Annapolis Towne Center opened with fanfare on Saturday, a behemoth package of retail and residential development a couple miles west of historic Annapolis.
I’ll investigate the shiny new Target in the next month or so and likely will be one of the early customers when Brooks Brothers rolls out their Egyptian cotton shirts and cashmere sweaters next year.
But while I stroll the streets of the nation’s latest “towne center,” I’ll wonder if this is a boost to the long-term economic health of Annapolis or a puzzle piece that doesn’t quite fit.
The new development on the Parole edge of Annapolis opened the same week that Annapolis’ Main Street was named one of this year’s 10 great streets by the American Planning Association.
The separate milestones demonstrate the complexity of life in an area with rich history and modern vision. In the coming years we’ll see whether the two can grow together or will just drain each other’s energy.
Main Street Annapolis is 300 years old, with charming brick sidewalks, finely maintained colonial buildings and intriguing alleyways. The American Planning Association calls the street “something of a living museum, a place that makes significant contributions to Annapolis’s downtown economy at the same it remains physically and visually connected to its history, maritime culture, and architectural character.”
That description is a little generous. Annapolis has an uneven reputation for promoting its downtown. Main Street used to be shadowed with an umbrella of power lines. But 10 years ago, the town buried the power lines, re-bricked the road deck, and enhanced the historic character of the town. Annapolis has held onto some precious local businesses — including Main Street’s Chick & Ruth’s Delly and McBride Gallery, as well as the nearby Annapolis Pottery and Storm Bros. Ice Cream Factory. Fawcett Boat Supplies still is in business, after a Chapter 11 reorganization late last year, and other maritime businesses are surviving, although hardly thriving. The Paca House, Hammond Harwood House and Banneker-Douglass Museum pay tribute to other aspects of the rich history of the area.
But downtown has been unable to really cement its unique reputation, surrendering to Starbucks, Ben and Jerry’s and other chains who have a following, but don’t contribute to a distinct destination. The failure of the Market House, which lost a couple more stores in the past month, has been another big drain on Annapolis’ identity.
It’s a constant struggle to preserve the past while providing the economic boost to move forward. The draw of Main Street — charm, uniqueness — is also its greatest long-term financial threat.
Annapolis Towne Center threatens to consume more of the business dollars needed to sustain a healthy downtown. The lure of Target and Whole Foods Market — although they don’t have direct competition downtown — may bring dollars to the restaurants and other stores at the Towne Center that might otherwise have been spent by diners near City Dock.
And the Towne Center has a different set of challenges, including opening during the worst economic slump in decades. The center includes 208 luxury apartments, opening within five minutes of two other new luxury living communities.
It’s touted for upscale living, but will rely on the discount giant Target to draw customers. Towne Center promotes itself as a revitalization of Parole, but it is unclear if luxury residences and jobs at Target are compatible ingredients in a recipe for growth. Just like downtown Annapolis, the center is going to have to find balance in a cluttered identity.
The Towne Center has lured Whole Foods Market and Bed Bath & Beyond from nearby Harbour Center and is across the street from Festival at Riva, where Giant Food Stores is an established tenant. The long-term effect on those shopping centers is unknown. The Parole history buff might recall that Annapolis Mall long ago pulled stores from the Parole area and was partially blamed for the demise of the old shopping center on the site of Towne Center.
Even the greatest proponents of Main Street Annapolis won’t be able to ignore the deals and beautiful cotton shirts to be found at Annapolis Towne Center. We just have to hope that smart business minds will find ways to maintain the great Main Streets of the nation while towne centers continue to multiply.
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