College Park - News, Events, Updates, Questions and Developments Etc. (Silver Spring: zip code, budget)

[adelphi_sky]

Originally Posted by terp80

College Park is renewing VeoRide BikeShare contract for 3 more years. https://www.kabircares.org/city-to-r...-3-more-years/


Better than nothing but it would be nice for College Park to have Capital Bikeshare, which is the dominant player in bikeshare in DC and Northern Virginia and I assume parts of Maryland too. Maybe after 3 years it will be more feasible?

Hmm. Thought they crossed that hurdle already. I see CBS as close as Riverdale Park Station, The Hyattsville Library, and Hyattsville HighSchool. Figured College Park would have jumped on the train by now. Oh well. If they got a better deal from VeoRide, then savings are savings I guess.

[908Boi]

Largo has Capital Bikeshare. That's surprising that College Park doesn't have it.

[hikerMD]

Not super exciting, but Capitol Kettle Corn Is Coming to the Hollywood Shopping Center. The have a ton of types of popcorn... https://www.capitolkettlecorn.com/shop/

[RickyRoma]

https://streetcarsuburbs.news/major-...along-route-1/

[RickyRoma]

https://today.umd.edu/placehack

[hikerMD]

Originally Posted by RickyRoma

https://streetcarsuburbs.news/major-...along-route-1/

Not much new there, I think the only thing I learned is that they plan to finish in the summer of 2023. That seems ambitious to me. They should be able to finish the segment from Regents to Campus Dr, which has the sidewalks mostly done and the median started, but North of Campus Dr they have a looong way to go.

Originally Posted by RickyRoma

https://today.umd.edu/placehack

I wonder if this like the Capstone competition that the School of Architecture organizes. https://arch.umd.edu/programs/real-e...ollege-park-md


The winner in 2017 had a very interesting idea and thorough study for two buildings between the View and Tempo

[Catcprtc]

Three Baltimore Avenue projects, the Ecograds student housing, the Terrapin House apartment/retail project and the office/apartment/retail project adjacent to the U of MD hotel are all moving ahead with preliminary plans of subdivision that will be heard soon (May-June) by the Planning Board. At least in the case of EcoGrads a detailed site plan has also been submitted too. So no slowdown in development here.

[adelphi_sky]

Originally Posted by Catcprtc

Three Baltimore Avenue projects, the Ecograds student housing, the Terrapin House apartment/retail project and the office/apartment/retail project adjacent to the U of MD hotel are all moving ahead with preliminary plans of subdivision that will be heard soon (May-June) by the Planning Board. At least in the case of EcoGrads a detailed site plan has also been submitted too. So no slowdown in development here.

Definitely looking forward to the development next to the hotel. Knowing that was supposed to be East Campus it would bring closure to see it built out at least along Rt. 1. lol

Terrapin House looks nice too.

[hikerMD]

Originally Posted by Catcprtc

Three Baltimore Avenue projects, the Ecograds student housing, the Terrapin House apartment/retail project and the office/apartment/retail project adjacent to the U of MD hotel are all moving ahead with preliminary plans of subdivision that will be heard soon (May-June) by the Planning Board. At least in the case of EcoGrads a detailed site plan has also been submitted too. So no slowdown in development here.

Thank you Catcprtc, it is so great to have someone with inside knowledge!

The Ecograds poject sounds great, with high density, below-market rates perfect for grad students, low amount of parking, and it would be filling a horrible-looking lot. I just thought it would never see the light of day for those reasons

Terry Schum, the city of College Park planning director, doesn’t know that the project would be feasible, particularly with limited parking on the lot, zoning regulations and the smaller size of units.
“The parking and the height and the overall density of the project are going to scare a lot of people,” Schum said. “Really it represents over building the site.”

It seems that at least one council member supports it though https://mobile.twitter.com/Stuart_Ad...50712525811714


As I said earlier, the Terrapin House is a nice project with its mix of high-quality apartments and retail, but it is just a bummer that it will be located on a lot that is quite decent already and especially, that it will displace businesses such as NorthWest Chinese or Ritchie's Colombian. I hope they at least relocate within CP.



Finally, I'm delighted that Discovery Point on the parcels B & C adjacent to the Hotel is still moving. This project would, of course, be the biggest project in the history of College Park at $300M. If CP is able to land a big company to use that office space, then you'll know CP has arrived.

[adelphi_sky]

Still no date-night or upscale restaurants in College Park. We lost two good ones; Kapnos Taverna and OMG.

College Park has to get some upscale eateries if it wants to compete with even Riverdale or Hyattsville. We have plenty of fast casual Asian eateries, pizza joints, and bars. But nothing like Burton's or even Franklins.

College Park does not even have an Outback, Olive Garden, or MIller's Ale house equivalent. If College Park wants to attract and retain grad students and young professionals, they need something more than just College Park Grill or Nando's Peri Peri.

The retail spaces that are being created in these new developments are too small for anything more than more fast casual eateries.

College Park needs to grow up a little and perhaps start creating incentives for new chefs and concepts or College Park will continue to get looked over compared to Hyattsville, Riverdale Park, and Silver Spring.

No brewery in College Park? It is a college town. No place to get a nice steak dinner with white tablecloth service? No restaurant with a Sommelier?

We're about 10 years into making College Park a top 20 college town and these amenities are still lacking even with all the billions currently being invested.

A few mid tier restaurants would be nice. We don't have to jump straight to a Ruth's Chris or Charlie Palmer. A few ideas:

1. Maggiano's
2. Uncle Julio's
3. Cheesecake Factory
4. Any brewpub?
5. Wildfire
6. Founding Farmers
7. Clydes

I can't even find a good burger in College Park anymore. Looney's? Five-Guys doesn't count. Still fast-food. Bobby's Burgers was somewhat gourmet. But they are gone of course. So is Five-Guys the best we can do?

The nice new tall buildings in College Park are nice but if all we can get is Five-Guys and another Ramen place, there's not much more to offer young professionals. This needs to change.