The Rotunda these days is but a shell of its former self.

The North Baltimore retail and office complex was hit hard when the Giant Food store closed its doors to move about a mile away to the Green Spring Tower Shopping Center in a former Super Fresh site.

Mid-morning one day this week, there were fewer than a dozen shoppers at the Rotunda. The hallways, once bustling with retail, were empty.

“It’s not much traffic,” lamented Fariba Sadgdi, manager at the Hair Cuttery. “To me, there is no reason for people to come here except for the movie theater.”

Sadgdi said there is a “98 percent chance” that her shop will be the next defection from the Rotunda, moving to the Green Spring Tower Shopping Center just like Giant in the near future.

She said the shop’s management has had little to no contact from the mall’s owners, Hekemian & Co., saying, “We’re dangling. We don’t know what’s going on. Business is down 25 percent.”

Chris Bell, vice president for development at Hekemian was unavailable for comment.

Nearby, Sheldon Pearlman, owner of Amazing Spiral, a novelty book and toy store, said the loss of Giant at the Rotunda had slowed traffic.

Striving to remain optimistic, Pearlman said the Rotunda Cinema would soon add a fourth screen that would bring in more patrons over the summer with some popular films getting ready to premier. In response, he said his store has extended its hours to 9:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

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One Baltimore retailer is garnering national attention for powering America’s economy.

Jim Adams, founder of Falls Road Running Store, is the Judge’s Choice Award winner for the National Retail Federation’s “This is Retail” video contest. This is the first year of the NRF’s video contest, which asked retailers to create short videos about the role their businesses play in the economy.

Adams’ son, Andrew Adams, 25, is a filmmaker in Los Angeles. When the younger Adams found out about the contest, he called his dad to encourage him to enter, offering to put together the video.

He called and asked “Would you invest in a round trip ticket to see you and mom for the weekend?” Jim Adams said.

The two worked together on the video concept and the entire process of filming and editing took four days, Jim Adams said.

But working with a professional had its unique challenges.

“It was a lot more complicated than I thought it was going to be. He made me do it over and over again,” Jim Adams said, noting the various humors and more serious takes they filmed.

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You know how sometimes you know something, intellectually, but then you experience it — and you REALLY know it?

That happened to me this past weekend when I flew Southwest from BWI to Dallas.

I’ve flown Southwest before many times, but always on non-stops. These two flights had stops in Birmingham, Ala. We didn’t have to change planes, but we dropped off and picked up.

I know (and Lord knows have edited thousands of stories that say) how quick Southwest’s turnaround time is; that it’s one of the biggest ingredients to its success. But watching it in action is pretty impressive.

We weren’t on the ground in Birmingham for more than 30 minutes. Passengers get off; the flight attendants count the remaining folks and clean up; passengers get on; plane pushes back.

Striking to experience, even though it was something I already knew.

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When Orioles starting pitcher Tommy Hunter got shelled for five runs in four and one-third innings Sunday versus the Red Sox in a 17-inning marathon, manager Buck Showalter had little choice but to send the struggling righty to the minor leagues.

Cutting or demoting players isn’t something Showalter, a major league manager for 14 seasons, enjoys. But he goes in with a plan that could be helpful to all supervisors and human resources professionals, according to Bloomberg Businessweek.

The key is to appear confident and comfortable — even if you’re not.

“I make sure I get a good night’s sleep. I make sure I’m clean-shaven,” Showalter told Businessweek. “When they’re sitting across from me, I want them to know that I’ve got a clear head and that it was important to me to give them the time to explain what’s going on.”

The O’s skipper said he asks questions and gives players the opportunity to tell him what they think they did well and in what areas they need improvement.

He also said there’s always someone else in the room with him — a third party that can vouch for what was said in the meeting.

And If things turn ugly, Showalter is ready, too.

“I’ve had a bat within short reach,” he said.

The main takeaways: don’t waffle, encourage engagement and be honest. This is someone’s livelihood you’re talking about, after all.

Hunter, the pitcher who was sent to Triple A Monday, was back in Baltimore by Thursday after starting pitcher Jason Hammel couldn’t make his scheduled start against the Texas Rangers. But he won’t be the last player to be demoted or cut by Showalter, who is managing his second full year in Baltimore.

“I don’t ever want to be good at it,” Showalter said.

What he does want to be good at is managing the Birds to their first winning record since 1997.

With the Orioles sitting at 20-12 and tied for first place in the American League East, it’s so far, so good for the O’s de facto HR expert.

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The historic Mercantile Trust and Deposit Co. building downtown will soon be converted to hold a 250-seat theater for the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company in a deal worth $6 million, including renovation costs.

The Helm Foundation this week purchased the former bank that was built in 1855 and is located at 200 E. Redwood St. When completed, the space will be ready for performances of the Bard’s classics, educational programs and community events. Scott Helm, a trustee of the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, directs the foundation.

“Chesapeake Shakespeare Company is in its 10th season serving almost 12,000 people every year,” said Ian Gallanar, the company’s founding artistic director. “We are thrilled about our expansion into the thriving Baltimore theater scene. While we will continue to serve our current patrons with outdoor performances at our home stage in Howard County, this second location will broaden our reach and help foster a new community of classical theater enthusiasts.”

Local architectural firm Cho Benn Holback + Associates Inc. is designing the plans using a model of Shakespeare’s famous Globe Theatre in London.

“The design combines the intimacy of a traditional Elizabethan playhouse with a contemporary sense of design and convenience,” a press release said.

Cho Benn Holback + Associates also designed the performance spaces at the new Everyman Theatre, the James Rouse Center in the American Visionary Art Museum and the Creative Alliance at The Patterson Theater.

Renovations at the Mercantile Trust and Deposit Co. Building will begin in early 2013. The new theater is expected to open in 2014.

“The building’s substantial mezzanine, elaborate and colorful carved ceiling, and Corinthian columns all echo elements of Elizabethan theaters,” says Lesley Malin, managing director of the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company. “We are enthusiastic about working with Cho Benn Holback to incorporate these beautiful architectural features into a modern-day Globe in downtown Baltimore.”

The recent real estate purchase creates a “theater triangle” in downtown Baltimore between the nearby Hippodrome Theatre and the new Everyman Theatre.

Chesapeake Shakespeare Company will stage an eight-month season downtown and provide after-school and weekend programs for the city drama students. The company has also announced plans to hold an international theater festival at the site, which will attract classical theater companies to Baltimore.

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Baltimore’s entrepreneurs want a helping hub, according to a study released earlier this month by the Innovation Allian ce of Baltimore.

More than 85 percent of the 170-plus people surveyed said they would use a “hub,” a communal space for meetings, mentoring and educational programs to connect the area’s entrepreneurs.

The hub would removes barriers “to community and connectivity” and “could not only fill the gaps identified in the survey, but emerge as a new model that measures itself by job generation and wealth creation that is replicable and sustainable,” the report said.

The Alliance also held a town hall meeting with entrepreneurs, investors, attorneys and other community members and professionals.

The $75,000 study was paid for by Baltimore’s Abell Foundation. Burtonsville-based Facility Logix conducted the study and provided recommendations, including how the proposed hub should operate.

You can see the full report here.

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The 14-acre strip of land that some regard as the entry to Towson is under the microscope for possible redevelopment these days.

Called the “golden triangle,” this small collection of food spots, small businesses and the Towson American Legion Post No. 22 hall is located on the west side of York Road, just north of Burke Avenue. It is prime real estate in the county seat because of the central location.

And that’s where the scrutiny comes in.

DMS Development is pondering a gateway project there, which could include an open-air, California-style mixed-use development of residences, restaurants and retail mainly to attract Towson University students. The firm is seeking a new zoning classification at the site through the county’s comprehensive rezoning process, now underway and slated to wrap up in the early fall.

A few months ago, county’s planners recommended against the rezoning request, which was upheld by the Planning Board. Towson’s representative on the County Council, David Marks, said he will make his decision in June. But he said this week that fears the existing businesses there are endangered are unfounded.

“That’s not going to happen,” he said of the possibility of a total conversion of the site.

While some of the businesses have either sold or discussed selling with DMS, Marks said any further plans do not exist. He said the university once had a vision to build a ballroom at the site, connected to the Marriott next door, “but they have walked” away from that.

“Whatever happens there has to be special,” Marks said. “It’s in the heart of Towson and is a bridge in the university and the retail corridor. Right now, it’s underutilized, it is really key to revitalization.”

Marks said that within three years, the golden triangle site will undergo some change, at very least a gussy up of some of the vacant sites where an eyesore of a flat surface parking lot now sits.

In general, Towson’s development picture these days is a mixed bag.

Just north of the triangle sits a real estate version tale of two cities: The disastrous commercial portion of the Towson Commons still remains vacant while behind the old Hutzler’s building, The Cordish Cos. and Heritage Properties are finalizing plans for the 4.2-acre Towson Circle III project, expected to break ground this summer for a 16-screen Cinemark theater and new retail and restaurants.

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Chase Brexton Health Services will soon expand to a total of 13,394 square feet suburban of office space at the Columbia Medical Campus at 5500 Knoll North Dr. at the intersection of Routes 175 and 29.

The nonprofit now offers health services in an 8,121-square foot building, and the new lease signed will add 5,273 square feet to the Howard County facility.

“The Landlord’s ability to accommodate an expansion allows Chase Brexton to service more people in the Columbia area, many of whom do not have access to health care from other sources. With this expansion, Chase Brexton will now have the opportunity to provide additional services to include a pharmacy,” Dan Neumeister, Chase Brexton CEO, said in a statement.

CBRE’s Kim Penny and Laura Westervelt represented building owner, ACC Columbia Medical Campus L.P., and Terri Harrington, of Mackenzie Commercial Real Estate Services, represented Chase Brexton.

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The Baltimore Design School, currently a new city middle school with a focus on creative arts and fashion, will break ground Monday at 11 a.m. at 1500 Barclay St. in the city’s Station North Arts and Entertainment District.

The school will be located in the former Lebow Clothing Factory, which is about to undergo a $25 million renovation to convert it into a four-story, 120,000-square-foot space for classrooms, a gallery, computer labs, studios and fabrication suites. The building’s former loading dock will be converted into an outdoor fashion show space, and antique sewing machines found in the building will be part of a permanent display.

State Sen. Catherine Pugh, a local style icon, is the school’s founder and chair of the BDS Board of Directors. Fred Lazarus IV, president of the Maryland Institute College of Art, is the board’s vice chair.

The school, located in temporary quarters in the former Winston Middle School at The Alameda and Beaumont Avenue, is set to open in the new space in the fall of 2013.

Renovations are being funded and overseen by the BDS board, Baltimore City Public Schools and Seawall Development. Ziger/Snead Architects has designed the new space and Southway Builders Inc. is the general contractor.

BDS will add an eighth grade class this August and in the fall 2013, a ninth grade class.

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Craftsmen Developers will soon begin a new 108-unit townhouse community in Dundalk called the Townes at North Point.

The 10-acre project will be built at the site of the old North Point Boulevard Drive-in Theater on North Point Blvd. at the corner of Old Battle Grove Road. It is expected to open in late 2013.

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This week, Baltimore County welcomed a new nonprofit career development center in Woodlawn.

Herbert J. Hoelter, co-founder and CEO of the National Center on Institutions and Alternatives, officially opened the $3 million Career Development Center at 2621 Lord Baltimore Dr. in Woodlawn.

The 19,000-square-foot center will house a career development program including computer-assisted training, for approximately 250 intellectually disabled adults. The facility will employ case managers, employment specialists, psychological associates, job coaches, quality control and compliance officers and vocational instructors.

“Baltimore County is proud to be home to a program dedicated to providing life-changing career training to intellectually disabled individuals,” said Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz.

The county helped fund construction with a $2.7 million revenue bond. The National Center on Institutions and Alternatives is eligible for tax exempt federal bonds, and after the county authorizes the bond, it does not incur financial liability, officials said.

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This week, the state’s Department of Business and Economic Development launched an online database of available properties in the state.

Called Maryland Business Properties, the listing has more than 400 available commercial, retail or industrial properties and 1,400 buildings available for lease or purchase. It is updated weekly and allows searches by property type, site size, location and zoning and even transit rail options.

“Maryland Business Properties is the latest in a suite of free interactive tools that DBED introduced this year to give our citizens, businesses and economic development partners improved access to information and research, which helps to spur economic activity and create jobs,” DBED Secretary Christian S. Johansson said in a statement. “With this new system, businesses looking to locate to the State or expand to a new site have a simple one-stop search to find their ideal home in Maryland.”

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This week, a $5.9 million plan to replace the aging clubhouse at Hobbit’s Glen Golf Club in Columbia was approved by the board of the Columbia Association.

Local architecture and interior design firm Chambers developed the plan. Chambers specializes in private country, golf and city clubs designs.

Construction is expected to begin in 2013 and will take up to 11 months to complete. The project will also include construction of a “turn house” between the ninth and 10th holes complete with restrooms and a snack bar for golfers.

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TIDBITS: Shula’s Steak House has closed up grill at the Sheraton Baltimore City Center Hotel on Baltimore Street. As first reported this week in The Sun, the south Florida-based restaurant, owned by former Baltimore Colts coach Don Shula, has been replaced with a new venture called “The Restaurant” … On May 19, put on your dancing shoes and head to Towson Town Center where the mall and retailer H&M will sponsor Baby Loves Disco, a “family dance party phenomenon” for kids, parents and even grandparents. The free event begins with DJs spinning “G-rated dance tunes” at 1 p.m. in the Grand Court on level one… Transwestern has recently negotiated a 25,576-square-foot lease between Atapco Properties Inc. and GRAMACO Granite & Marble LLC at 8730 Greenwood Place in Savage. Transwestern’s Tom Gentner, Brian Watts and Mark Glagola represented the landlord, while Brian Siegel, also of Transwestern, represented the tenant … In last week’s blog, it was erroneously reported that Broad Street purchased two Fitness First health clubs in Gaithersburg and Frederick. It was Fitness First that purchased the properties and Broad Street was the broker.

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The historic art deco palace in north Baltimore known as the Senator Theatre has closed — for at least six months.

When it reopens around Christmas time, it will have three new theaters, a restored main auditorium complete with comfy chairs, and a tapas café with outdoor seating, all part of a $3 million facelift that is now underway.

The theater closed this week, showing its last film for the spring, “The Hunger Games,” on Thursday, said Kathleen Cusack Lyon, who co-owns the theater with her father, Buzz Cusack.

Lyon said the movie palace, built in the 1939 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, will be receiving long-awaited restorations and renovations as created by local design architect Alex Castro. When it reopens, after an expected six to nine-months of construction, it will have smaller theaters for classic films, one of which will seat 120 and two others seating 75 and 70 patrons each.

A new café, to be operated by the owners of Tapas Teatro next to The Charles Theatre in the Station North Arts District, also owned by Lyon and her father, will serve small plate foods and beer and wine in a space formerly used as “the popcorn room” and a now-closed dry cleaners, a Senator employee said. Outdoor seating will be available as the weather permits, Lyon said.

“As far as we’re concerned, it will be a one-of-a-kind theater, a deco theater built in the 1930s and still operating as a movie theater,” Lyon said. “What will make this truly original and a huge asset to the city is that it will be an art deco movie palace that is still playing movies, one of the only ones left in the country.”

Ticket prices will rise a dollar to $10, she added.

Lyon and Cusack received a $300,000 state sustainable communities tax credit from the Maryland Historical Trust this year for the renovations.

The Senator was sold to the city at auction in July 2009 for $810,000 after financial straits by its former owner.

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City officials and mid-town community activists are preparing to open a new dog park at Centre and Howard Streets.

Howard’s Park, a tiny sliver of green near the light rail station on Centre Street, will soon open as an off-leash island for four-footed friends of all sizes. The park will be fenced off this spring and separated into three sections, one for large dogs, one for smaller dogs and a place in between for dog owners to “gather and socialize,” according to a community newsletter from the Mt. Vernon-Belvedere Association.

Planners for the park are hoping to raise an additional $5,000 for the effort to complete construction, the newsletter said. Already, the city, the MVBA and the Mount Vernon Place Conservancy have contributed to the new park.

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The Queen was back, even if it was for a less than regal event.

Sitting on a comfy throne, in this case a swiveling black leather office chair, former Mayor Sheila Dixon was roasted Thursday night at the Comedy Factory at Power Plant Live! in a charity event.

It’s been nearly four years since Maryland state prosecutors raided her Westside house while she was out for her morning workout, the beginning of a raft of legal woes for the city’s first elected African American woman mayor.

She ultimately resigned office in February 2010 as part of a plea deal following her conviction in Baltimore City Circuit Court in December 2009 for stealing gift cards that totaled about $500 donated to the city to distribute to the poor.

Since then, she has served some of her 500 hours of court-mandated community service and worked as a consultant for the Maryland Minority Contractors Association.

Dressed in a saucy orange blouse, black jeans and fancy heels for the roast, Dixon looked rested and ready as she took the stage and boldly signaled for the evening to start.

“The media is here, so what?” Dixon said as the night ramped up, addressing a gaggle of the Fourth Estate, most of whom covered her corruption trial. “Talk to the hand.”

Peter Schmuck, a sportswriter for The Baltimore Sun and master of ceremonies for the event, told Dixon she was about to face the “worst 90 minutes of community service of your life.”

First up was former 12th District City Council candidate Devon Brown, who at 21 and a month away from graduating with a film degree from the Maryland Institute College of Art prides himself as an upstart on the city’s political landscape.

“I know you are a spiritual person,” Brown told Dixon. “And I want to quote scripture. ‘God blesses those who help themselves,’ and you helped yourself.”

The crowd of 100 whooped and hollered. Dixon herself threw her head back and laughed, then shook her finger at the neophyte.

As more slings, arrows and praise flew her way through the night by local comedians, radio personalities and comedic impersonators, Dixon continued to show grace under pressure, laughing and taking notes on a legal pad.

“You are the only woman in America with a court-ordered e-Bay site,” said Kirk McEwan, a local radio personality. “Six hundred dollars in gift cards? Is that what you took?  If you were a white man, you would still be the mayor.”

The crowd went wild.

Dixon would get the last word of the night in what turned out to be a stinging rebuttal as she said of the night’s critical comedians, “I hope they have other jobs.”

“After it was announced that I was going to do this,” Dixon said, “I had 100 people call me up and say ‘Are you crazy?’ What the hell? Who cares?”

She also had an offer for local comedian Maria Sanchez, who came on stage with a rugged look, wearing a white t-shirt and baggy sweatpants with “CCBC” on the left leg. Sanchez told Dixon, “You are a good lady — with bad habits.”

Dixon blasted back in her rebuttal: “Maria, I am a gift from God. And, honey, I’m going to take you to my hairdresser — with a gift card!”

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