[RP TownTalk] New sign on Cafritz Property!

Mon Aug 31 22:17:33 UTC 2009

Hi Adrianne and all,

It is difficult to say with certainty what is the likely outcome for the
Cafrtiz property, but let me give the following list of facts to try to
clarify where we are:

1) The property is currently zoned for single family housing--in other words
the owner can "build by right" with very little opportunity for
community/government input single family houses at about 5 per acre.

2) The Cafritz interest is in building a mixed use development of no single
family homes, some townhouses, and a lot of condos/and or apartments along
with 200,000 Sq. ft of commercial space (including a "whole foods"). This
basic scenario was laid out in the series of public meetings held in 2007.

3) They need a major rezoning to make this happen. Which means buy in from
the 3 effected communities so that County Council member Eric Olson supports

4) prior to there being any possibility of this happening, mitigation plans
for the MAJOR impact such a development would have on the transportation
network will have to presented and found acceptable.  This is where the
process has been for the last year and a half and I see no prospect of this
hurdle being overcome by the developer any time in the near future.

Frankly the process is dead in the water.

If the developer does come up with a plan that has some reasonable prospect
of flying, then there will be public hearings/presentations at the time.

Best wishes,

Vern

On Sun, Aug 30, 2009 at 1:52 PM, <Euniverz at aol.com> wrote:

>  Difficult for someone like me to understand all the implications, except
> to know a lot seems to be changing, some for the better, some not.
>
> Are there Riverdale Park officials out there who can distill the realities
> for someone who is is not (yet) directly involved in the intricacies?
>
> Thanks
> Adrianne Lefkowitz
>
>
>
>
>
> We now have our new sign up on the Cafritz property!
> It is located by the entrance to WAMATA.
> For those of you who are scratching their head wondering what the big deal
> is about the sign is-
>
> It is very much in the intrest of Riverdale Park to establish the fact that
> the Town has a presence on the RT. 1 side of the Cafritz Property.
>
> first, both University Park and College Park have organized groups that are
> monitoring the development. When the building happens, they do not want the
> traffic to exit out on to RT. 1, or through their neighborhoods.
>
> That means it will have to be filtered through Riverdale Park's ward 1.
> What are the greatest possible paths?
>
> The back side of the property abuts Rhoade Island Ave and the rail road
> tracks by the old ERCO building.
>
> If Rhode Island Avenue is opened again It will have to accommodate a
> sizable amount of traffic.? that would be going through half of what is now
> Town Center parking lot, and through the industrial area by Greg's Towing.
>
> Then we will have a real mess to deal with at the Queesburry Road and Rhode
> Island Avenue? train crossing!
>
> I know this Cafritz thing seems like a dream, because the property has been
> vacant for 50 years or so, but the entire area is currently in a state of
> transformation.
>
>
> Any citizen concerned about the town, and especially those in ward 1 who
> will be directly impacted, we need to start taking this thing seriously, or
> we will wake up one day and find something we never bargained for in our
> back yard.
>
> With the advent of the purple line, the character of the entire area is
> being redesigned by the developers.?The type of development that ?happens in
> our neighboring towns directly affects Riverdale Park.
>
>
> For those who don't get the Gazette delivered to your street-
>
> Heare?is a shortened? article this week written by David Hill. Read full
> article on page A-4?
> Mixed Use Proposal Irks residents
>
> West Hyattsville complex could change area for worse
> ?
> "University Park residents are worried that a proposed housing complex in
> West Hyattsville could bring pollution, noise and traffic to their town.
> The New Belcrest Plaza would replace the existing 50-year-old low-rise
> apartment complex of the same name with 2,750 new housing units and more
> than 250,000 square feet of office and retail space.It would include a 4
> story townhouse complex, 17-story high-rise apartments and a 33-story mixed
> use tower across from the mall at Prince Georges Plaza."
> "If I wanted to live in Bethesda, I would live in Bethesda"said town
> council woman Anne O'Connor (ward 6). "the idea of moving low income
> families to make room for young, urban professionals doesn't feel right to
> me."
> "Jonathan Glenn ( executive vice president of Silver Spring based Percontee
> Inc, which owns Belcrest Plaza)
> said he expects most current tenants to move out , and for the existing
> complex to stop accepting new tenants in the coming year. Any remaining
> tenants, he said, would be relocated at the developers' expense."
> ?
> The Proposed complex includes buildings that violate both the areas minimum
> and maximum allowable height of?6 and 16 stories tall.
> the District Council would have to waive these zoning requirements and
> Prince Georges County Planning Board would also have to approve the project.
> Glenn said the approval process would likely take about 6-months"
>
>
> ?Melissa
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
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>

-- 
Vernon Archer, Mayor
Town of Riverdale Park, Maryland
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