Live work and play developments are popping up in suburbs throughout Maryland.

These projects, such as such as the Merriweather District in Columbia, Towson Row, Greenleigh at Crossroads in eastern Baltimore County, and Metro Center at Owings Mills, aim to compete with the amenity rich environments found in city centers.

Marc A. Menick, president of KLNB, discussed how retailers perform in these settings, what’s needed to make these projects a success, and potential problems these developments face. Menick, based in Washington, spoke on the phone with The Daily Record.