The College Park Development Update is a bi-monthly newsletter prepared by the City of College Park Planning, Community and Economic Development Department covering development activity in the City. Please feel free to distribute this information as you see fit. Questions or comments can be directed to Economic Development Coordinator Michael Stiefvater at (240)487-3543 or msteifvater@collegeparkmd.gov.

Just weeks after the launching of The Varsity website, The Enclave at 8700, formally referred to as Starview Plaza, has launched its website. The Enclave at 8700 is located just south of Metzerott Road and will feature a mix of 2, 3, and 4 bedroom suites. Flashy pictures and a cheesy slogan, “Explore the Evolution of You,” echo the marketing campaign of The Varsity (however, The Enclave has yet to launch its own YouTube page).

Also of note is The Enclave’s attempt to attract students from other area universities such as Catholic, American, and Howard: “College Park, Maryland is conveniently located between Washington, DC and Baltimore, both of which are only a quick Metro train ride or drive away…University of Maryland joins 171 other nearby colleges and universities in Maryland, Washington DC, and Virginia all of which are welcome to stay at The Enclave at 8700.”

The website’s renderings and recent pictures from the site indicate ground floor retail at sidewalk level, large windows, and opportunities for outdoor seating. This should provide a great recipe for the beginning of active street life and pedestrian activity along Route 1. Like The Varsity and already complete, Mazza Grandmarc, The Enclave will offer students an opportunity to walk or bike to campus via the Paint Branch Trail or ride a shuttle down Route 1. Because of this, the developers of The Enclave were able to arrange a 20% reduction in parking spaces for the site.

Construction continues on The Varsity and Starview, College Park’s next-in-line for undergraduate, off-campus student housing.  The progress is beginning to show how the new buildings will improve Route 1′s streetscape.
The Varsity:
Starview:

The Varsity has begun installation of a wide sidewalk stretching south from the main entrance toward the bridge passing over Paint Branch Trail. The new sidewalk is much wider than the current sidewalk and provides a buffer of about 12 feet from the heavy traffic on Route 1. Land has also been cleared for the long-awaited Northgate Park located to the south of building along Paint Branch Creek.

However, questions remain about the imposition of a wall fronting Route 1 that will separate pedestrian traffic from the retail entrances located on the ground floor of the Varsity. Councilman Bob Catlin has informed us that the reason for the wall is to prevent these retail establishments from falling within the Paint Branch flood plain. This Diamondback article makes reference to similar concerns raised by council members at the time of the project’s approval several years ago.

A recent site visit indicates that the wall is 5 to 6 feet tall and stretches the entire length of the building fronting Route 1, potentially disengaging pedestrians from the building and the retail that locates there.

As the Route 1 corridor continues to develop, pedestrian traffic will be an integral part of the streetscape and retailers will depend on passing foot traffic for a significant portion of their business. Long, blank walls discourage an active street scene and break down lines-of-sight between storefronts and pedestrians—all negative elements that undermine the advantages of ground floor retail.

It appears that there will be three staircases leading up to the first-floor storefronts, but this may not be enough to entice passerby if they are unable to see the actually see what’s going on inside. Active and entertaining streets create a lively pedestrian environment, and active streetscapes and successful retail corridors are made possible when stores and outdoor seating are directly accessible and visible to passing pedestrian traffic. Visually appealing window displays and an abundance of activity entice pedestrians into stores.

An active, enticing streetscape:

Walls serve as barriers to this visual appeal. They prohibit the instinctive curiosity pedestrians possess that causes them to stop, peruse, enter, and patronize. Hopefully, the Varsity will draw an abundance of strong anchor tenants that will create a “destination location” and overcome the wall’s design flaws.

Of the seven active construction projects (listed on our area projects by number page) in College Park right now, five of them are student housing. The other two are University-led office buildings in M-Square. Indeed, there is an unprecedented amount of dirt moving on Route 1 right now; proving that while the national economy may still be floundering, CP student housing fundamentals are still strong. If you include South Campus Commons #7 (which was just completed near Van Munching Hall) we’re witnessing the completion of about 3,600 public, private, and public-private (partnership) student beds over the course of about 3-4 years. That’s an incredible number when you consider that the first six Commons buildings and the first phase of University View only amounted to 2,925 beds.

This surge in construction has led some to speculate that perhaps we’ll witness a student housing bubble since all of these units are dedicated student housing and totally separate from the larger area rental market. These developers who are breaking ground don’t seem to think so. We think it’s too early to tell, but a bubble wouldn’t be such a bad thing for student rents. Otis Warren’s planned University View phase III (8350-8400 Baltimore Ave. in image above) which will house about 1000 beds is apparently stalled because of market conditions (they leased out their 8400 Baltimore Ave office building for another year). UMD is also holding tight on Commons #8. If either of these projects get moving again in 2011 or soon thereafter, it will be a clear indication that developers and financiers still see profit potential in student high rises.

Here is a construction rundown:

University View Phase II:

Mazza Grandmarc Graduate Student Housing Complex:

Starview Plaza:

Oakland Hall – North Campus Dorm:

The Varsity:

Maybe the credit freeze is finally thawing a bit. The StarView Plaza will hold a ground breaking ceremony Monday Dec 14th at 11:30am.I wonder if somebody kept the pole from the Starlite? Good times.

Press Release from StarGlobal Ventures.

In the midst of a recession where many development projects have come to a complete halt, recession, Star Global Ventures (SGV), formerly Star Hotels is pleased to announce that it will be moving forward on its Hotels, highly anticipated seven story upscale student housing and retail complex. Star Gl al Ventures is hosting a groundbreaking ceremony to commemorate this remarkable achievement on Monday, December 14th at 11:30 a.m. at 8700 Baltimore Avenue in College Park, Maryland.

To RSVP to this event, please send an Email to  maria@starglobalventures.com by December 11^th, 2009!

StarView Plaza – Press Release Final Copy