PHOTO: Courtesy Howard Hughes Corporation
Greg Fitchitt
Regional president at Howard Hughes Corporation’s Columbia, Md., region
Downtown Columbia, Md., is booming.
As the master developer for the Columbia area outside Baltimore, the Howard Hughes Corporation has been busy moving forward with its plans for the downtown and the city overall.
And it’s up to Greg Fitchitt to lead the way.
“We announced a large number of new office tenants joining our portfolio, bringing the total amount of office space leased in Downtown Columbia in 2022 to 230,000 square feet, including CareFirst’s commitment to take 80,000 square feet in 6100 Merriweather,” Fitchitt said. “The high demand we’ve seen underscores the city’s continuing appeal for companies seeking to engage today’s top talent with a high-quality lifestyle in top-tier buildings with a natural setting and convenient location.”
So far in 2023, Downtown Columbia has seen the opening of four new restaurants: Peter Chang, Banditos and Toastique in the Merriweather District, along with The Collective, a new locally owned and operated entertainment and dining concept at the Lakefront. Another nine restaurants are either under construction or awaiting permits and plan to open within the next 12 months.
Also this year, HHC delivered Marlow, a 472-unit residential building, which is already 50 percent leased, per Fitchitt, and broke ground on an office building at 10285 Lakefront that is expected to be delivered by the end of the year. “[It] is attracting great interest from the region’s medical community.”
As the master developer, the firm has also focused on activating the Downtown Columbia area with a series of public events designed to help foster a sense of culture and community, Fitchitt said.
Next year, Howard Hughes will turn its attention to the development of the Lakefront District, which Fitchitt refers to as “the heart of Downtown Columbia.”
“In June, we were approved for the next phase of development in this neighborhood, a new mixed-use community which will include 701 residences, including 77 affordable units across three apartment buildings,” he said.
The boom has no end in sight.
