The Maryland Department of Transportation is looking for a development team to create sustainable communities around the Odenton MARC station.
The MDOT said Tuesday it was issuing a Request for Qualifications to find an experienced group that could advance the strategic plan for the MARC Penn Line and plans for new housing, retail space and enhanced transit at the Odenton station. The plan includes denser, transit-oriented, mixed-use communities along the rail corridor between Washington and Baltimore, and will seek to create a plan for over 900 housing units and more than $270 million in gross tax revenue for the state over 30 years.
“This public solicitation is the first step toward improving transit connectivity, creating new jobs and expanding affordable housing options along the MARC Penn Line,” Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld said. “At MDOT, we look forward to engaging with experienced development teams that can become long term partners in developing the Odenton MARC Station into a vibrant community where people can live, work and have fun.”
The plan for the area calls for nearly 1,000 new housing units; 38,000 square feet of retail space; 1,360 new jobs; $270 million in state and local tax revenue and more than 117,000 new annual MARC trips at the station. It would dd more than two miles of new connected sidewalks, trails and bike patch and would enhance transit connectivity through local bus and shuttle routs.
The RFQ seeks a developer to implement the plan on the 13-acre surface parking lot to the west of the station. The department said it is looking for teams with a track record of partnering with the public sector in delivering transit-oriented developments and affordable housing.
Proposals for the space are due Jan. 24, 2025.