Southwest Baltimore County: Catonsville-Halethorpe-Arbutus
Our Moment
Southwest Baltimore County is home to diverse communities with untapped potential. Catonsville, Halethorpe and Arbutus anchor this region with wholesome neighborhoods and easy access to the trails and wilderness of Patapsco State Park. Halethorpe offers a key MARC commuter rail station on Southwestern Boulevard which is complemented by St. Denis Station in Arbutus. All three communities lie off I-695 with direct access to Baltimore City and regional interstates—making them ideal for both business and residents.
This area is at the center of a rich ecosystem for the clean energy, biotech, cybersecurity and GovTech industries. It is home to bwtech@UMBC, Maryland’s pioneering university-affiliated research park, as well the UMBC itself, with proximity to the NSA, U.S. Cyber Command and Fort Meade, reinforcing its cybersecurity strength. Nearby, Frederick is emerging as a vital node in Maryland’s “DNA Valley,” stretching from Baltimore through the I-270 Innovation Corridor. A key asset for “DNA Valley” is in Southwest Baltimore County with its concentration of world-class healthcare facilities including Kaiser, St. Agnes Hospital and Medstar.
Our Mission
All the ingredients are in place for Southwest Baltimore County to become a true cluster of economic growth and innovation. But first we must ensure good projects can move from idea to reality with urgency.
If we make housing more affordable in this area, we ensure that innovators, students and professionals that drive economic growth are able to build their careers and families near their work while ensuring the existing communities feel benefits of this prosperity.
In order to preserve the charm of Catonsville, Arbutus and Halethorpe while creating more housing units, we should streamline mixed-use projects that enhance the community. A prime example is the Catonsville Armory which could be revitalized as a hub for residences, small businesses and community life.
Already incredible work is being done by organizations like Southwest Vision Foundation and others to make our communities safer, greener and more affordable. I want to support and accelerate this work so that we see the change that we have dreamed of for too long. For instance, on Frederick road is a multi-acre property owned by the Christian Athletic Association. We should work together to create it into the destination downtown Catonsville deserves.
We can build a new future in this area together by investing in the assets we have such as the aforementioned healthcare facilties. Furthermore, bwtech@UMBC has generated over $500 Million in economic impact. We need a strategic small area plan for Southwest Baltimore County that includes labs, offices, incubators and infrastructure so that the startups created here can stay here long term. Moreover, UMBC has long called for a hotel near campus. This simple investment would allow them to host conventions, attract industry partners and support local entrepreneurs.
Southwest Baltimore County does not need to reinvent itself—it needs a plan that unlocks its potential. The people, talent and opportunities are already here. Now it’s time to build the foundations that allow them to thrive.