The space occupied by Ollie’s Bargain Outlet and Shoppers Warehouse in the Milford Mill/Randallstown area has sat vacant for more than four years. Finally, there is good news about properties’ future.
State, local and community leaders gathered at the site on May 8 to announce that Baltimore County plans to acquire the adjacent commercial properties at 8212 Liberty Road to house a new, expanded Randallstown branch of the Baltimore County Public Library and a brand-new recreation and parks center.
The joint facility building, to be funded by more than $41 million in state and local funds, will facilitate revitalization efforts and serve as a community hub, officials say.
“Libraries and recreational amenities play a crucial role in creating vibrant and thriving communities,” County Executive Johnny Olszewski stated in a news release. “This new, combined 21st-century space in Randallstown will be a hub for learning and social connections, as well as a space where residents of all ages can be active – together.”
Maryland Speaker of the House Adrienne Jones said, “The announcement represents the state’s commitment to bring additional education and recreational opportunities to communities in northwest Baltimore County.” The facility will also provide critical community and social services to families, students and seniors in the region, Jones said.
The current Randallstown library – built in 1967 and located in the Liberty Court Shopping Center at 8604 Liberty Road – served more than 100,000 patrons last year. There is insufficient space to support program expansion at its existing location.
The proposed expansion will provide approximately 50,000 square feet of space for library use — nearly twice the size of the current location and enough space to accommodate over 200,000 visitors annually.
Visitors can expect public meeting rooms to accommodate large-scale library and community events, as well as individual and group study rooms. In addition to public desktop computers and laptop areas, there will be all-age makerspace/creative arts space, separate areas for teens and tweens, and more.
Sonia Alcántara-Antoine, Baltimore County Public Library CEO, stated, “This state-of-the-art, dual-purpose building will remove barriers and create access to a breadth of county resources for the community to learn, work and play all under one roof.” She added, “It undoubtedly will help us fulfill our vision of empowering and engaging individuals for a more inclusive and connected Baltimore County.”
To address the need for more recreation opportunities, especially for seniors and young people, the new building will also provide approximately 30,000 square feet for an open gymnasium area with flexible, modular programming space to accommodate a walking track and several indoor courts for pickleball, basketball, volleyball, futsal and soccer.
It’s unclear how the recreation center will work with the 58,000-square-foot Randallstown Community Center, located a little over a mile away off the 8600 block of Liberty Road. The center, which opened in 2009, is the county’s largest recreation center and features a gymnasium with three basketball courts, two volleyball courts and a four-lane indoor track and auditorium. The swimming pool is managed by the YMCA.
Recreation and Parks Director Bob Smith said, “We often hear about the need for more recreational options in this community and this new space represents the county’s continued focus on meeting the needs of our residents.”
District 4 Councilman Julian Jones, in whose district the facility is located, called the project “a great addition and an exciting new resource for our residents in west Baltimore County.”
Residents will be able to provide feedback on the proposal at a community input meeting, that will be scheduled in the upcoming weeks.
Shoppers Warehouse closed in January 2020 and Ollie’s closed two months later in March-delivering the Liberty Road corridor a one-two punch. The County Council must approve the purchase. If the acquisition goes through, as expected, it will be added to the county’s real estate portfolio, which includes the former Sears property bought for $10 million in 2022 and a 12-acre parcel at Security Square Mall bought for $6.85 million last year.
