The Business Monthly Outlines Community Engagement in Creating “The Glen Burnie Better Plaza”

February 1, 2025

The Business Monthly published an in-depth article outlining how AAEDC and Better Block Foundation’s are engaging the community to create “The Glen Burnie Better Plaza,” a placemaking project coming to the Glen Burnie Town Center in late spring 2025:

Progressing in place at Glen Burnie Town Center

The article reported on AAEDC and Better Block hosting a Community Kickoff meeting in early January, where local residents and business owners shared their ideas about what the temporary activation should look like, as well as seeking feedback through an online community survey.

It featured the following commentary from Kayleigh De La Puente, who joined AAEDC as its first Town Center/Revitalization Manager in 2023 and is leading the project:

“This is an exciting project. What it will consist of will be known in the next few months. We’ll take the new information, analyze it and act.” 

The article also featured commentary from Anne Arundel County Councilmember Allison Pickard, who has long advocated for the revitalization of GBTC and the surrounding area:

“We want our third spaces (after home and work) as part of vibrant neighborhoods. We’ve already engaged people in a design process for Town Center, but while that’s ongoing we can examine this part of the project. 

We already have $1.5 million ($1 million from federal government and $500,000 from the County) for the plaza projects. Now that we have the funds, this is a great way to brainstorm before we invest millions of dollars into the renaissance of the plaza.” “ 

Concluding with a discussion of the significant economic impact that a placemaking project like The Glen Burnie Better Plaza can have, the article concluded with commentary from BFF Executive Director Krista Nightengale:

“We had [a project] last year in Pittsburgh where we reimagined a parking lot and [found that it] resulted in a $30 million economic impact for that part of a larger project. [The goal here is] to have a central open public space in Glen Burnie Town Center where people want to be, to increase the number of visitors and improve the local economy.”

To learn more about The Glen Burnie Better Plaza, read AAEDC’s press release announcing the project:

AAEDC, Better Block Foundation Announce “The Glen Burnie Better Plaza,” An Exciting Community Activation Coming to the Town Center

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