A state-of-the-art recreational facility is planned in an abandoned store at the mall in Waldorf that was purchased this week by Charles County government.
On July 24, the Charles County commissioners were joined by the county’s recreation, parks and tourism as well as economic development department staff and others to celebrate the county’s purchase of the former Sears building at the St. Charles Towne Center.
“This is a big deal,” Commissioner President Reuben B. Collins II (D) said of purchasing the property, which was completed on July 23, a day before the commissioners held a press conference at the site.
When asked by Southern Maryland News how much the county paid Transformco, which owned the property, for the Sears, a public information officer at first would not provide an amount and said a public information request would have to be filed. Southern Maryland News filed a request for the amount Wednesday afternoon and within about 1½ hours the purchase price was released.
“The building was purchased for $7.5 million with funds designated within the fiscal year 2025 capital improvement program budget,” the public information officer said in an email.
The building will be converted into a sports and wellness complex serving the entire community, according to county officials.
When asked how much was budgeted for the renovations to convert the building into a recreation facility, the public information officer said, “We don’t have that yet. It’s too early in the process. We need the community to determine exactly the sports and wellness complex will become.”
“Here in Waldorf, we have the lowest percentage of amenities per capita in the population center of our county. This purchase will change that equation significantly, bringing much-needed recreational opportunities to our residents,” Collins said. “We intend to work together to achieve this goal not on our own, but together in a public-private partnership that leverages our collective resources to get this outcome and spur new investments in this area.”
The purchase of the property, which totals 8 acres, was tied to the result of a comprehensive study conducted two years ago by the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism on county recreation opportunities.
“This building boasts more than 130,000-square-feet of space,” Collins said.
The study found a great need for increased sports and wellness activities, especially in the Waldorf area, a release from Charles government said.
“The message was clear — there are not enough recreational spaces and places to enjoy leisure activities in Charles County,” Kelli Beavers, director of Recreation, Parks and Tourism, said.
Beavers told Southern Maryland News after the presentation that the facility could open in as soon as a few years, pending community outreach efforts to determine what the community wants to see in the building.
In purchasing the facility, the county seeks to revitalize the former Sears location, which has been unused since 2020, and follow examples such as Annapolis Mall in Anne Arundel County revitalizing empty mall space for public use.
The space is envisioned to include a 50-meter by 25-yard competition swimming pool that will create space for swimming, training and competitive meets. The pool space will include a splash pad, diving areas, spa/whirlpool, sauna and lap pool.
In addition to the pool facilities, community members are invited to give input on what other amenities they would like to see in the building.
“We envision this center offering an experience that is not just transactional as a shopping destination but a place where people can visit, play, stay and enjoy,” Kelly Robertson Slagle, director of Economic Development, said. “It will be a dynamic destination that draws people for various activities, creating a vibrant atmosphere that benefits everyone.”
State delegates have supported the recreation facility in provided funding totaling $5,375,000 for design and construction.
“This is clearly an example of a community working together and we want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts,” Collins said to Charles County’s delegates in attendance.
Acting County Administrator Deborah Hall said, “This acquisition is a significant milestone toward achieving the goals and objectives of our board of commissioners — to enhance the quality of life for everyone through increased recreation and leisure activities and to expand economic development opportunities and growth in Waldorf. The purchase of this building, and the plans we have for it, are a critical piece in getting to that outcome.”
Hall highlighted the contributions of leaders within her department who were essential to identifying and taking many actions in a short time frame to purchase the property.
“We could not have arrived here without the teamwork of so many people, including staff in the county attorney’s office, public works, recreation, parks and tourism, economic development and fiscal and administrative services who all participated in bringing this project to fruition,” she said.
Most Popular
Comments / 0