Leonardtown is a charming city in Maryland with a population of approximately 2,500. This is a close-knit, pedestrian-friendly community where everyone has a familiar face and the kids can spend the weekends fishing or playing sports.
With 300 years under its belt, Leonardtown is a community that has seen many changes. Years ago, the city center was filled with grand Victorian houses and a bar on every corner, with slot machines.
In the years after World War II, business died out in Leonardtown and got even worse after the Route 5 bypass was completed in 1992. Lately, though, things have started to look up. The quaint downtown area is being revitalized with new restaurants, galleries, and unique shops. The proximity to the Naval Air Station at Lexington Park has provided much needed employment opportunities.
The city sponsors a number of community events including a monthly nightly shopping spree, summer concerts, parades, a beach party, complete with trucks full of sand, Christmas tree lighting celebration, and the annual Italian dinner.
Real estate in Leonardtown consists of scattered developments with single-family homes, townhomes, and a few apartments. Architectural styles include a mix of small bungalows, large wood-frame houses, and modern multi-level houses. Planned developments such as Singletree, Avenmar in Breton Bay, Villages of Leonardtown and Chestnut Hills have sprung up in recent years.
The $5.5 million Leonardtown Wharf project involved the repurposing of a former industrial/commercial site to develop a waterfront park with a public walkway, port facilities, a protected wetlands area with an observation boardwalk, plus commercial development and adjacent residential.
In addition, the town has an aggressive development plan for an additional 1,000 homes that includes:
– A 593 beachfront residential development in Breton Bay with a hotel/conference center, restaurant, marina, office park and golf course.
– Quality Built Homes development off Route 245 in Lindsey Farm.
– A Marrick Homes development on the Clark Farm property.
– Leonardtown Landing, at Leonardtown Wharf will develop 26 luxury townhomes.
Growth in Leonardtown seems inevitable and the housing market remains strong. Twelve properties for sale during the month of February ranged in price from $199,900 to $550,000. Home prices in the new Leonard’s Grant subdivision will range from $329,900 to $449,900.
Many of the longtime residents have expressed concern about the amount of growth and how it will affect the small-town atmosphere they have come to appreciate. The mayor and city developers maintain that with responsible planning, Leonardtown can give residents the best of both worlds with new and improved facilities and other benefits that come from living in a prosperous city.