Prince George's County in 5 to 10 Years (Baltimore, Columbia: for sale, high school, median income)

[justtitans]

Just ran across something on the internet, that I found to be interesting if not just plain laughable.

I did not know that Eastover Shopping Center has a website, but apparently it does: EASTOVER SHOPPING CENTER - Oxon Hill, MD, 20745

Now for those that have been in this shopping center, ask yourself, when was the last time you seen people that look like the people in the upper right hand corner in that shopping center? Are they trying to tell us that is a changing of the guard or is this honestly just a complete misrepresentation of the area?

[UrbanScholar]

Originally Posted by pgtitans

Just ran across something on the internet, that I found to be interesting if not just plain laughable.

I did not know that Eastover Shopping Center has a website, but apparently it does: EASTOVER SHOPPING CENTER - Oxon Hill, MD, 20745

Now for those that have been in this shopping center, ask yourself, when was the last time you seen people that look like the people in the upper right hand corner in that shopping center? Are they trying to tell us that is a changing of the guard or is this honestly just a complete misrepresentation of the area?

Yeah someone go a little happy with the stock photos. I haven't heard about any redevelopment plans so I am going to go with misrepresentation.

[adelphi_sky]

Originally Posted by dkf747

The Konterra development isn't anywhere near a Metro station. There is a MARC station, but it's not walking distance to most of it, is it?

Yes. Konterra is nowhere near a metro station. Yet, another example of an outer suburb auto-centric development. The only thing it has going for it as far as transit is that it is right off of I-95 and the ICC. The Marc Station is about a mile or so from the edge of the proposed Konterra development. There's no current ability for pedestrians to walk from the proposed site to the train station. There would have to be a pedestrian bridge over RT.1.

[justtitans]

Originally Posted by adelphi_sky

Yes. Konterra is nowhere near a metro station. Yet, another example of an outer suburb auto-centric development. The only thing it has going for it as far as transit is that it is right off of I-95 and the ICC. The Marc Station is about a mile or so from the edge of the proposed Konterra development. There's no current ability for pedestrians to walk from the proposed site to the train station. There would have to be a pedestrian bridge over RT.1.

What are they trying to make the anchor of that project, a major employer or retail? Or has that decision been made?

[adelphi_sky]

Originally Posted by pgtitans

What are they trying to make the anchor of that project, a major employer or retail? Or has that decision been made?

The only talk of a significant anchor was a university satellite campus. They haven't mentioned which university. I think it is still too early to hammer out such details. They haven't even presented a first phase detailed site plan. I imagine we're still at least a year away from learning the details. Meyb we'll hear something this winter when the ICC is finished.

[justtitans]

Originally Posted by adelphi_sky

The only talk of a significant anchor was a university satellite campus. They haven't mentioned which university. I think it is still too early to hammer out such details. They haven't even presented a first phase detailed site plan. I imagine we're still at least a year away from learning the details. Meyb we'll hear something this winter when the ICC is finished.

Yeah I'm starting to wonder how good of an idea it maybe. If they can secure something like that then at least they are guaranteeing some traffic to that area, but I think if they tried to make it a predominantly retail area, it would fail. The thing about that particular part of MD, is it has a lot of shopping options and it would be difficult to find something unique that would draw people to that area that otherwise wouldn't just go to what's closer to them. I mean you have Columbia Mall, Anne Arundel Mills, and Downtown Silver Spring. They need to definitely try to build it with having stable foot traffic in mind first before trying to think about retail, which is what I've heard people say they want to see there.

[EdwardA]

When you lose out to West Virginia there's a problem.

Feds moving 450 jobs to West Virginia from Prince George’s County - The Washington Post

[adelphi_sky]

Originally Posted by EdwardA

When you lose out to West Virginia there's a problem.

Feds moving 450 jobs to West Virginia from Prince George’s County - The Washington Post

I'm pretty suspect of the GSA myself. But hey, if they want to move the jobs to WV, that's on them. To me, I'm surprised that they are leaving Hyattsville. That place is really coming together as a transit oriented development. This will have to stop eventually. Because they are running out of excuses.

[justtitans]

Originally Posted by adelphi_sky

I'm pretty suspect of the GSA myself. But hey, if they want to move the jobs to WV, that's on them. To me, I'm surprised that they are leaving Hyattsville. That place is really coming together as a transit oriented development. This will have to stop eventually. Because they are running out of excuses.

It's all about saving money. This move seems like it was more about the state of the government as opposed to how bad PG may be. It's bad to lose jobs, but at least they appear to have legitimate reason. With that said, this county cannot handle losing anymore jobs. The National Harbor was the last time this county received a significant amount of jobs and with a growing region, not gaining jobs is bad, but losing jobs is awful.

[wisedisguise]

I think south PGC is most likely destined to remain a sleepy suburban community. I don't think most residents along 210 from Ft Washington down to Charles county want more traffic and sprawl than they already have. There are plenty of options for grocery shopping in the area and most residents are happy to do their big ticket shopping away from the area. I am not a zero growth proponent but the infrastructure is already lost for that region. The same is true for the Piscataway area south of Millers farm. Road maintenance in those parts of the county is non existent and laughable. I drove down to Port Tobacco yesterday on PGC back roads and the difference between PGC and CC is very evident.

The Oxon Hill to Marlow heights region - I'll use St Barnabas Road as a corridor - is a line of mini strip malls, liquor stores, fast food joints with a very few large merchants thrown in the mix. It would require a fleet of bulldozers and other wrecking equipment to raise just that road and clean up the present atmosphere. The question that remains...what do you do with the vacant space? Is there a group of people - merchants and residents - with petitions to do something with the space other than build more unneeded churches? The area surrounding Rt 5 north from 495 to the DC line isn't a shining jewel but what can happen there and who will fit the bill? That would be a great location for federal office space as the Metro is nearby - Naylor Road and Branch Ave - as is 495/Suitland Parkway.
One thing about any improvements is the property taxes we are already strapped with will surely skyrocket when any steps are taken. High taxes/insurance/utilities is one reason many leave the state. Why push more out?

Northern PGC is already doing better as it abuts MOCO and DC where an infrastructure has existed for years. Bowie is a different state compared to southern PGC. I don't think the south part of the county will turn to Detroit, MI but I don't see it becoming Fairfax either.
Infrastructure is the key to any development and the county and state let that ball drop decades ago. Preservation of the Potomac and Chesapeake play a large part of it but the same would hold true if near any other large natural area.