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Campaign hits home for business


Northeast Booster
06/22/05
By Jennifer Przydzial

After a $30 million renovation project to the Belair Beltway Plaza Shopping Center in Overlea that began about a year and a half ago, the area has been "rediscovered."

The shopping center was one of County Executive James Smith's 12 stops on the county's "ReDiscover Your Neighborhood Downtown" campaign this spring.

"This is the perfect example of renaissance in Baltimore County," said Smith at the June 16 ReDiscover event, where community members could take a bus tour of the shopping center. "It is totally reborn, renewed and rejuvenated."

The ReDiscover campaign encourages residents to shop and dine in their community's commercial district.

It highlights businesses in older neighborhoods such as Catonsville and Arbutus, Parkville, Pikesville, Towson and Reisterstown, among others.

Ruth Casta started coming to Belair Beltway Plaza last fall, when her doctor moved there as part of the Mercy Medical group's move into the renovated 28,000-square-foot Overlea Personal Physicians building.

The building had once been a Valu-Food supermarket and had been vacant for five years.

Casta said she and her husband, Howard, make an afternoon of it whenever she has a doctor's appointment.

"We often have lunch at Carrabba's and then catch a discount movie," she said. "We call it our 'date day.'"

Baltimore County's Department of Economic Development describes Overlea-Fullerton as a suburban village along a highly traveled corridor, Belair Road.

More than 171,900 houses are within a five-mile radius of Belair Road and the Beltway.

The renovation drew Susan Farace and her business, Crafter's Cafe, to the shopping center in the 7600 block of Belair Road.

She said the updated store facades and the increased traffic anticipated from the new look were positive factors for her.

"It was the reason I came here," Farace said.

Crafter's Cafe provides rooms for crafters to do crafts with others as well as enjoy a bite to eat.

Farace presented Smith with a bright blue and green tie last week that she made with the "ReDiscover Your Neighborhood Downtown" logo on it.

"This is a commitment of everyone here," said 6th District County Councilman Joe Bartenfelder at the ReDiscover event. "You are the ones who made it a success."

Bartenfelder knows how hard the business community worked not only to revitalize the shopping center, but the Overlea-Fullerton Business Association as well.

Ten years ago, he said, he wondered why grants were going to other parts of the county. Fearing it was because the county was unaware of the needs of the Overlea business community, Bartenfelder said he helped go door-to-door to revive the "defunct" business association.

Today the Overlea-Fullerton Business Association has 51 members.

Del. John Cluster, who represents the 8th District, which includes Overlea, was once president of the Parkville Business Association.

He recalled that the Parkville group used to meet with its counterparts in Perry Hall and Overlea on a regular basis. He said he would like to see that again.

Members in all three groups might benefit from a bus to take senior citizens on shopping trips in the three communities, he said.
 

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