Thursday, December 8, 2011
With the County Planning Board voting on a design plan Thursday, local organizations say their concerns have not disappeared.
Two months ago, more than a dozen residents formed a line before the College Park City Council to voice concerns over a proposed six-story student housing and retail complex developers hope to build where the Maryland Book Exchange sits. Now, with the Prince George’s County Planning Board scheduled to vote on the project Thursday, local organizations are still concerned that it’s too big, and it doesn’t fit in with the historic area. Project developer, Ilya Zusin, is unsure why his project has caused so much local concern. "This fits into every strategic goal of everyone involved," he said, adding that the development would provide housing for students adjacent to the university, alleviating traffic, and would be good for the economic …
County Planning Board votes on project Thursday.
The developers for the Maryland Book Exchange student housing project will present a proposal to the county’s planning board on Thursday that is nearly identical to the plan it presented a month ago. Developers hoping to build a six-story retail and student housing complex where the Maryland Book Exchange currently sits was originally up for a vote before the planning board last month, but were granted a 35-day continuance. City planning staff expected the developers to use the time to revise the plans, taking into account the concerns of residents and city leaders, planning director Terry Schum said. But developer Ilya Zusin instead used the time to reach out to the community, hoping to address their concerns, he said. “The city and the …
Sunday, November 27, 2011
It's been a busy holiday week. Take a breather, and get caught up.
We started off the week with a feel-good story, about an Army Reserve unit that the City of College Park adopted. The troops visited the city and were honored at a luncheon at Ledo’s Restaurant. Here's a not-so-feel-good-story: University of Maryland President Wallace Loh decided to take the recommendation of his appointed commission to cut eight athletic programs, in order to recuperate the department's budget. If the teams can raise money to fund their own programs for eight years by this summer, then their teams will live on. It's a sad repeat of history for one swimmer at the university, who transferred from Clemson because the program there was being cut. Now, it might happen to him again. And we checked in with one athlete …
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
County traffic study compared to State Highway Administration data show average daily trips on U.S. Route 1 could increase by 74.6 to 77.2 percent.
A traffic study conducted by the county estimates that the proposed Whole Foods and residential development south of College Park could generate about 19,401 average daily trips on U.S. Route 1. That could be an increase of 74.6 to 77.2 percent, according to State Highway Administration data for average daily trips on U.S Route 1 near the property in 2010. According to the data, an average of 25,990 trips were tracked about .14 of a mile north of the property. An average of 25,120 trips were tracked about a quarter of a mile south of the property, just north of the Maryland Route 410 intersection. The numbers provided by county’s Transportation Planning Section do not take into account pass-by and internal trips, however. Pass-by trips are…
The agenda is short for tonight's Mayor and Council meeting.
The College Park Mayor and Council will meet at 8 p.m. Tuesday for a regular voting meeting in the Council Chambers, on the second floor of City Hall, 4500 Knox Road. Those attending the meeting can obtain a parking pass at the customer service windows on the first floor of City Hall. Below is a summary of the action items to be discussed. Information is drawn from the full agenda, which can be found here. Honoring Mayor Anna Owens The only woman to lead College Park as mayor, Anna Owens, lived in College Park Woods for 48 years. Tuesday night, the council will vote on a motion to request that the ball field in the neighborhood be named after Owens. Because the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission owns the park, the city …
Monday, November 21, 2011
Residents shared what they'd like to see line the main corridor through College Park, but private property rights and market demand could be the real determinants.
Residents brainstormed along with city planning staff this weekend about the types of developments they’d like to see fill the empty properties up and down U.S. Route 1, but some were skeptical their ideas would materialize. “I’m not sure if it really makes a difference,” said Bob Swanson, who said for the 30 years he’s participated in U.S. Route 1 visioning workshops, he’s never seen residents’ ideas become reality. Despite the many ideas, from community centers to coffee houses and from senior housing to health care facilities, it became evident at the Saturday morning gathering in City Hall that at least two hurdles divide residents’ wish list from destiny. First, the city has limited control over what a developer decides to do with the…
Residents shared with planning staff what types of businesses and centers they want to see in College Park.
Senior citizen housing, a health care facility and brewpub were among some of the most popular ideas residents churned out Saturday morning when they discussed what they’d like to see happen with the several vacant properties near U.S. Route 1. The city planning department organized the meeting to learn the residents’ vision for the College Park artery, currently dotted with several vacant, and often rundown properties. “Route 1 is a topic the city never gets tired of,” Planning Director Terry Schum said at the Saturday morning meeting at City Hall. “The city has made the revitalization of Route 1 a goal for as long as everybody can remember. The reason why is that it affects everyone in College Park.” Residents discussed two clusters of …
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
The city will hold its workshop this weekend to share the status and future of vacant properties.
Baltimore Avenue has become a story of contrast. Brand new student high rises reach skyward just before the University of Maryland, full of brand new restaurants and retailers on the first floor. North of the new high rises, though, every other building is vacant, including the short, white eyesore that used to be an Arby’s Fast Food Restaurant, then a Chinese food carry-out. And now it’s empty. This building at 8430 Baltimore Ave. is among the vacant properties to be discussed at a public workshop on Saturday, where residents will have the chance to learn their current statuses. Five of the 17 properties on and around Baltimore Avenue to be discussed are already in some phase of redevelopment, Economic Development Coordinator Michael …
Friday, November 4, 2011
A concern about traffic was evident after the Cafritz property team presented its plan at a Tuesday night work session in College Park.
College Park wants to know how a Whole Foods Market, new retail and office spaces and nearly 1,000 housing units just south of Calvert Hills could impact an already frustrating commute on U.S. Route 1. The concern was clear after the Cafritz Property team presented its plan at a Tuesday evening worksession in City Hall, when most councilmembers, the mayor, and several of the residents asked about the big "T-word", traffic. Concern about Traffic Analysis A preliminary traffic analysis estimates the first phase of the development— the Whole Foods and retail portion— will generate about 500 new trips on Baltimore Avenue in the afternoon or evening on weekdays. Phase two is estimated to create 900 new trips. Nancy Randall of Wells and …
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Summarizing agenda items for Tuesday, Sept. 27.
Tuesday night the City Council will vote on a budget policy resolution, University of Maryland shuttle service fee and a letter to the state's Department of Transportation that requests assistance for various city projects. The meeting begins at 8 p.m. at City Hall, 4500 Knox Road. It is open to the public. Anyone who goes to the meeting can park in the City Hall parking lot for free. Pick up a pass at the customer service window inside the building. Here is a summary of some agenda items: There is a motion on the table to send a letter to Maryland’s secretary of transportation, regarding capital transportation projects planned over the next six years. Allocated in the budget is $8.8 million to kick off the first stage of U.S. Route 1 …
Jenni Pompi
5:35 pm on Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Not enough funding to build the CSX crossing the the first phase? That is troubling. more ›