Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Kaiyi Xie says University of Maryland Student Government Association supports the planned retail and student housing at the Maryland Book Exchange spot.
The Prince George’s County Planning Board has approved redevelopment plans for the Maryland Book Exchange, which would turn the store into one floor of retail under three to five stories of student housing, much like the nearby Varsity, University View and Enclave buildings, but smaller. After construction, the Maryland Book Exchange would fill part of the retail space. The College Park City Council does not approve of the proposal and plans to appeal the planning board’s decision. Patch talked with students last week about their opinions on the project; some were for it, some didn’t see the need for more high-density student housing. Patch also checked in with Student Government Association (SGA) President Kaiyi Xie to hear his views on …
Friday, March 2, 2012
Owner says it'll be a place for students and residents to both enjoy.
Big Play Sports Grill is set to open before the end of March, following disagreements between the bar's owner and the city, The Diamondback reported this week. Owner Andre Hopson promises an intimate, upscale atmosphere, appropriate for students, families, residents and young professionals alike; it'll be "a step up from what you may normally see in College Park," he told The Diamondback. The menu consultant for the venue plans to bring in an eclectic selection of food made from scratch, The Sentinel reported in November, after the College Park City Council voted to approve the restaurant's property use agreement, stipulating that the grill hold off on the sale of liquor for its first six months of operation. Hopson told The …
Thursday, March 1, 2012
University of Maryland students share why they are for or against a proposed apartment building in downtown College Park.
The Prince George’s Planning Board approved a measure last week that would allow developers to build an apartment building where the Maryland Book Exchange now stands. Developers plan for 14,366 square feet of retail space on the first floor, and about 950 beds in 313 apartments. The complex will be six floors, tapering off to four floors facing Yale Avenue. The College Park City Council strongly disapproves of the redevelopment and plans to appeal the planning board's decision, which would send the issue to the Prince George's County District Council. Patch talked to University of Maryland students to see how the campus community feels about the additional housing on U.S. Route 1 across from campus, and adjacent to the College Park Old …
Thursday, February 23, 2012
By putting forth an application for its own charter school, College Park could become a part of the growing trend.
If the Prince George's County School Board approves an application from the College Park City-University Partnership to establish a charter school in the city, College Park will become a step closer to joining a growing trend in the county. The Washington Post reported this week that Prince George's County encompasses the largest concentration of charter schools among Washington suburbs. About 2,500, or 2 percent, of county public school students attend seven charter schools in Prince George's County. Why the surge of independently run, publicly funded schools? The Post wrote that it's a sign of Superintendent William Hite Jr.’s efforts to expand education options. Charter schools are also in demand from parents, The Post wrote. The …
Sunday, February 19, 2012
A quick rundown of this week's news.
College Park residents could have a new place to wine and dine as early as the end of the semester if all goes according to plan with the Terripin Turf licensing and renovations. The College Park City council voted Tuesday to support the Class B liquor license application of Mohammad Afshar Khalaji, who has plans to add a new fire suppression sprinkler system in what was once known as Sante Fe Cafe on Knox Rd. They also plan to apply for an entertainment license so they can feature live music. The Civil Marriage Protection Act narrowly passed the Maryland House of Delegates Friday evening. All three District 21 delegates, Benjamin Barns, Barbara Frush and Joseline Pena-Melnyk, all voted in support of the bill. Meanwhile, local residents …
Friday, February 17, 2012
The city becomes one of the few in the state with access to AT&T's 4G LTE mobile network.
The Internet just got 10 times faster for AT&T mobile device users in College Park. Last week, the University of Maryland, and the surrounding city of College Park, became the first college campus in the nation to get its very own AT&T 4G LTE network, making it the second community in Maryland to experience faster Internet on 4G-enabled AT&T devices, said Margarita Noriega on behalf of AT&T. “It’s extremely hyper-local in relation to the college campus,” Noriega said. A faster connection means more efficient online classes, Internet research and video conferencing. AT&T and Verizon are currently the only providers offering any kind of 4G LTE service in the city of College Park, though Sprint and T-Mobile do have 4G coverage in Baltimore …
Thursday, February 16, 2012
The proposed opening date of the school would be fall 2013.
The College Park city council voted unanimously this week to support the application of the College Park City-University Partnership to establish the College Park Academy Charter School, which would serve as many as 600 students in seventh through twelfth grades. This college preparatory charter school would offer students the opportunity to earn up to 60 college credits and must be approved by the Prince George's County Board of Education before plans can be finalized, reported the Diamondback. "The vision has grown out of years of discussion in the College Park community about the need for high rigor middle school and high school options," said Councilmemeber Denise Mitchell (Dist. 4.) "We applaud this city-university partnership," she …
The building will undergo extensive renovations to ready it for a spring or early summer debut.
After sitting vacant for nearly two years, 4408 Knox Road, the former home of Santa Fe Cafe, could be getting a new tenant as early as the end of the semester. The College Park city council approved the business plan for the new establishment, Terripin Turf, last week, including a 50/50 alcohol-to-food ratio and a wristband and identification scanning system to keep out underage drinkers. A motion was brought in front of the mayor and council at Tuesday’s meeting to support their application for a Class B liquor license. The bar owners, Mohammad Afshar Khalaji and his daughters, Salomeh and Yasmine, have also agreed to update the building’s sprinkler system and plan on doing extensive renovations on the property. “There was a controversy …
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Notes from the Feb. 15 College Park mayor and city council meeting.
Couldn't make last night's mayor and city council meeting? Well here are some notes in bulleted format to help you catch up. Meeting Minutes The council voted unanimously to approve the meeting minutes from the Jan. 24, 2012 regular meeting. Announcements North College Park residents have been working hard to open the first community library, which will be located in the basement of a church on Rhode Island Ave, said Councilmember Fazlul Kabir (Dist. 1.) According to volunteers, more than 4,000 books have been donated to the library, which will open next Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. Anyone interested in volunteering to work at the library should contact Kabir. Prince George's County Councilwoman Mary Leham will be hosting a mini-town hall at …
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Patch has a round up of agenda items on tap for tonight's Mayor and Council meeting.
There's a packed agenda for tonight's mayor and council meeting, which begins at 8:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 4500 Knox Road. Those attending the meeting can pick up a parking pass from the windows just inside the building. Below is a summary of several of the agenda items. The complete agenda is attached to this post. The council will vote on the approval of two non-competitive and four competitive public school grants that amount to a total of $18,500. Mayor Andrew Fellows will also propose a resolution to join with Prince George's County and other municipalities to join in joint negotiations for the renewal of the Comcast franchise. Council member Stephanie Stullich will bring forward a motion to express support …
Shannon Hoffman
12:01 pm on Thursday, March 1, 2012
Thanks, Clay. We thought that we hadn't heard enough student voices on this, yet. This video was actually done by a Patch student reporter. Nice work, Hannah! more ›