The Howard Hughes Corp. to Invest $325M in Columbia, MD District

COLUMBIA, MD – The Howard Hughes Corp. plans to invest $325 million in Columbia, MD’s Lakefront District. The development will encompass a state-of-the-art medical office building, housing options, retail offerings and enhanced connectivity.

The firm is redeveloping the district in accordance with the Downtown Columbia Plan, which calls for “bringing community life and activity back to the water’s edge” and creating a walkable community. The investment plans will carry out the “city in a garden” aesthetic that was originally envisioned by Columbia, MD’s founder, James Rouse, in 1967.

The recent investment launches the next phase of the city’s rejuvenation. Once the project is complete, the Lakefront District will include up to two million square feet of new development.

For the development’s first project, the Howard Hughes Corp. will construct a $45.8 million, four-story, 86,000-square-foot medical office building. Designed with Studio Red Architects, the building is expected to achieve LEED Platinum status and Fitwel certification. Situated along the south shore of Lake Kittamaqundi, the property will feature a boardwalk-style public terrace and space for exercise classes and other health and fitness activities. A division of the Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics, Orthopaedic Associates of Central Maryland will relocate its local office to occupy 20% of the new building in early 2024.

The company will additionally construct three high-rise residential buildings, which will feature 675 units, underground parking and outdoor amenities, including a promenade. Situated on the north end of the Lakefront District, the multifamily properties will also offer ground-level retail space.

For the project, the Howard Hughes Corp. will also enhance pedestrian and cycling connections and upgrade green spaces. The firm will additionally extend and reconfigure Wincopin Circle as a pedestrian-oriented street throughout the district.

Phase 1 of the Lakefront North development is expected to total more than $280 million during the next several years.

“The Lakefront District will be a compelling example of what a healthy neighborhood can be, with its beautiful natural setting, promotion of healthy lifestyles through daily engagement, and access to many services and amenities befitting a revitalized urban core,” says Greg Fitchitt, president of the Columbia region for the Howard Hughes Corp. “Columbians have an emotional connection to the Lakefront, the historic town center for all of Columbia, and this upcoming phase of investment is the next step in restoring and enhancing the Lakefront’s iconic character and historic position in Howard County.”

“Howard Hughes’ vision for a progressive health and wellness district integrated into the core of a thriving city made it an easy choice to relocate to Downtown Columbia’s new Lakefront District and be part of a new medical office building like no other in the area,” says Steve Maddock, CEO of the Orthopaedic Associates of Central Maryland. “It is forward-thinking to place a medical building in such a naturally beautiful setting, surrounded by water and open, walkable green space that fosters a sense of serenity and wellness.”

The Howard Hughes Corp. also recently announced plans to invest $10 million into the renovation of Central District’s corporate row office portfolio. The seven-building portfolio comprises one million square feet of office space along Little Patuxent Pkwy. The firm will implement exterior and interior enhancements for the renovation.