Timeline For Housing, Shops At Anne Arundel Train Station Revealed

ODENTON, MD — Planners on Monday announced the developers who will build a mixed-use community in the Odenton train station's parking lot. The estimated cost and rough timeline for construction were also revealed.

The project will bring housing, shops and a parking garage to the west side of the tracks. Officials think the transit-oriented development will boost ridership on the Maryland Area Rail Commuter, better known as the MARC train, while also supporting the Anne Arundel County economy with jobs and shopping.

The Maryland Department of Transportation said the developers are Homes for America and Questar Properties. The builders will work with MDOT, the Maryland Transit Administration and Anne Arundel County to transform the 10-acre parking lot.

"I brought Wes Moore to the Odenton MARC Station when he was still a candidate for Governor," County Executive Steuart Pittman (D) said in a statement. "We discussed smart growth, transit-oriented development, and the prospect of housing for our essential workers. His team has moved forward more rapidly than I imagined, and I am thrilled that Anne Arundel-based Homes for America and Questar have been selected to get this done."

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The price tag is expected to exceed $200 million, which will include public and private investment. The exact cost will be determined as the design advances.

The project is slated to bring:

• 585 multifamily units — including 130 affordable, 20 workforce and 435 market-rate homes.
• More than 30,000 square feet of retail.
• More than 180,000 square feet of public amenity space.
• Integrated pedestrian and bicycle pathways to improve access to the MARC station and the surrounding community.

The garage will cost about $56 million. It is being financed by Anne Arundel County and delivered in partnership with the Maryland Economic Development Corporation. The project received $4 million in federal funding and $750,000 in the first round of awards from the MDOT Transit-Oriented Development Capital Grant program.

"This is an exciting step forward to utilize state-owned property by transit stations to our advantage and create new, affordable housing units and retail space that will grow our economy," Maryland Transportation Acting Secretary Samantha J. Biddle said in a Monday statement. "The proposal by the selected joint development partner best aligns with the Department's and the community's vision for the future of Odenton."

The garage is scheduled to break ground sometime in 2026. Construction on the development could begin in 2028, depending on approvals.

The new garage will have 1,100 parking spaces. There are roughly 800 spaces in the west lot, so the station will see a net gain in parking. Parking in the garage will be free.

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The Odenton station area is projected to generate $270 million in tax revenue for the state and Anne Arundel County over 30 years. It could support up to 117,000 annual MARC trips at full build-out.

The east side of the tracks will also see improvements. The Odenton Library Community Park is currently in planning, offering passive and active recreation spaces between the library and the station.

"As Odenton is MARC's 3rd busiest rail station, increased access from the transit to the development we think will support strong amenities," MDOT spokesperson David Broughton told Patch in a Monday email. "We really think the walkable access to the station will be a key driver of new demand."

This is the second round of development at the Odenton Town Center. The west side of the tracks is already home to The Village at Odenton Station, a mixed-use community that opened in 2012 with businesses and 235 luxury apartments.

Anchors include Ruth's Chris Steak House, Baltimore Coffee & Tea and the Kiddie Academy. There are also spas, medical offices and a dry cleaner.

The 57,000 square feet of retail space was slow to fill, but new tenants have joined in recent years. Great Scottie Veterinary Clinic opened in July 2023. Quality Stylz Salon Suites opened by January 2025.

Odenton is the first station to see construction under MDOT's MARC Penn Line Strategy. This plan, released in 2024, outlines efforts to promote mixed-use, transit-centered communities along the busy rail corridor connecting Baltimore and Washington, D.C.

"MDOT has developed a strategy where by taking an advantage of development opportunities adjacent to our Penn Line stations could yield over 2600 new housing units, almost 500,000 new yearly MARC riders and over $800 million in state and local tax revenue," Broughton wrote to Patch.
"Odenton is a priority station because of the County's investment in the new parking structure which will free up the site for development as well as having supportive zoning in place. The County's partnership with MDOT has positioned this site as a near term, priority site."

The station is located 2 miles from Fort George G. Meade, Maryland's largest employment center. With the forthcoming neighborhood lying at the crux of job and public transportation hubs, the project aligns with the county's Plan 2040 and the Odenton Town Center Master Plan.

There will be public engagement opportunities as planning progresses.

To learn more and see renderings of the Odenton MARC Station transit-oriented development, visit the Joint Development Program page. To learn more about Homes for America and Questar Properties, visit homesforamerica.org or questarproperties.com.

Related:

• Feds Reject High-Speed Train Between Baltimore, DC Amid Cost Overruns
• 900 Housing Units Possible Outside Odenton MARC Train Station
• Odenton Train Station, Crownsville Hospital Get Cash For Projects
• Odenton Library Community Park Seeks Feedback As Design Phase Wraps Up
• Odenton Town Center To Get New Mixed-Use Development, Parking Garage
• Moore Promises MARC Train Investments, Balks At High-Speed Rail