November, Hogan met with White and other members of the heritage society to learn more about the historic district and its role in guiding development in town. Both sides described that meeting as cordial.

Separately, and members of the town center committee, and the town center committee also met with the heritage society at its museum in Odenton.

Hogan acknowledged that the company was not aware that the project would sit in the historic district when it first presented development plans earlier this year.

"It was news to me, and a bit of a curveball, but we're still early in the process," he said.

Members of the town center committee have also said they when reviewing preliminary plans.

According to language in the Odenton Town Center Master Plan, any project in the historic district must allow for the preservation of historic buildings, and be “compatible with the historic character and design of the area."

The land in question features two properties, the Padgett House and the , that Anne Arundel County has labeled as historic. Both homes date to the early part of the 20th century.

"What goes into the area is truly a 'forever' decision, and should an error be made, it could have irreversible harm," White said.

Hogan said his company has not decided what it wants to build on the site. In previous meetings before the town center committee, his company presented concepts for townhomes, including a stacked “two-over-two” style. Those remain options, but he said he could build apartments or other uses.

To satisfy the heritage society and the town center committee, Hogan will likely have to try and maintain a streetscape similar to what is already on North Patuxent Road. That would suggest three or four-story townhomes could not work along the street. Committee members suggested building the tallest and densest buildings at the back of the property.

“The society looks forward to working toward resolving any differing viewpoints for the development and is willing to put forth the effort and time that would be needed for protecting and promoting our historic district,” White said.

Editor's note: This article has been updated to clarify that Anne Arundel County, not the Odenton Heritage Society, has designated certain buildings in Odenton as historic. The heritage society has no designating power.