Anyone can run to the grocery store for a pint of ice cream. But can they walk down the street for a hand-dipped cone of Moxley?s ice cream?
For residents around Belvedere Square Marketplace, two miles south of downtown Towson on Belvedere Avenue, amenities such as fresh ice cream, produce, outdoor dinning and live music have turned the once stagnant shopping center into an entertainment destination.
Since 2002, when Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse invested nearly $20 million into the aging property, community leaders have been thrilled. By creating a place to do much more than shop, local residents now have a place to interact and a way to support their local businesses.
“You get to know theowners of the business and you tend to root for them,” said Leslie Wietscher, a community activist from Evesham Park, located just north of Belvedere Square. “A lot of owners stayed through the low times and hung tough … and they are still there today.”
Originally opened in 1986, the property was well accepted by the neighborhood. However, business began to fade in the late 1990s, and only a few shops were left when the site was taken over by Struever Bros. According to Wietscher, the plans that other companies proposed to change the property were immediately shot down by local leaders until Struever Bros. came along with their plan that would benefit the community. Since then, the direction of the property has changed. The market features Friday night jazz and other performances, a fitness club, Daedalus Books & Music with their unique events, and the historic Senator Theatre.
“With the Senator Theatre across the Square, there are few other neighborhoods [that] can boast so much to offer so much to offer in such a short distance,” Wietscher said.
The music venues and other attractions make Belvedere Square a place for all ages, said John Pezzulla, director of property management for Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse Inc.
“They are terrific opportunities for the community to come together,” said Pezzulla. “There are people of all ages; there are kids and adults all having a great time. It?s really a tribute to the community and their commitment to that center and how they have supported it. They have really been incredible.”
There also have been a bounty of economic benefits. The Struever Bros. facelift has created 350 jobs at Belvedere Square, and the profits have been good for the business involved. Despite declining to comment on an exact number, Struever Bros. did indicate that sales figures have grown by 10 percent or more every year since 2002. For a complete list of business at Belvedere Square,visit www.belvederesquare.com/storedirectory.html.
