Solo Cup Property to Become 'Small Scale Hunt Valley'

An Owings Mills developer plans to raze much of the old Solo Cup property and turn it into a "small scale Hunt Valley" Towne Centre, with an upscale grocery store as its anchor, community leaders said.

Greenberg Gibbons also plans to build a four-lane road, accessible from Painters Mill Road, that should alleviate the traffic on Reisterstown Road destined for the shopping center, which will cater to affluent locals.

“It would be a bit of a showcase property,” said former Reisterstown-Owings Mills-Glyndon Coordinating Council president Mary Molinaro, who was granted a sneak peek at the developer's plans along with George Harman, ROG's current president.

Greenberg Gibbons expects to announce plans in the next 30 days, Molinaro said.

Molinaro said Wegmans, Whole Foods and Harris Teeter were all options as anchor stores.

Under the plan being considered by the developer, all but a warehouse in a far corner of the Solo Cup property would be torn down.

That warehouse would house heating and air conditioning units for the entire development, allowing the roof of the shopping center -- where the units would otherwise have to be placed -- to be more architecturally pleasing.

The developer told Molinaro "open, glass roofs" are an option.

Two roads, lined by parking and smaller shops and restaurants, would lead to the shopping center's anchor. But the roads could be closed on nights and weekends, Molinaro said, to allow restaurants to hold outdoor events.

The four-lane access road would be built on the property behind the anchor store, and would include three entrances into the shopping center. Two entrances would be on Reisterstown Road.

“It's just a concept at this time," Harman said. "But, it’s very interesting.”

Greenberg Gibbons is the developer of Hunt Valley Towne Centre and Annapolis Towne Centre at Parole, among others.