If Whole Foods were to open a store in Fort Washington/Oxon Hill/National harbor where would it be (Bowie: employment, casino)

[armory]

Originally Posted by CBMD

If you think Trader Joe's is a glorified 7-11 it's fair to assume you don't know much about either Trader Joe's or 7-11. TJ has sales per sf numbers that are off the charts for a food retailer. 3X the average grocery store, 6-8 times a 7-11.

Been to a lot of TJs. there is one not far from me over in Alexandria and I have been to others in NOVA. It's not a weekly grocery store but they have stuff for tonight or the next couple of days. McDonald's has higher sales per sf.

[armory]

Originally Posted by justtitans

I have been thinking about this and I am starting to think part of the reason why so many of these projects are rejected by the communities is because I think people are more concerned about other areas of their quality of life. Transportation has long been neglected in the Fort Washington/Accokeek area and I think most in that area would agree that is a top priority. As long as that isn't being addressed, people are going to ignore most of these projects. I think the area would really benefit from outlining a vision of where they see the 210 corridor 20-25 years down the road. Give people a sense that you aren't just building random development, but you are looking to help the over all quality of life and give people more to look forward to.

I touch on this all the time. Outlining a vision of the 210 corridor involves what happens down in the southern counties. 4, 5 and 210 are the only arteries in and out of southern Maryland. Where do you start? We are discussing years upon years of random development and no end in sight. How many people want a house on the water in SOMD? Everyone. If they can't get right on the water they can buy in just a mile away.

I mentioned widening the 3 arteries in another thread; all three arteries will need to widened to 8 lanes soon to alleviate the traffic as well as taking cars off of neighborhood streets.

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by armory

I touch on this all the time. Outlining a vision of the 210 corridor involves what happens down in the southern counties. 4, 5 and 210 are the only arteries in and out of southern Maryland. Where do you start? We are discussing years upon years of random development and no end in sight. How many people want a house on the water in SOMD? Everyone. If they can't get right on the water they can buy in just a mile away.

I mentioned widening the 3 arteries in another thread; all three arteries will need to widened to 8 lanes soon to alleviate the traffic as well as taking cars off of neighborhood streets.

Once again, though, development may not go to the southern Counties, it's actually been slowing for several years.

With the State not funding infrastructure improvements (schools, roads, hospitals, etc.) for new developments outside Targeted Growth Areas development is going to slow even more.

Throw in Sewer Tiering and any new growth is going to almost by default going to be infill.

[adelphi_sky]

Originally Posted by armory

I mentioned widening the 3 arteries in another thread; all three arteries will need to widened to 8 lanes soon to alleviate the traffic as well as taking cars off of neighborhood streets.

No mass transit?

[armory]

Originally Posted by G1..

LOL ,so you want Waldorf in Fort Washington???Be careful of what you wish for because that casino is going to give you more than you ever thought you would want and then you'll want to give it back !If you think restaurants and Panaria will give you community you are sadly mistaken .

I bet many would flee if the shopping mess on both sides of Berry Road was put in FW as it would soon become hoodlum haven.
I use to work over in Reston and Sterling, VA. I have no idea why they plan better there than here. I know traffic there is from hell. 7, 50 or 267 are your major routes in/out. They are still developing over there like crazy. They do have nice town centers.

[adelphi_sky]

Originally Posted by armory

I bet many would flee if the shopping mess on both sides of Berry Road was put in FW as it would soon become hoodlum haven.

This is a baseless argument. Why would any shopping center in FW automatically become a hoodlum haven?

I use to work over in Reston and Sterling, VA. I have no idea why they plan better there than here. I know traffic there is from hell. 7, 50 or 267 are your major routes in/out. They are still developing over there like crazy. They do have nice town centers.

This is a matter of preference. Some people like vanilla suburbs with nothing to do but go to Bed Bath and Beyond in their beige Volvos and take their children to Gymboree. Nightlife? The chain restaurants with bars? Fun!

Their town centers are only nice because they are relatively new. But the area still reeks of suburban blandness.

[UrbanScholar]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

Maybe. The State has a lot to say about local development now. Some mentioned it turning into "another Waldorf".

Waldorf is the State's poster child of "what not to do".

The amenities thing always astounds me (keeping in mind my perspective due to my location). I always wonder why people move to places that don't have the various things they hold dear and then complain about the lack thereof.

There are reasons why those things aren't there, be they coffee shoppes, boutiques, nouveau cuisine, transit, etc.

I also have to wonder why people open businesses in areas for which there is no market for their wares.

Its not that Fort Washington doesn't have any amenities, its more that the amenities could stand improvement or to be updated to the needs of residents today. What was acceptable 20 to 30 years ago is probably not going to satisfy most today. Overall, I like living in Ft. Washington but would love for it to be more self contained so that having to go outside the community for certain things would be an option and not a necessity. Fort Washington was a prime residential area in the late 80 and throughout the 90s. It would be great to translate what it was into something comparable to today. Given its proximity to the city and up and coming job centers, its prime to regain its appeal if enhancements are made to move it from its current state to something that could compete with other close-in jurisdictions

[justtitans]

Originally Posted by adelphi_sky

This is a matter of preference. Some people like vanilla suburbs with nothing to do but go to Bed Bath and Beyond in their beige Volvos and take their children to Gymboree. Nightlife? The chain restaurants with bars? Fun!

That is what Waldorf actually is.

[justtitans]

Originally Posted by armory

I touch on this all the time. Outlining a vision of the 210 corridor involves what happens down in the southern counties. 4, 5 and 210 are the only arteries in and out of southern Maryland. Where do you start? We are discussing years upon years of random development and no end in sight. How many people want a house on the water in SOMD? Everyone. If they can't get right on the water they can buy in just a mile away.

I mentioned widening the 3 arteries in another thread; all three arteries will need to widened to 8 lanes soon to alleviate the traffic as well as taking cars off of neighborhood streets.

They want to make 210 an expressway all the way to 228, but money is lacking. Waldorf is considering having a light rail that uses the current rail tracks that they have, but they are years away from it.

Let's be honest, Waldorf is the biggest problem in all of this. It is one of the worst planned towns in this region. There was no type of vision considered to it, they keep building subdivision after subdivision and strip mall after strip mall and it not only attracts a lot of traffic but it also brings a lot of traffic to places north of it. As long as Waldorf doesn't have public transportation, the rest of southern MD is going to suffer.

[CBMD]

Originally Posted by armory

Been to a lot of TJs. there is one not far from me over in Alexandria and I have been to others in NOVA. It's not a weekly grocery store but they have stuff for tonight or the next couple of days. McDonald's has higher sales per sf.

Most gas stations and jewelery stores, and even some liquor stores have too, for all the good it will do them, coz you still can't buy a frozen pizza and a raw carrot there.