Relocation of Meals On Wheels Operation to Edmondson Village Deemed “Cherry On Top” of $40 Million Redevelopment Strategy
MacKenzie Commercial Real Estate Services spearheads plan to move non-profit organization’s office and distribution center, together with nearly 150 jobs, to new build-to-suit building at shopping center
Soon after TREND Community Development Corporation acquired Edmondson Village Shopping Center in 2023 and revealed its $40 million redevelopment strategy for the 1940s-era retail venue, it selected MacKenzie Commercial Real Estate Services, LLC as its exclusive leasing broker. Success immediately followed with the signing of a 22,000 square foot ALDI as the primary anchor tenant, as well as restaurants Charley’s Cheesesteaks, Dunkin’, and Quickway Japanese. Leases with DTLR and Ascension St. Agnes Hospital soon followed. But spearheading the corporate headquarters relocation of Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland to the site at 4400 Edmondson Avenue – a process that extended 18 months – is deemed the “cherry on top” of the marketing and leasing program.
“This was a situation in which the stars and the moon aligned perfectly for the optimal result,” explained MacKenzie Senior Vice President and Principal Henry Deford who, together with Tom Fidler, Executive Vice President and Principal of MacKenzie, managed the leasing strategy on behalf of TREND Community Development Corporation.
“The re-tenanting portion of this assignment was drawing to a close, but our team was also cognizant of a four-acre parcel situated in the rear of the shopping center that was sitting unutilized,” Deford said. “A separate MacKenzie brokerage team was leading the Meals on Wheels’ effort to relocate its existing 15,000 square foot site at Highlandtown because the group, which serves more than 2,500 meals daily to local families and individuals, had outgrown its current facility. The non-profit organization was stymied in its attempts to find an appropriate site due, mainly, to the difficulty in finding properly-zoned land in Baltimore City.”
Deford approached fellow MacKenzie brokers Owen Rouse, John Harrington, and Tim Harrington to present Meals on Wheels with a plan to purchase the site and construct a 40,000 square foot build-to-suit structure housing the group’s administrative offices, meal preparation, and distribution operations. Because the site checked every box, including a location in Baltimore City, the plan quickly moved forward.
Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland, which was founded in 1960 and has operated at its current facility since 1991, intends to break ground on the new facility late spring, with delivery expected in late 2027. Meals on Wheels delivers more than 5,000 meals daily and more than 1.4 million annually.
“We have been studying our growth trajectory for more than a decade and particularly noticed a substantial increase in the people we were serving daily during the pandemic, which has sustained since 2020,” explained Stephanie Archer-Smith, Executive Director and CEO of Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland. “The daily volume of people served has ballooned more than 35 percent from the 1800 level, which placed an enormous strain on our staff facility, especially the kitchen area. The entire operation was stretched to the point where it became critical to find an expanded space. We are extremely lucky to have a loyal and passionate staff, and they deserved to have a comfortable place to work.”
Archer-Smith added that, taking direction from MacKenzie Commercial Real Estate Services, the non-profit organization participated in more than 35 property tours with the site rated based on accessibility, potential development costs, the impact of mileage on delivery routing, and quality of life factors. As time and frustration mounted, the Edmondson Village Shopping Center opportunity emerged, which proved the turning point.
“The new site enables us to nearly triple our existing footprint, which provides a long-term real estate solution as our expansion continues,” Archer-Smith said. “Instead of parking anywhere we can find a space on nearby roads or on our 1.25-acre site, we will now have a four-acre parcel to accommodate our staff and delivery fleet, as well as volunteers. An expanded kitchen area means we can be more innovative and efficient which, in turns, will benefit the people we serve every day.”
“Bringing nearly 150 jobs to West Baltimore City is extremely significant, given the positive spin-off impact it will have on local business and the community,” Deford added. “In addition, Edmondson Village’s location near major roadways including MD Route 40 and Interstate 695 will enable the swift delivery of meals to its audience and stakeholders each day.”
MacKenzie Commercial Real Estate Services is the real estate brokerage arm of The MacKenzie Companies, which operates five full-service divisions addressing all real estate asset classes, including MacKenzie Management Company, MacKenzie Contracting Company, MacKenzie Capital, and MacKenzie Investment Group. The company provides customized real estate solutions for institutional owners, investors, private companies, and individuals. For additional information, visit www.mackenziecommercial.com
