New Waldorf shopping center moves forward

The Shops at Fairway Village, a new mixed-use space in Waldorf that is expected to bring 300 new jobs and provide housing for 450 residents, held a groundbreaking ceremony last week.

The new development is a joint venture partnership between Baltimore-based MCB Real Estate and Calvert County-based Generation Properties.

Leases have been signed with Weis Markets, sit-down restaurant Eggspectation, as well as Hair Cuttery, KinderCare Learning Centers, McDonald’s, Heartland Dental and Saleya Nail & Spa totaling just over 90,000 square feet of space, a release from MCB Real Estate says.

The $115 million 120,000 square foot project is expected to open the first phase of the retail section in fall 2025. The residential portion is anticipated to begin construction in 2025.

“This area of Charles County remains under-retailed and, with Weis Markets’ first full-size prototypical store in the area, we have attracted a regional supermarket brand known for its wide selection of products, value-pricing and customer-first philosophy that is also active in the community,” Drew Gorman, MCB principal, said. “Weis Markets is the perfect fit as the anchor for The Shops at Fairway Village.”

The Shops at Fairway Village is positioned at the intersection of St. Charles Parkway and Billingsley Road, with two free-standings buildings fronting Billingsley Road.

“Residential housing remains an upmost priority across the nation and Charles County is no exception,” Gorman said. “We were attracted to Charles County based on its position as the fourth fastest growing county in Maryland, and its ranking as the country’s top 40th wealthiest county.”

The project, which is the last major commercial offering within the St. Charles planned development, was originally designed to be 300,000 square feet.

Due to market conditions in the retail and residential housing industries, the site was subsequently downsized and reconfigured to support complementary commercial and residential uses, the release said.

“Leasing activity is off to a tremendous start, and based on current interest and activity, we anticipate achieving full lease occupancy soon,” Gorman said.