Friday, September 22, 2006

a newfound interest in prince george's

"We may just sort of muddle along for four years" - Steve Silverman
Is Steve Silverman (pictured, left) suffering from sour grapes? In what appears to be the only post-election piece on the former County Executive candidate, Silverman says he is "disappointed" to have lost because Ike Leggett's promise to slow growth could mean less funding for schools and roads from the developer impact tax.

Surely, we must have other means of running the County than off of taxes. I mean, there are property taxes, income taxes, sales taxes - a gas tax! We'll be fine without Mr. Evil Developer setting aside land for a school or something sinister like that.

But, honestly, I'm growing less and less worried about Montgomery County's return to the Stagnant Nineties with each day. Over here in College Park, Just Up The Pike's headquarters during the school year, new developments, like the recently-completed University View apartment building (pictured, background), are being rammed through a rather skittish City Council nearly every day.

In neighboring Hyattsville, construction is underway on University Town Center, a Downtown Silver Spring-esque development that will have street names such as America Boulevard and Freedom Way. There's even a "Rethink College Park" blog, whose editors I had the chance to meet on Wednesday, devoted to the revitalization of the city.

Yes, if there is any anti-growth sentiment in College Park, it either moved to Montgomery County to join the Neighbors or, in the case of the liquor store in front of the View, is holding out for all its worth. Nonetheless, I believe Hyattsville/College Park will easily become the new Silver Spring. Take my word for it! Our new NIMBY government might be a good thing - for Prince George's County.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

That was the former home of the drive-thru on the right side of the car McDonald's.

Silver Springer said...

While Hyattsville might be the first urban district in Prince George's County in the short-term. I think National Harbor will be their largest urban business hub in the long-term.

Anonymous said...

The statement about the anti-growth in PG County, there is one anti-growth councilman and his name is Thomas Dernoga(D) of Laurel. Thomas Dernoga has a history of going against the National Harbor, Kontera, Greenbelt Station mixed-use Development, Inter-County Connector, etc. As far as I know Thomas Dernoga is the only councilman that is against Upscale development in PG County.

Anonymous said...

Close-in revitalization is just what PG needs. Take areas like Hyattsville, Seat Pleasant, and Bladensburg and make them over rather than paving over farmland or forests in the eastern part of the county or in Southern Maryland. Bladensburg (with the nice waterfront) is coming along quite well and Hyattsville looks on the cusp of substantial change. Now some of that revitalization needs to work southward.

I grew up in Oxon Hill/Fort Washington (before there were ritzy sections down on the River). When I was a kid (60's and early 70's), "National Harbor" was called Gravel Bay because of it's origins as a gravel pit. A former gravel mining site is another great place to build. Leave some of the less disturbed areas alone and rework the previously developed (or mined).

I hope National Harbor turns Oxon Hill around. It never had much of a "town center", just that intersection of Oxon Hill and Livingston Roads. When I was little, there was movie theater there and a grocery store that got hit by a tornado during Hurricane Agnes. There are still shops there now, but everything looks faded and down on it's luck. It's time for the southern part of PG to share in the good times.

Anonymous said...

Terry said...
Close-in revitalization is just what PG needs. Take areas like Hyattsville, Seat Pleasant, and Bladensburg and make them over rather than paving over farmland or forests in the eastern part of the county or in Southern Maryland. Bladensburg (with the nice waterfront) is coming along quite well and Hyattsville looks on the cusp of substantial change. Now some of that revitalization needs to work southward.

I grew up in Oxon Hill/Fort Washington (before there were ritzy sections down on the River). When I was a kid (60's and early 70's), "National Harbor" was called Gravel Bay because of it's origins as a gravel pit. A former gravel mining site is another great place to build. Leave some of the less disturbed areas alone and rework the previously developed (or mined).

I hope National Harbor turns Oxon Hill around. It never had much of a "town center", just that intersection of Oxon Hill and Livingston Roads. When I was little, there was movie theater there and a grocery store that got hit by a tornado during Hurricane Agnes. There are still shops there now, but everything looks faded and down on it's luck. It's time for the southern part of PG to share in the good times.

RE: I agree but they definately need to jump start the new development in Northern PG County along I-95 between Beltsville and Laurel called Konterra.

Anonymous said...

"I agree but they definately need to jump start the new development in Northern PG County along I-95 between Beltsville and Laurel called Konterra."

I drove Rt 1 between Beltsville and Laurel the other day, just because I hadn't been up there (past Costco and the Motor Vehicles) in a long time. There's a LOT of traffic on a relatively narrow road, although you can say that about Rt 1 through College Park, too. You're right, there are stretches that have that same faded appearance that Oxon Hill does, although Oxon Hill appears to have more check cashing places.