A new strategic plan by Maryland transportation and economic development officials recommends mixed-use development at stops along the MARC Penn Line, including Odenton and Bowie State, to create communities anchored by transit hubs. Private developers are expected to pay the more than $1 billion cost of the large-scale endeavor.

Spearheaded by the Maryland Department of Transportation, the Penn Line Transit-Oriented Development Strategy Plan released Thursday maps out growth opportunities at six train stops along the corridor that officials hope will create thousands of jobs, boost transit use and bring in millions in tax revenue.

“The Penn Line is a critical asset to the region,” Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld said in a news release. “The undeveloped land around its core stations presents a prime opportunity for equitable and inclusive development that will yield numerous economic benefits to the region in decades to come.”

The plan outlines recommendations for 170 acres of undeveloped, state-owned land at Seabrook, Bowie State, Odenton, BWI Airport, Halethorpe and West Baltimore. Stations north of Baltimore Penn Station were also identified as possible sites in a second phase of development.

The state would prefer to enter a long-term lease with a developer in these areas, said Joe McAndrew, MDOT’s assistant secretary for project development and delivery, though selling land isn’t out of the question.

State officials say transit-oriented development along the Penn Line could generate more than $800 million in gross tax revenues over a 30-year period, create more than 4,500 construction jobs and 920 permanent jobs, generate up to 546,000 additional annual MARC trips, 2,600 new housing units and $1.7 billion in annual retail sales.

MARC train ridership today is roughly 45% of pre-pandemic levels, McAndrew said, while the frequency of the service is about the same.

But to make the transit-oriented development market successful, it’s key to ensure the transit is highly available, both in terms of service frequency and the hours that it runs, said Brian O’Malley, president and CEO of the Central Maryland Transportation Alliance.

“Just having train tracks doesn’t create the foot traffic that you need to make that kind of development pencil out,” he said. “You need to have frequent transit service.”

Development around the Odenton and Bowie State stations are the initial priorities.

In Odenton, a mixed-use development with more than 900 housing units near the station is envisioned. Its proximity to Fort Meade, the state’s largest employer, also means there’s a “ready-made clientele” to serve, McAndrew said.

While housing is a priority, the state is not placing specific affordability targets on future developments, said David Zaidain, the department’s chief of transit-oriented development. The state plans to look to agencies like the Department of Housing and Community Development to help address issues around affordable housing.

The plan’s financial feasibility analysis estimates $500 million in costs for private development around the Odenton station. Investment in infrastructure, which could include public and private needs, is estimated around $149 million — a figure that includes an estimated $56 million for a planned commuter parking garage.

The plan for the Bowie State station calls for a partnership between the state’s oldest historically Black university and Prince George’s County for campus expansion and potential growth on the west side of the train tracks.

Redevelopment of land owned by MDOT there could yield more than 400 housing units, $108 million in state and local tax revenue and add up to 42,000 annual MARC trips, the department said in a news release.

“The station’s close proximity to our campus creates an exceptional opportunity to drive economic growth, enhance transportation options, and cultivate a dynamic atmosphere for our students and the broader community,” Aminta Breaux, president of Bowie State University, said in a news release. “This initiative will attract new residents and support the university’s growth and expansion.”

Private development costs near Bowie State are estimated to be $267 million, according to the financial feasibility analysis. About $92 million is estimated for infrastructure.

In an ideal world, all markets would be ready for development, though some areas along the Penn Line may not be ready yet, McAndrew said, declining to name specifics.

“At the end of the day … oftentimes a transportation challenge is a land use challenge, right? We’re reacting to where growth goes,” he said. “If we already have an investment that’s underutilized and underdeveloped, it’s a good kind of fiscal decision to co-locate or grow next to these assets that [have] 55% capacity for new riders to join us.”

Zaidain said the plan is a starting point for advancing development and more work remains to be done with the affected municipalities to move forward.

“[These projects] need to bring amenity to the surrounding neighborhoods and also increase connectivity and experience to the transit,” he said. “It’s not just about development, it’s also about the connectivity around it.”

It will be crucial for MDOT to work with local governments to get support and allow for the kind of development the plan envisions, O’Malley said, especially considering zoning hurdles. A mixed-use development project around the Lutherville light rail station in Baltimore County, for example, has stirred community opposition.

The state’s transportation department also expects investment in this corridor to capitalize on future commuter service expansion to Virginia and Delaware. Though MDOT signed framework agreements to expand the service with transit authorities in Virginia and Delaware in April 2023, there is no timeline for that expansion.

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