On Monday, February 4, 2008, a room full of people gathered for the Fort Ritchie community update at Fort Ritchie’s Lake Side Hall in Cascade. Representatives from the Pen Mar Board of Directors, Corporate Office Properties Trust (COPT), and One Mountain Foundation presented various updates and projections. The Pen Mar Board of Directors represents the surrounding community in dealings with Fort Ritchie. COPT manages the development of Fort Ritchie. The One Mountain Foundation plans events and fund-raising activities to benefit the communities in and around Fort Ritchie.

Goals and objectives including economic development, job creation and community enhancement were discussed during this briefing. Ground-breaking was held in September for a newly renovated 21,000 square foot community center. Along with other community enhancements like daycare, nature trails, ball fields, specialty shops, restaurants and a small hotel/conference center, plans are underway to attract 1,400 jobs to Fort Ritchie over the next nine years.

Over the next seven years, COPT will be spending money with limits of what can be purchased and for what purposes. COPT will manage funds for the re-building of Fort Ritchie including enhancement of the local Cascade Elementary School.

Environmentally-friendly demolition and preservation is well underway. Every part of a building in demolition that can be reused will be reused. Representatives are working with the Maryland Historic Trust to preserve and re-utilize historic buildings. Additionally, as new buildings are constructed, materials selection, indoor air quality, water quality, water management, sanitation, and recycling will all be re-engineered in the most environmentally healthy way possible.

The center of the Fort Ritchie complex will be "strictly business". Attracting retail businesses is important now and over the next several years. The complex will be wrapped by residential areas with various types of housing from condos and townhouses to executive homes.

Jack Simpson, a life-long resident of Cascade and Chairman of the Museum Committee said the Barracks House on the right as you enter Fort Ritchie will be the location of the Fort Ritchie Museum intended to preserve the heritage of Fort Ritchie. COPT will donate this building for the museum and the Pen Mar Board of Directors have set aside $450,000 to develop it. Architects are drawing up the plans now.

Fort Ritchie is already springing back to life as Hagerstown Community College opens classes there in March. The One Mountain Foundation will hold the revived Fort Ritchie Fireworks for their second year on June 28, 2008. Mountaintop Heritage Days will be a two weekend event this year. Fort Ritchie already has three business tenants and COPT representatives are enticing multiple agencies to set up business.