Urbana, Maryland

Urbana, Maryland
Census-designated place

Rowhouses along Worthington Boulevard
Urbana
Urbana

Location in Maryland

Coordinates: 39°19′33″N 77°21′05″W / 39.32583°N 77.35139°W / 39.32583; -77.35139Coordinates: 39°19′33″N 77°21′05″W / 39.32583°N 77.35139°W / 39.32583; -77.35139
Country  United States of America
State  Maryland
County Frederick
Area
 • Total 6.62 sq mi (17.15 km2)
 • Land 6.56 sq mi (16.99 km2)
 • Water 0.06 sq mi (0.16 km2)
Elevation 468 ft (143 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 9,175
 • Density 1,399/sq mi (540.1/km2)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 21704
Area code(s)

301

240
FIPS code 24-79900
GNIS feature ID 0583799

Urbana (pronounced ur-BAN-uh) is a suburban census-designated place located in Frederick County, Maryland, United States. It lies at the I-270/MD 80 interchange, about 7.5 miles (12.1 km) southeast of Frederick and about 37 miles (60 km) northwest of Washington, D.C. Urbana started to develop around 1999 and as of the 2010 census had a population of 9,175.[1] It is part of the Washington metropolitan area.

In August 2015, Urbana was ranked #35 in the country for Time magazine's "Best Places to Live 2015".[2]

History

The Urbana area was first settled in 1730.[3] It is home to the historic Landon House, which was built in 1754 in Virginia along the Rappahannock River and relocated to Urbana in 1840. The house served as a military academy and a hospital during the Civil War.[4]

Zion Episcopal Church was built in 1802 and served as a house of worship until badly damaged by fire in 1961. Since 2005, it is being restored to its original condition for use as a museum.[5] Amelung House and Glassworks was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.[6] Stancioff House was listed in 1975 and Fat Oxen in 1979.[6]

2000-2010

The original Urbana community has been somewhat overshadowed by more recent developments, such as the Villages of Urbana and the Urbana Highlands. These developments (begun in 1999) have swelled Urbana's population and put strain on the community's school system, police force, and utilities.

In 2006, the Urbana Regional Library and Senior Center opened on Amelung Street. The facility includes three floors and over 25,000 square feet (2,300 m2).[7]

Urbana has some of the highest quality ratings for elementary, middle, and high schools in Maryland. The population is very diverse and was named "The 2009 Best Selling Community in Maryland".[8] The community has three swimming pools, a new district park, plenty of tennis and basketball courts and is close to the I-270 technology corridor.

2010-present

As of the 2010 census, Urbana had a population of a 9,175 people. Urbana had experienced a swelling 1,375% increase from the 622 people in 2000.

Fannie Mae data center and Legal & General America are headquartered in Urbana. The US Social Security Administration data center is being relocated to Urbana and is expected to bring around 400 high paying IT jobs.

In early 2014, Frederick County announced they would start construction on a new, 96,000-square-foot (8,900 m2) elementary school in Urbana, named Sugarloaf Elementary. The target date for completion of the new school is August 2017, and it will be part of a mixed-use development. The whole project will cost $32 million.

In 2015, construction was started on Urbana's first Multi-family housing units. Matan Inc. announced that the new luxury apartments would be mixed use, with retail stores in the bottom floors. This new development is planned to bring more luxury housing to Urbana, as well as a new recreational area.

Geography

Sugarloaf Mountain is 9 miles (14 km) south of Urbana by road.[9]

Urbana is located in southeastern Frederick County, centered at the intersection of Maryland Routes 80 and 355. Interstate 270 forms the southwestern edge of the community, with access from Exit 26 (MD 80).

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Urbana CDP has a total area of 6.6 square miles (17.2 km2), of which 6.6 square miles (17.0 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km2), or 0.95%, is water.[1]

Climate

Urbana is part of the Humid subtropical climate zone, with hot, humid summers, cool winters, and generous precipitation year-round. It is above the Fall Line,which in turn, gives it slightly lower year-round temperatures than cities to the south, such as Washington, D.C.

On average, Urbana gets about 40 inches (1,000 mm) of rain and 25 inches (640 mm) of snow per year. July is the warmest month, with an average high of around 87 °F (31 °C).

The coldest month is January, with an average low of around 23 °F (−5 °C). Urbana experienced rain 108 days of the year.[10]

Recreation

Urbana offers many walking trails and small parks throughout the villages, making it possible to go almost anywhere in the town completely by foot. Also, Urbana offers basketball courts, tennis courts, and dozens of smaller parks and small bench areas in almost every neighborhood. The primary recreational facilities in Urbana are:

Urbana District Park

Urbana District Park in 2013[11]

Finished in 2012, the Urbana District Park is a new, 95-acre (38 ha) park. The park is located near the intersection of Md. Route 355 and Lew Wallace Street. This fulfills an early promise by Villages of Urbana developer Tom Natelli, who dedicated the land for the park in 2004.[12] The goal of the first phase of new development of Urbana District Park was to provide athletic facilities, as well as several passive recreational amenities for the southern region of Frederick County, which was lacking in open sports fields. The $5.9 million Phase I construction included two multipurpose fields, one football/lacrosse field, one baseball field, one softball field, one little league field, a new entrance drive, parking, walking/ biking trails, water and electric utilities, restrooms, picnic pavilions, playground, park maintenance facility, landscaping/reforestation and various site amenities. Three parking lots create a total of 466 spaces. One of the most convenient features of the park is that its walking trails connect to the main Villages of Urbana walking trails, meaning you could travel along the walking trails from within Urbana and go straight to the park without having to leave the trail.

Shafer's Mill Recreation Center

Shafer's Mill is home one of two limited-access pools and fitness centers within the Villages of Urbana. This is the second pool, located at 9228 Shafers Mill Dr, in the new Urbana district. The Shafer's Mill Recreation Center includes a fitness center for Association members, as well as a community room that is available for community groups, events and classes.

Anthony Natelli Community Center

Anthony Natelli Community Center[11]

The Anthony Natelli Community Center is located at Royal Crest Dr, inside of the Urbana Highlands. It has limited access to highlands residents only is the only pool that services the highlands, thus giving it the nickname "The Highlands Pool". In addition, the center has two tennis courts and a bask etball court. The Anthony Natelli Community Center hosts numerous recreation and fitness programs, board and committee meetings, and is available for rent.

Urbana Community Park

The oldest park of the original Urbana community, much of its use has been overshadowed by the new Urbana District Park and the recent Sugarloaf Elementary School construction. The park features two playgrounds, tennis courts, and a baseball field.

Economy

The entrance to the Fannie Mae Data Center

As of 2016, Urbana is home to the Fannie Mae Data Center and is the current headquarters for Legal & General America.

Fannie Mae regional data center was the first building constructed in the Urbana Corporate Center. Built in 2004, the facility is a 220,000 sq. ft. state of the art office and data center facility with 90,000 sq. ft. of office space, a 60,000 sq. ft. data center, and a 70,000 sq. ft. MEP facility. The Fannie Mae Data center was one of the first data centers in the country to receive LEED certification which included sediment control and stormwater management credits.[13]

Demographics

As of the 2010 U.S. Census,[14] there were 9,175 people and 2,804 households residing in the Urbana census-designated place. The population density was 1,411.5 people per square mile (545.2/km²). Ethnically, the population is made up of 66.7% White, 9.0% African-American,.3% American Indian or Alaska Native, 17.5% Asian, .0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 4.1% of two or more races, and 10.1% Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Government

Despite all the rapid development, Urbana has not been incorporated as a town or a city. It has no official mayor or city council and is governed by Frederick County. It is represented by Republican Tony Chmelik in the Frederick County regional council.

Schools

Public schools in Urbana are part of the Frederick County Public Schools (Maryland) system.

Major roads

Culture

Events

References

  1. 1 2 "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001), Urbana CDP, Maryland". American FactFinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved June 2, 2016.
  2. ↑ "Best Places to Live 2015: Urbana, Maryland". MONEY.com. Retrieved 2016-04-02.
  3. ↑ culture/timeline.htm Timeline of the Monocacy River area
  4. ↑ http://www.landonhouse.com/about.htm
  5. ↑ frederickcountylandmarksfoundation.org
  6. 1 2 National Park Service (2008-04-15). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  7. ↑ fcpl.org
  8. ↑ http://www.villagesofurbana.com/
  9. ↑ "Maps". www.bing.com. Retrieved 2016-04-13.
  10. ↑ "Urbana, Maryland Climate". www.bestplaces.net. Retrieved 2016-04-02.
  11. 1 2 "Urbana, MD - An Eclectic Town". Housewives. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  12. ↑ "District Park Construction Underway | Town Courier Urbana". towncourier.com. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  13. ↑ "Fannie Mae Data Center | Rodgers Consulting". www.rodgers.com. Retrieved 2016-04-05.
  14. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
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