Economic development isn’t just about new businesses, new jobs, and more revenue; it’s also about how these outcomes positively impact our communities.
To that end, AAEDC works to drive revitalization and redevelopment in key commercial areas of Anne Arundel County through its transformative placemaking initiatives and proactive revitalization incentive programs.
Anne Arundel Town Centers
AAEDC leads revitalization and community engagement efforts across Anne Arundel County’s three designated Town Centers: Glen Burnie, Odenton, and Parole.
These priority growth areas are the focus of targeted investment and public improvements, creating opportunities for redevelopment, business growth, and long-term economic impact. AAEDC is proud to help transform these established commercial districts into vibrant destinations that foster economic activity and a renewed sense of community.
Anne Arundel County is investing in strategic redevelopment to transform underutilized properties into thriving community assets. From streamlined development processes and targeted incentives to major revitalization projects like the redevelopment of 7409 Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard, these initiatives are designed to support smart growth, strengthen local economies, and create vibrant places to live, work, and connect.
In order to stimulate private investment and encourage revitalization in older commercial corridors, the County established eleven Commercial Revitalization Areas which are adopted as Overlay Areas in the Zoning Ordinance (Article 18, Title 14, Subtitle 3). This encourages revitalization and reuse of vacant properties and facilitates redevelopment opportunities by allowing expanded uses and greater development flexibility in certain zoning districts within a Commercial Revitalization Area.
There are a number of programs that incentivize both property owners and businesses to improve commercial properties located in Anne Arundel County’s designated revitalization areas – including its eleven Commercial Revitalization Districts; one Enterprise zone, located in Brooklyn Park; and parts of the City of Annapolis and South County.
Arundel Community Reinvestment (ACR) Fund
Property and business owners in the county’s designated revitalization areas are eligible to apply for zero percent loans of up to $100,000 to fund renovation and upgrades to building exteriors and site improvements, including landscaping. Loan recipients also receive access to complimentary professional architectural services and $25,000-$500,000 of additional financing through the VOLT Fund. For a limited time, they are eligible to potentially receive a grant up to $50,000 as well.
Anne Arundel County Commercial Revitalization Tax Credit
Real property improvements to commercial buildings that result in at least $100,000 of additional property value can trigger a property tax increase that can possibly qualify for a credit for up to five years, equal to the incremental increase in taxes after the improvement. This program can only be used by property owners. Owners must apply directly to the County Office of Finance within 120 days after receiving their State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) notice of assessment.
Brownfields Revitalization Incentive Program (BRIP)
The Brownfields Revitalization Incentive Program (BRIP) is intended to promote economic development and environmental improvement, especially in distressed urban areas, by identifying and redeploying underutilized properties. The EPA defines a brownfield as “a property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.”
Property tax abatement is available for qualifying properties in jurisdictions that have elected to participate in the program. Commerce administers the BRIP property tax credit applications on behalf of these jurisdictions. Anne Arundel County is one of these jurisdictions.
The State of Maryland has designated more than 1,500 acres in Northern Anne Arundel County, in Brooklyn Park, as an Enterprise Zone. Businesses located in this Enterprise Zone may qualify for real property and state income tax credits in return for job creation and investments.
The Maryland Department of Housing & Community Development (DHCD) offers a variety of loans and business growth tools to new and expanding small businesses and nonprofit organizations whose efforts help improve and revitalize existing commercial districts and town centers. In addition, the Department actively seeks to strengthen its partnerships with banks, community development financial institutions (CDFI’s), and mixed-use developers to explore how to help lenders and entrepreneurs turn business plans into actual brick and mortar businesses.
Anne Arundel County has one tract of land in Odenton and three in Brooklyn Park that have been designated as Opportunity Zones. These areas are considered economically distressed communities where new investments, under certain conditions, may be eligible for preferential tax treatment.
In 2023, AAEDC expanded its focus on revitalization by establishing a dedicated Town Center Revitalization Manager position to lead placemaking and redevelopment efforts across the county.
Leading this work in close collaboration with community stakeholders and partner organizations, this manager drives initiatives across the County’s three Town Centers, eleven Community Revitalization Districts, and key commercial corridors in South County. This includes securing and deploying state and private funding to advance targeted revitalization efforts and place-based investment.
Read the 2025 Revitalization Report to learn how AAEDC is driving place-based investment and supporting revitalization and redevelopment across Anne Arundel County.
“I can honestly say the ACR Fund is what allowed us to find a home for our business. I had been leasing for many years and was actively looking to buy a building for about five years, but I couldn’t find anything that fit our needs and our budget. Eventually a building came up for sale that we loved, and when we ran the numbers we were really close to where we needed to be but not quite there. Luckily, my real estate agent told me about AAEDC and the Arundel Community Reinvestment Fund. She sent me an email with the subject line of ‘loan program – Game Changer,’ and it certainly was.”
Whether you’re part of the business community or a resident, connect with AAEDC to learn more about our programs, our work, and how you can be part of ongoing commercial and community revitalization efforts across Anne Arundel County
