Clarksville Commons Construction Underway

GreenStone Ventures II, LLC held a ground breaking ceremony for their sustainable mixed-use center, Clarksville Commons (12240 Clarksville Pike) on October 7. Since then, sediment control fencing has been installed, trees and shrubs have been removed, and grading of the site has begun. It is anticipated that construction will be completed by the spring of 2017.
The first phase of the project will include two, two-story buildings comprising 40,000 sq. ft. of retail and office space and an 8,000 sq. ft. restaurant, all centered on a courtyard design. The courtyard will provide a dynamic mix of promoted community-oriented programs and activities such as farmers’ markets, art shows, concerts and a mix of indoor and outdoor retail. GreenStone Ventures has worked closely with the county to incorporate streetscape, pedestrian, and bike friendly features that will complement the Design Guidelines being proposed for the Clarksville Route 108 corridor. Sustainability features of the project will include the use of photovoltaics on all south-facing roofs to offset power requirements of the center, a living green roof and multiple cisterns to capture and allow the reuse of storm water, as well as extensive use of porous substrates and rain gardens to further treat runoff.
The first tenant announced for the new center is a restaurant with lots of local flavor. Howard County’s Marriner family, owners/operators of Victoria Gastro Pub, will open Food Plenty on the second level of the southern-most building. The restaurant will capitalize on the farm-to-table movement and will offer more of a “farm-fresh, comfort-food feel.” Food Plenty will feature a greenhouse that will provide ingredients to the restaurant and outdoor seating overlooking the center’s courtyard. Beer from the Marriner’s Ellicott City Manor Hill farm brewery will be offered. Leasing will be overseen by Waverly Real Estate, Inc. For leasing inquiries, please contact Lisa DeVries at 410-992-4600.
Some members of the community have raised safety concerns about the silt fencing that was installed around the perimeter of the site. According to the County’s Department of Public Works, “The fencing is appropriately installed…the sidewalk and cross walk are to remain closed because there is no reasonably safe accommodation that can be for pedestrian traffic.” When construction of Clarksville Commons is complete, the pedestrian access across the frontage of the site will be vastly improved. A large sidewalk will be installed across private property and a widened MD 108 Right-of-Way and landscaping and utilities will be located in the green space between the sidewalk and MD 108 to buffer pedestrians and enhance the ambience. In the meantime, the County has made the contractor aware that the “walking public desires to minimize the duration of the closure.”