Published on: Saturday, March 06, 2010

By Daniela Feldman, Capital News Service/Maryland Newsline

A planned project behind The Mall at Prince Georges that would replace a residential neighborhood with a 31-story tower, shops, offices and townhouses has drawn fire from some local residents, who have concerns about its impact on traffic and quality of life.

“I am going to have to suffer because of this new development project,” said University Hills resident Jim Menasian, who lives nearby. “The proposal is outrageous; I cannot come up with enough adjectives to explain how insane it is.”

Positioned near the Prince George’s Plaza Metro station, the 25-acre development known as Belcrest Plaza would revitalize the area, said Jonathan Genn, executive vice president and general counsel of Percontee Inc., the developer.  The project requires land rezoning for the proposed mixed uses and a height waiver for the high-rise building before construction can begin.

“The idea is to mix lots of different products and uses for residents and people who work there,” Genn said, explaining that the vision is to make a functional community around an already-existing Metro center.

Menasian doesn’t buy into the vision. “Not only will the new tenants be affected by the traffic, but the residents who already live there will suffer,” said Menasian, who has lived in the area for 28 years. “If I am going to be kept to suffer from increased traffic, then give me something to enjoy. But this plan doesn’t offer enough to residents in the community.”

Others have also raised concerns.

Hyattsville City Council Member Tim Hunt (Ward 3) said traffic studies did not take into consideration the nearby intersections of Adelphi Road and Campus Drive, and Adelphi Road and Interstate Highway 193.

“Traffic is very bad on Adelphi Road,” agreed Tom Eichman, a University Hills resident of 35 years. “Because University Hills is a cul-de-sac neighborhood, we can only get in and out of the neighborhood through Adelphi Road. It’s become very difficult and can be very dangerous. I foresee only a worsening of that with the new project.”

And the neighboring town of University Park has weighed in against the plan, because of concerns that include its potential to worsen storm water runoff.

Percontee Inc. is proposing to tear down and reconstruct the area between East West Highway, Toledo and Belcrest roads and Toledo Terrace, according to the resolution adopted Feb. 4 by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. The goal is to turn the area into a “pedestrian-friendly environment,” with mixed-use facilities for residential and commercial spaces, the document says.

It would include 176,000 square feet of office space, 62,100 square feet of retail space, 40,000 square feet of public amenity space, 2,618 high-rise residential units and 57 townhouses, if construction goes according to plan. The proposal includes a 31-story residential tower, which exceeds the county’s current 16-story height maximum.

Developers would provide 3,779 parking spaces.The plan would make the neighborhood more open to pedestrians with restaurants and shopping centers, developer documents state.

It takes into account environmental concerns and will be LEED-certified, according to the resolution.

But Mayor John Tabori of University Park is concerned that adding such a dense site will complicate the storm water management of his neighboring town and create a maze that will be an eyesore to the greater community.

Tabori called the plan “grossly out of proportion.” He said he wants to see the area redeveloped, but with a significant redesign that takes into account the needs of pedestrians, bikers and community members, while meeting environmental standards.

Although Genn said the developer worked on many of the environmental issues, Tabori and others believe more can still be done.

The project would sit in unincorporated Prince George’s County, and thus the development is handled through the county board of planning and the District Council.

While Hunt opposes the project because of the threat of increased traffic, the City of Hyattsville did not directly oppose the project.

Hyattsville Community Development Manager Jim Chandler called the proposal a “win-win for the developers and the developments already built” near the site, because of everything the new neighborhood will offer in terms of businesses and restaurants.

Susan Lareuse, an urban design planner at the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, said the final resolution supporting the project was approved in February and sent to the District Council for a mandatory review.

A District Council hearing has not yet been set, she said. Among the main issues to be addressed are a waiver for the maximum height requirement and a rezoning for the transit district.

Genn said he hopes the project will be completed in the next 15 years.