Whole Foods Market : reg; to anchor Towson Row

First tenant for $350 million mixed use development in downtown Towson, Md.

TOWSON, Md. (November 5, 2014) - Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz, Whole Foods Market and Caves Valley Partners announced the natural foods and organic grocer will open its first Baltimore County location in downtown Towson. Whole Foods Market will anchor Towson Row, a new 1 million-square-foot mixed-use development to be built at the southern gateway to downtown Towson.

"When Towson Row was announced last year, we knew it would be a transformational private investment for downtown Towson," said Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz. "With Whole Foods Market as the lead tenant, Caves Valley Partners is setting the bar high. Towson Row is on its way to becoming a signature live, work, shop and play environment in Baltimore County.

There are currently 401 Whole Foods Market stores worldwide, with nine in Maryland. The Towson store will be approximately 45,000 square feet.

"The people of Towson have been asking for a Whole Foods Market for some time now - and we're excited to make it a reality," said Scott Allshouse, Whole Foods Market Mid-Atlantic regional president. "We take great pride as 'America's Healthiest Grocery Store' - and can't wait to share our values and quality ingredients with even more people who live and work in the area. From the freshest produce to animal welfare and seafood sustainability standards to unique local products - there's something for everyone. We look forward to opening our doors in what is sure to be an exciting and innovative location in the community."

"With so many people living in and moving to downtown Towson, we knew early on that attracting a top-notch grocer would be a critical lynchpin in the development of Towson Row," said Arthur Adler, a partner at Caves Valley Partners (CVP), Towson Row's developer.  "We studied urban mixed use developments around the country and there was one recurring theme: Whole Foods Market anchored the most dynamic projects. We are thrilled to bring this premier tenant to its first Baltimore County location and we are confident it will be a game changer for all of Towson."

Caves Valley Partners expects to begin demolition of the vacant properties on the Towson Row site in 2015. No target opening date has been set for the downtown Towson Whole Foods Market. Baltimore County-based HR Retail represented both parties in the Whole Foods Market transaction.

"The Towson Row location is ideal for the growing number of people living in downtown Towson. Whole Foods Market is a perfect match for Towson's mix of families, young professionals, college students and seniors," added Kamenetz. 

"Whole Foods Market will bring jobs to our community," said Councilman David Marks.  "Towson Row will have hundreds of new residential units and is the perfect location for this type of grocery store. Customers will literally be at their door."

The 1 million-square-foot, $350 million Towson Row development will be built on five acres bounded by York Road, Towsontown Boulevard, Washington Avenue, and Chesapeake Avenue. The mixed-use development will include about 200,000 square feet of Class A office space, 350 luxury high-rise apartments and condominiums, 200 limited service hotel rooms, 300 exclusive student housing units, and over 100,000 square feet of shops and restaurants, anchored by the 45,000 square foot Whole Foods Market. Over 1,500 garage parking spaces will serve tenants and customers.

Downtown Towson has seen more than $800 million in recent private investment, including 2,600 apartments and townhomes built or in development, new corporate headquarters, expansion of the luxury shopping wing at Towson Town Center, and the Towson Square entertainment center featuring 15 Cinemark theatres and new restaurants including the recently opened On the Border Mexican Grill and Cantina and Nando's Peri Peri.  

More than 55,000 people live in greater Towson, with over 56,000 people working at companies including General Dynamics, Stanley Black & Decker DIY and Construction Headquarters, MileOne, Whiting Turner, GBMC, Sheppard Pratt, University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center, Towson University, and Goucher College.