Baltimore County to acquire Sears building, 18 acres of land at Security Square Mall

BALTIMORE --  Baltimore County will acquire the former Sears building at Security Square Mall and 18 acres of land at the site, part of a larger plan to redevelop the moribund shopping center, County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr. said.

The county will acquire both the land and 202,653 square-foot building building through a $10 million agreement with property owner owner TF Baltimore MD LLC.

"The Security Square Mall site is a critical anchor for the communities on the west side of Baltimore County, and our administration is committed to revitalizing the area and making sure it will serve as a vibrant community hub for years to come," Olszewski said. "This timely purchase demonstrates the County's commitment to making the community's vision for the site a reality."

Transform Co., the parent company of both Sears and Kmart, announced it would close the Security Square location along with two dozen other stores.

In recent years, major tenants such as JC Penney, Bennigan's and IHOP have closed up shop at the 1970s-era mall, and the spaces have remained vacant, Olszewski's office said.

A Macy's department store and an AMC movie theater are some of the larger tenants that remain.

In July 2021, the county opened the Woodlawn Health Center at the O.W.E. Center at the mall, providing health counseling, immunizations, screenings, family planning guidance and WIC services.

Earlier this year, Olszewski and House Speaker Adrienne Jones, who represents Baltimore County, announced the state and county would each allocate $10 million toward redeveloping the area.

Jones said Friday she is happy to see the project moving forward.

"This substantial investment will add to the ongoing redevelopment of Security Square Mall, promoting a vibrant area for Baltimore County residents to enjoy," she said.

The county will hold community meetings in the fall to ask residents how they would like to change the site into "a more vibrant and community-focused anchor," Olszewski's office said.

The purchase is still subject to the approval of the Baltimore County Council on Sept. 6.