Broad Street Realty Welcomes 1-MW Rooftop Solar at Baltimore Shopping Mall

    May 7, 2025
    The project atop Hollinswood Shopping Center followed an earlier project installing 2.4 MW of direct-current solar at the 233,000-square-foot Cromwell Shopping Center also in the Baltimore city area.
    The new solar project at Hollinswood Shopping Center in Baltimore County, Maryland. Image credit Centennial/Broad Street Realty/PR Newswire
    The new solar project at Hollinswood Shopping Center in Baltimore County, Maryland. Image credit Centennial/Broad Street Realty/PR Newswire

    The Hollinswood Shopping Center in Baltimore County, Maryland, is the latest commercial solar installation at a retail property owned by Broad Street Realty.

    Partnering with Centennial and Madison Energy Infrastructure, the shopping center owner announced completion of the 1-MW rooftop solar array at Hollinswood. This followed an earlier project involving all three companies installing 2.4 MW of direct-current solar at the 233,000-square-foot Cromwell Shopping Center also in the Baltimore city area.

    The recently completed project atop Hollinswood Shopping Center will help reduce the cost of electricity for approximately 1,000 homes in the area, while increasing power production in Maryland, the developers say. It utilizes over 1,500 solar panels with a ballasted racking system across Hollinswood Shopping Center's 100,000 square foot roof.

    While Centennial developed the project, Halo, a solar engineering contractor, performed construction activities. The project received financing from AccelDev and will be owned and operated by Madison Energy Infrastructure. Venable was the transactional counsel to Centennial.

    "These recent solar projects align with our company's commitment to reducing our carbon footprint and implementing ESG-focused initiatives across our properties,” said Michael Jacoby, Chairman and CEO of Broad Street Realty, in a statement. “Together, we're contributing to Maryland's goals of supporting our local communities with reduced electricity costs for families, while increasing power generation in the state through clean energy."

    Broad Street Realty acquired the Hollinswood Shopping Center in 2013. The strip mall includes an LA Mart, Dollar General, Dunkin Donuts, Advanced Auto and Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen fast-food restaurant, among other stores.

    The commercial real estate owner also owns properties in Virginia and Colorado.

    Distributed energy and microgrid developers increasingly see expansive retail footprints as ideal for new projects. SolMicroGrid has developed new solar microgrids at Chick Fil A and Wendy’s restaurants in California, while Enchanted Rock has installed gen-set power at Buc-ee’s travel centers and H-E-B grocery stores in Texas.

    "The rooftop solar project at Hollinswood Shopping Center is the most recent example of how owners of commercial real estate can grow their net operating income while contributing to efforts to lower electricity costs for households and businesses, while increasing energy generation in Maryland – a state that currently imports nearly 40% of the electricity that it consumes,” said David John Frenkil, Founder and Managing Principal of Centennial.