Leaders Reimagine Gateway Business Park Into New District

COLUMBIA, MD — A new vision for the Columbia Gateway Business Park has been unveiled by officials.

Passed by the County Council on Oct. 6 and signed into law by County Executive Calvin Ball Oct. 9. The Gateway Master Plan for the 1,100-acre Gateway Business Park—already a vital job center—has been reimagined as a next generation Innovation District with plans for up to:

• 5,700-8,400 new housing units available to a mix of incomes
• 4,700-8,100 new jobs
• 1-1.8 million square feet of new commercial office and innovation/flex office space
• 312,000 square feet of new retail and restaurants

By reimagining a decades old business and industrial park, the plan calls for dynamic, mixed-use development designed to "foster innovation, attract talent and create a vibrant environment where people and ideas naturally connect." Key features for the long-term vision, according to Howard County officials, include:

• An Innovation Hub—ideally located near the existing Maryland Innovation Center (MIC) offering research labs, co-working space, and places for partnership between businesses, universities and startups.
• Nodes – Strategic locations, at future key intersections or around existing and future assets, intended for higher intensity mixed use redevelopment where retail and public gathering spaces will be concentrated
• The Woonerf—a pedestrian-oriented space designed for people, bicycles and slow-moving cars, with an emphasis on bringing people together.
• Open Space—an interconnected framework of varying typologies including a linear park, urban plazas, neighborhood parks, pocket parks and connection to the 3.1-mile CSX rail trail.
• A mix of flexible office space, residential housing and public amenities attractive to global companies and local entrepreneurs.
• Multi-modal transportation, sustainability strategies and public infrastructure that supports smart, resilient and connected growth.
• A range of housing options to meet the needs of current and future residents, including aggressive inclusionary housing goals that meet the growing need for affordable, attainable homes.

“This plan is about shaping the future we want for our county,” Ball said when signing the measure. “Instead of reacting to growth, we are leading. Gateway as an Innovation District will create a place where innovation thrives, businesses grow and residents can live, work and play. It’s about opportunity and ensuring that our county remains not only the best place to start and grow a business but also to live and build a future.”

Image courtesy of the Howard County Government