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$100 million project pedestrian-oriented Aquia's reincarnation
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Tree-lined sidewalks and a sleek glass walkway are planned.
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The revitalized Aquia Towne Center will have a mix of retail, office and residential development.
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Buildings will be of stone, brick and glass.
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Aquia Towne Center plans unveiled.
Date published: 4/28/2007
BY KAFIA HOSH
A Stafford strip mall could soon transform into a bustling shopping center with tree-lined sidewalks and brick buildings connected by a sleek glass walkway.
North Stafford residents and businesses received a glimpse into the mixed-use development planned for Aquia Towne Center.
Ramco-Gershenson Properties Trust, a Farmington Hills, Mich.-based developer, owns and manages the strip mall on U.S. 1.
The company unveiled its $100 million revitalization effort during a public forum at the Stafford Administration Center on Thursday.
While most of the Aquia residents seemed excited about the prospect of a renovated mall, the center's existing businesses expressed concerns about parking and rent increases.
Ramco-Gershenson plans to change the center to include an assortment of retail, office and residential space. The company brought in Brown Craig Turner, a Baltimore-based architectural firm, to redesign Aquia Towne Center. Its architects are responsible for successful mixed-use developments such as Fairfax Corner and Downtown Silver Spring in Maryland.
The new Aquia Towne Center would be designed around two main streets surrounded by buildings created from stone, brick and glass. And its dense layout would serve as a gathering place filled with sidewalks, benches and a grassy common area.
"It's very much a pedestrian-oriented development," said Brown Craig Turner president Bryce Turner.
It's more than a shopping center, it's "a place to create memories," he said.
Each building would house retail outlets on the first floor and office space on the second floor. An apartment complex would breathe life into the center after hours.
"What you're trying to create is a sense of activity," said Edward Wizner, a redevelopment vice president for Ramco-Gershenson.
An unobtrusive parking garage would be near retail and office space, Turner added .
"The architecture should feel very comfortable," he said.
Ramco-Gershenson hopes to attract a signature restaurant and a deluxe cinema chain to anchor the center.
But Aquia Harbour residents griped about not having a nearby grocery store. Shoppers Food Warehouse moved from the center to Stafford Marketplace several years ago.
"I don't like to cross [State Route] 610 on a Friday afternoon," complained one resident.
Wizner explained that most grocery chains were not interested in coming to Aquia Towne Center, but that speciality grocers such as Trader Joe's could be a possibility.
"With this type of project, maybe they'll come here," he said.
The developer hopes to attract several apparel outlets, cafes and restaurants to the shopping mall.
But existing, independent businesses were concerned about their future in the center.
"You're really ignoring a lot of the mom-and-pops," said Greg Lantier, who owns a barber shop with his wife.
But Thomas Litzler, a Ramco-Gershenson vice president for development, said the center would strive to include national, regional and local stores. "We want to have a mix of businesses in this project," he said.
Date published: 4/28/2007
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