There’s nothing like talk of a Whole Foods opening in the neighborhood to get local pulses racing. After a few years of recession-induced torpor, it appears that plans are again underway to develop the Cafritz Property, a 35.8-acre tract of undeveloped land on Route 1 immediately to the south of College Park. Whole Foods would like to be the anchor tenant for this development (it is listed among their “stores in development“. As the lively discussion on the Riverdale Park Patch shows, some locals regard this as the best thing since unsliced organic bread, while others view it as the latest in a line of development and transportation disasters to hit the area.

A little background. The Cafritz Property is an overgrown/wooded tract bounded by Route 1, the MARC/CSX train tracks, and the towns of College Park and Riverdale Park. It’s where the Green Line metro exits the tunnel shortly before College Park Station. See the location in a map or an aerial shot It is one of the largest undeveloped pieces of land inside the Beltway. The land is currently zoned for single-family housing, but the Cafritz family would like to develop it as a mixed-use development. There was a flurry of community meetings and discussion on the development back in 2007. And then we all know what happened to real estate development in 2008. Some older schematics can be found at the long-dormant web site for the development. It is rumored that the new plans for the property will reflect less density than the earlier plans. We have not yet seen specific plans, or heard of new community meetings. If the newer plans are well received, then the development could move ahead sooner than East Campus (remember that one?).

Already saving your pennies for those perfectly proportioned tomatoes? Or groaning in despair? Let us know in the comments.

Why is this development different from other struggling developments, e.g., University Town Center, which is barely limping along? Simple: Whole Foods. Like it or not, nothing gives a neighborhood a stamp of approval like the upscale grocer.

Should locals rejoice? Well, some like to see housing prices go up, and others are less enamored of the much discussed Whole Foods Effect. Some see it as a much needed boost to the local tax base. Others as a way to save on driving to Whole Foods in Silver Spring. Others as a much needed antidote to the local inferiority complex.

What about those nice trees? Who’s going to look out for the environment? If you want to save the tree canopy in your own back yard, then you have reason to be worried. But if you’re serious about saving the planet, then a broader view is needed. People gotta live someplace. And we can save more trees if they live in dense developments, rather than in sprawling suburban castles. Dense development is more likely to work when it’s within walking distance to a transportation hub (Green, Purple, MARC, Bus lines). Not to mention proximity to the university and M-Square. Packing people close to transportation is one of the best things you can do for saving trees.

And will it create transportation gridlock? Hard to tell, really. Route 1 can get congested in downtown CP, generally in the direction of the morning/evening commute. But the stretch near Cafritz is rarely backed up. Whole Foods would certainly attract traffic. How many of those cars are not already on Route 1 heading elsewhere is hard to tell. Would dense housing compound the travel nightmare? For CP as a whole, probably not. The traffic in town is so bad already in part because so few of the people who work or study here also live here. If more of those people lived here — and those are the people most likely to settle in the new development — then their commute wouldn’t be clogging up our roads so much. Many would be attracted to the development by the prospect of being able to walk to the Metro and to Whole Foods.

College Park has the fortune of having a unique system of trails and open spaces running through and around the city. However, there are some instances where this system of open spaces serves to divide the community rather than bring it together.

One such instance is the large, wooded open space directly north of Paint Branch Parkway and east of Baltimore Avenue. This land sits at the geographic heart of College Park and has the opportunity to serve as a gathering place for local residents and the University community. Unfortunately, this land is vastly underutilized due to difficult and unattractive pedestrian and bicycle access and a lack of visibility.

Open land that could be used as a world-class arboretum

During my frequent runs and bicycle rides around Lake Artemesia, I am amazed by the lack of University students taking advantage of this amenity. I have come to the conclusion that the few number of students who utilize Lake Artemesia’s pathway and surrounding trail system is driven both by a lack of perceived safety and simply being unaware that such an amenity exists.

With so much beautiful open space directly adjacent to the University and many of College Park’s neighborhoods, it is unfortunate how cut off this land is from campus and surrounding neighborhoods, especially Old Town. Unfortunately, physical barriers, such as dangerous Route 1 and a sound wall along Paint Branch Road, along with psychological barriers, such as a perceived lack of safety, are currently discouraging more recreational use of this area. Additionally, though the university sits less than a mile away from Lake Artemesia, the distance seems much further due to the convoluted path system and a lack of sight lines between the two destinations.

A little planning and creativity could go a long way in creating a world-class arboretum right here in College Park. The solution to increasing usage lies in creating a highly pedestrian-oriented system that emphasizes safety and the natural beauty of the Paint Branch stream. The first step is creating a safe pedestrian crossing across Route 1 near Campus Drive. This includes curb bumpouts and pedestrian islands to reduce the distance and time necessary to cross this extremely busy road. Second, a pedestrian countdown signal and shorter light signals will emphasize an intersection that is geared toward people, and not only cars. Third, a wide, relatively straight, and well-let pathway that follows the Paint Branch Stream will shorten the distance between the university and Lake Artemesia, provide sight lines, and go a long way in increasing the perceived and real safety of this area. Finally, a high-class pedestrian bridge over the railroad tracks will avoid the unsettling concrete tunnel that currently traverses below. This bridge will enhance visual interest, improve safety, and provide a new perspective on the lake and surrounding open space. In the long run, more amenities such as an outdoor amphitheatre, exercise equipment, a flower garden, and nature center could further enhance the attractiveness and desirability of the arboretum.

Early morning at Lake Artemesia

The Dallas Arboretum

It is imperative that the university and city join forces in creating unique and desirable assets throughout College Park. We can hope than new University of Maryland President Loh will play an integral role in building this strong relationship. An enhanced and improved public space between the university and Lake Artemesia could create a much-needed amenity, serving both permanent residents and students. An arboretum could go a long way in making College Park more than just “a livable community”; it could propel it to be a top-notch college town and a regional attraction.

With the coming of the Purple Line and East Campus, College Park has the opportunity to capitalize on improved accessibility and attractive new development and provide another highly desirable amenity and reason for people to visit and move to College Park. It’s time for College Park to step out of the shadows, build upon its natural assets, and create a highly pedestrian-oriented public space that will serve as a community gathering place and transform College Park into the college town that it should be.

The University of Maryland and Lockheed Martin Corp. last Friday announced a new partnership that would potentially help fill more research and office space at the M-Square research park. The Fortune 500 global security company and the university have ties that go back 60 years. Lockheed Martin has committed to spend $1 million dollars per year for three years with the possibility of continued support in the future.

The new agreement provides a strategic framework for current and future cooperation that leverages the resources, talent, and ideas of both institutions to produce innovative solutions for global and national security challenges. The agreement provides for work in three key areas: Centers of Collaboration, Joint Pursuit of Business Opportunities, and Enhanced Research and Development.

It is currently unknown if the partnership will require space at UMD’s M-Square research park. There are three additional buildings that have not broken ground yet. The key focus areas in the partnership would be a perfect fit at M-Square.

Officials say a key part of the new strategic relationship is the creation of Centers of Collaboration, which will support sustained cooperative work in mutually agreed-upon areas – initially logistics and sustainment, climate change, and cyber-security.

Current tenants at M-Square include the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity organization, Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Earth System Science and Interdiciplinary Center, and the American Center for Physics to name a few.

On April 30, 2010 a Charrette was held in City Hall on the Domain project and the surrounding area. This also includes the area of the Mosaic at Turtle Creek. The goal was to come up with a overall vision for the area that can guide future development and create a mixed use neighborhood with tree-lined, predestrian and bicycle-friendly streets.

This area is located at the intersection of the Campus edge (near the Smith Business School) and a residential area. This is mostly on undeveloped property. There are many religious buildings in the immediate vicinity. The Domain project is located at the intersection of Campus Drive and Mowatt Lane while the Mosaic project located off Mowatt Lane.

The comprehensive vision includes 3 primary themes.

1) Create a compact, pedestrian-friendly mixed-use neighborhood

• Create a walkable neighborhood with a mix of housing types and neighborhood services
• Maximize transit-oriented opportunities
• Respect property owner objectives
• Improve pedestrian and bicycle connectivity
• Improve internal circulation – disperse traffic efficiently
• Create a network of neighborhood greens, squares, and plazas
• Protect and enhance environmental resources
• 2- to 8-story buildings

2) Enhance Campus Drive as an attractive pedestrian-oriented “gateway” and calm traffic

• Transform as a “gateway” to campus and surrounding neighborhoods
• Reduce auto-oriented character with traffic calming and safe crosswalks
• Align curb-cuts and intersections
• Create standard streetscape design criteria to “activate the street”
• Encourage some neighborhood service and retail
• Enhance sidewalks with consistent build-to-line (varies per options from 18 to 35 feet)
• Maintain 4 lanes in all scenarios
• Consider bicycle lanes and/or on-street parking
• Streetscape enhancements support
• Purple Line options
  • Centerline or side-loaded platform
  • Understand dimensional standards/options

3) Improve MowattLane as a pedestrian and bicycle-friendly residential-scale street

• Improve and maintain as a 2-lane “residential street” with median (UMCP option – 2011)
• Establish streetscape design criteria for a “residential character”
• Maintain low, safe speeds
• Align curb cuts and intersections
• Preference: 2-lane street
• Consider bicycle lanes
• Review Options:
  • Allow for median to become leftturn “pockets” where needed to improve traffic flow (3-lane)
  • 4-lane option
• Understand dimensional standards/options

The Full  Presentation can be viewed HERE.

Washington Post Plant

The University announced today that they plan to purchase the abandoned Washington Post site for $12 Million with the intention to use the site to house facilities currently on the East Campus site.  This is a clear victory for those who were opposed to using the Wooded Hillock site  for relocation as was previously recommended.

The Washington Post site is 18.5 acres with 315,000 square feet of space available. A good portion of the indoor space is 2 1/2 stories tall and could be converted to seperate floors if needed.

Is this a good plan? Brilliant move? Waste of money? What are your thoughts? The Campus press release is after the break.

Also see  Post to Abandon College Park Printing Plant

From UM NEWDESK

College Park, MD — The University of Maryland College Park recently reached agreement on terms expected to lead to a purchase of the Washington Post’s production plant, located in College Park, MD. The plant, with approximately 300,000 square feet on 18.5 acres, will provide the flexibility Maryland needs to create a multi-phased relocation of services currently housed on the East Campus site. The purchase, estimated at $12 million, must still be approved by the state’s Board of Public Works, which will consider the issue at its February 10, 2010 meeting.

The acquisition also helps the University address a significant recommendation from the students and the University Senate to explore off-campus relocation options to the proposed use of the on-campus Wooded Hillock area.

“We were very excited when the Washington Post made this critical space available,” said Ann G. Wylie, vice president for administrative affairs. “This facility provides the space we need to strategically and cost-effectively phase in our East Campus relocation projects, minimize environmental impacts to campus woodlands, and limit disruption to our critical campus services.”

Wylie notes that “flexibility” is the key word associated with purchasing the property. According to her, owning the Post’s College Park plant will allow the University to package relocation projects in cycles by renovating selected production plant spaces, then moving University services, allowing development of specific sites within East Campus to proceed. Such a plan permits the University to secure developer interest and identify partners for smaller parcels within the larger East Campus site while continuing to move the entire project forward.

Despite a tough economy, the opportunity to purchase the plant and begin to clear the East Campus of existing service operations is key to implementing the initiative for a new urban center. “Purchasing the facility is a long-term investment in one of our top goals of the Strategic Plan,” said Wylie. “We know that offering a world-class educational experience is not enough to attract the best students and faculty. To be truly competitive with the best universities around the nation, we have to also provide world-class facilities and resources. It’s critical that we continue to offer top students in the state and across the nation the best residential, retail and entertainment resources if we are to be a world-class university. Partnering with the community, the county and the private sector will help make that happen.”

“The East Campus Redevelopment initiative remains at the forefront of our efforts to build a world-class research institution for the residents of Maryland,” said Wylie. “We are confident that a multi-phased development approach that recognizes and responds to current fiscal conditions will lead to a timely and successful development of this vitally important project. When complete, the development will bring a new urban character to College Park by creating a vibrant district of retail, residential, office, hotel and entertainment uses that also will serve to stimulate downtown revitalization.”