Home Depot anyone?

garyt27

garyt27

INAFJ
Theres talk of a Home Depot where Old Calvert Middle is now. Any thoughts on that? Imagine the traffic nightmare there. Not to mention putting Lusby Motors out of business. You go into H. Dep. and ask a clerk for a left handed screw driver and he might tell you "aisle 9" Hey, wheres your board strechers dude? "Thats in aisle nummah fo."
 
M

mdff21

Active Member
Unless the current commissioners change the ordinance, I doubt you will see it. No big box stores in Calvert County. I can't see HD coming to Calvert and being restricted on the size. Walmart tried to get around it by trying to put a second store next to the one in PF and were shot down. I do agree that we need something like that, HD or Lowes would be great but don't see it happening anytime soon.
 
P

Proud_Nana

Member
Unfortunately, I don't beleive the Board of County Commissioners would allow a 'big box hardware' store. It is so unfortunate, because as the homes in the County age, they will need repair and remodeling, and the County could keep large volumes of money in the County from their taxpayers. But because this makes sense, it is more likely not to happen, in my opinion. Lusby Motors will never go anywhere, because they carry many things that Lowes and Home Depot don't. They also have specialized items that 'fit' the homes of the County. Now, again, my opinion, Lusby's could stand some competition just to get them to lower their ridiculous prices. Yeah, and the County buys stuff from Lusby's all the time...more taxpayer dollars rather than comparison shopping. Traffic for the middle school location I don't think would be any different. Great access from Steeple Chase Drive/Armory Road, Dares Beach Road, and Route 4. Traffic lights and traffic patterns are already there and that would or could be incorporated into that portion of the Prince Frederick Loop Road. I think it would be ideal to put a Lowes or Home Depot on that corner, and their garden center in the location of the old Armory, but again, because it makes sense, I don't think it would happen.....I better stop and get off of my high horse before I get myself in trouble.................
 
NorthBeachPerso

NorthBeachPerso

Honorary SMIB
A couple problems with this proposal:
As it's being presented now it's a spot re-zoning which is illegal per Zoning regulations that cover the County (MD law forbids it in the Zoning code that enables County zoning regulations). In order to get the project to fly the applicants would have to prove that the property was zoned into the current classification by mistake or that the surrounding area had changed significantly.

The other problem the developers have is that the County has to declare the property as surplus, they intend to sell it and the sale is done by competitive sealed bids. Rumors (accurate) are going around that the developers and one of the current Commisioners had been meeting to figure out a way to short circuit that process.

The State will have a whole bunch to say about it, too, because of the impact on Rte. 4.

Also, after the issues one of the developers has had doing what he said he would in the Lusby Town Center, why would the County want to have any more dealings with him until that's done?
 
L

loriv

New Member
I believe the request to change the zoning (significantly) went in yesterday, or within the last week. If you want to live in Waldorf or Bowie, please move! I do not want big box stores, if I do I will drive somewhere else... but there is very little that Lusby's and Sneades can't deliver on... and with FAR superior service.

If a Home Depot gets approval it will open the flood gates for every other ridiculously large store that we don't need and our county will turn into a sea of pavement, light, litter, and noise... all the things people supposedly move here to escape. If you are for this project, just please move back to wherever you came from.
 
N

nutz

Well-Known Member
What about Dean Lumber? A little further, but keeps you out of Waldorf.....They now offer custom woodworking too.
 
luvscats

luvscats

New Member
Proud_Nana said:
Not to be misunderstood....I like Lusby Hardware and Sneades also, but for big projects, I love Lowes.
Click to expand...

I hear ya. A few months ago I needed a certain kind of hinge and had to go to Home Depot to get it. I guess I'm just concerned about too much growth. :)
 
glhs837

glhs837

Power with Control
loriv said:
I believe the request to change the zoning (significantly) went in yesterday, or within the last week. If you want to live in Waldorf or Bowie, please move! I do not want big box stores, if I do I will drive somewhere else... but there is very little that Lusby's and Sneades can't deliver on... and with FAR superior service.

If a Home Depot gets approval it will open the flood gates for every other ridiculously large store that we don't need and our county will turn into a sea of pavement, light, litter, and noise... all the things people supposedly move here to escape. If you are for this project, just please move back to wherever you came from.
Click to expand...

No kidding? I can walk into those places and buy 8 interior doors? And enough lumber to build a garage? Dont get me wrong, I love a good hardware store, and do spend good money in my local one here in the Park, but there are tons of things I can get in a big box those guys simply dont have. Pity you all will miss the jobs that come with this, and the tax revenue.
 
NorthBeachPerso

NorthBeachPerso

Honorary SMIB
glhs837 said:
No kidding? I can walk into those places and buy 8 interior doors? And enough lumber to build a garage? Dont get me wrong, I love a good hardware store, and do spend good money in my local one here in the Park, but there are tons of things I can get in a big box those guys simply dont have. Pity you all will miss the jobs that come with this, and the tax revenue.
Click to expand...

You can at the one in Owings.

Jobs? Calvert still has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the state. Taxes? The property isn't taxed now but the increase in revenues, if the property is sold, won't be that much. What most people don't understand about property taxes is that it doesn't much matter what's on a developed property or even if it's occupied, the taxes still get paid. Those empty storefronts everyone complains about? The tax revenue still comes in. Sales tax? A fraction of the 6% the state gets. You go to a store and spend $100 with $6 sales tax and the locality gets about 40 cents back.
 
Last edited:
J

johnjrval424

New Member
In all honesty, I don't mind driving 30 minutes to LP to go to Lowe's, BJ's and the super WalMart, if necessary. As soon as I get to the intersection of Rt. 235 and 4, it reminds me of why I don't mind driving there instead of having that cluster in my town.

I cringed when they built the shopping center at Hospital Road and Rt. 4 (and I can't understand how Office Depot stays in business because there is hardly anybody in there).

At some point, we have to be sensible about locations of big box stores and traffic issues. There was a time that you could tell the difference between Brandywine, Waldorf and La Plata on 301 - there was actual countryside between the towns. Now, it is all one long strip mall/shopping center complex - it is sad really. The statistics of that area tell the real story about population growth and catering to the deep pockets who want to capitalize on every little green space left.
 
J

johnjrval424

New Member
NorthBeachPerso said:
You can at the one in Owings.

Jobs? Calvert still has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the state. Taxes? The property isn't taxed now but the increase in revenues, if the property is sold, won't be that much. What most people don't understand about property taxes is that it doesn't much matter what's on a developed property or even if it's occupied, the taxes still get paid. Those empty storefronts everyone complains about? The tax revenue still comes in. Sales tax? A fraction of the 6% the state gets. You go to a store and spend $100 with $6 sales tax and the locality gets about 40 cents back.
Click to expand...

That's because it has been statistically shown that 65% of Calvert County drives up Rt. 4 to DC every day, including myself.
 
Chris0nllyn

Chris0nllyn

Well-Known Member
glhs837 said:
No kidding? I can walk into those places and buy 8 interior doors? And enough lumber to build a garage? Dont get me wrong, I love a good hardware store, and do spend good money in my local one here in the Park, but there are tons of things I can get in a big box those guys simply dont have. Pity you all will miss the jobs that come with this, and the tax revenue.
Click to expand...

How often are you replacing 8 doors, or building a garage? Not enough to warrant a 125,000sq. ft. building in the heart of PF.

Personally, I think the Sneade's stores are close enough to anyone in the county who needs small, DIY type items. If not, It's only another 15 min from each Sneade's to either the Home Depot in Upper Marlboro, or the Lowe's in St. Mary's.
 
garyt27

garyt27

INAFJ
NorthBeachPerso said:
And you'll stop doing that to take a $7.25/hour job at the proposed Home Depot?

Right.
Click to expand...

Yeah, thats a good point.
Lusbys and Sneads pay their people a decent wage.
Also theres Dunkirk Supply for all your building needs.
The intersection as it is now could not handle a HD.
Trash trash, everywhere. and the rat population would explode.
 
D

daylily

no longer CalvertNewbie
garyt27 said:
Yeah, thats a good point.
Lusbys and Sneads pay their people a decent wage.
Also theres Dunkirk Supply for all your building needs.
The intersection as it is now could not handle a HD.
Trash trash, everywhere. and the rat population would explode.
Click to expand...

We've bought so much from Dunkirk Supply, they're great to do business with and their delivery fees are so reasonable. As much as I'd love the convenience of having Home Depot 5 minutes away, I'd rather drive the half hour and avoid having even more traffic through this area every day. We go to Lusby Motors and Sneads often but they don't have many things we need like HD and Lowes do. But again, no big deal to drive 30 mins.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top