Baltimore County is acquiring its second piece of property at Security Square Mall—this time a 12-acre parcel.
County Executive Johnny Olszewski announced the acquisition at the site on May 17. In combination with the prior purchase of the former 202,000-square-foot Sears building and lot, the county will now own over one-third of the overall property at Security Square Mall, which will help support a coordinated, long-term vision for the site’s redevelopment, according to a Baltimore County news release.
County Executive Johnny Olszewski stated, “We believe this site can once again become an economic gem, providing a better quality of life and sense of community for our hardworking residents.”
The new parcel will be acquired from property owner Helmsman Property Services, Inc., leveraging $6.85 million in state and county capital funds.
Built in the 1970s, Security Square Mall has been occupied by a mix of regional and national stores. However, the site has declined and currently, more than 20 percent of the one million gross-square-feet of built space on the site is vacant.
Officials say surrounding communities have long sought revitalization; however, potential solutions have been complex as the approximately 90-acre site has multiple property owners with tenants offering disparate uses, such as an AMC movie theatre, the North American Trade School drivers’ academy, the Set the Captives Free Outreach, Worship and Education (OWE) Center, and the Baltimore County Department of Health and Human Services’ Woodlawn Health Center.
The county’s planned purchase of this additional parcel is subject to approval by the County Council.
