Anne Arundel County announced this week (Feb 9, 2024) that a vacant storefront on Maryland Route 2 will soon be converted into a recreation center.

The county said it “signed an agreement to purchase” the former Giant Food building.

The property, located at 3130 Solomons Island Road, has housed Halloween pop-up shops for several years. Giant is now located a half-mile down the road in the Village at Lee Airpark.

County Executive Steuart Pittman announced the purchase Wednesday at his District 7 budget town hall at Southern High School.

“For years, county residents have been asking for indoor recreation facilities, and for years the former Giant building in Edgewater has been used only during the Halloween season,” Pittman said in a Friday press release. “I am thrilled that we were able to sign an agreement to acquire the site this week, and can’t wait to get to work with our residents and designers on a plan that delivers for people of all ages.”

Patch asked the county how much it paid for the 5-acre property. We are still waiting for the answer. We will update this story if we get a response.

It seems the plan is to renovate rather than demolish the space.

The Department of Recreation and Parks requested funding for the design and renovation of the facility in the Fiscal Year 2025 capital budget.

The department plans to offer opportunities for public input in the planning process later this year.

“With this property, the Department can realize its vision to repurpose a vacant big box store into a vibrant indoor recreational amenity,” Anne Arundel County Recreation and Parks Director Jessica Leys said in the release. “We look forward to collaborating with the community to plan the renovation and future programming for this exciting acquisition.”