Comments on: Ehrlich Transportation Plan Unsuitable for College Park http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/2010/4181/ Helping imagine a great college town for a great university Fri, 25 Jan 2013 04:03:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Mark Noll http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/2010/4181/comment-page-1/#comment-188981 Mark Noll Sat, 06 Nov 2010 22:40:46 +0000 http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/2010/4181/#comment-188981 Tommy: Having lived in Louisville for the past several years, I felt compelled to respond to your comment. True, a transit project is not the deciding factor in the development of an area, but comparing what has happened in the downtown of a mid-sized city to a suburban area outside of a major city doesn't make a lot of sense. There are many factors that make these two areas very different, and hence, they require a very different strategy for economic development. Downtown Louisville's recent success was supported by the development of an internationally-recognized waterfront park and the opening of a new arena on Main Street. Louisville also has several interstate highways that flow into downtown. College Park and the surrounding areas have a much larger and more dispersed transit-dependent population than Louisville. The Purple Line will provide an important transportation option to the resident's of this area and reduce the need for the horrid highways that divide our neighborhoods and create dangerous conditions for pedestrians and cyclists. For College Park, it will provide a safe and convenient option for people to come to College Park and provide the demand necessary to spawn further economic development. Tommy: Having lived in Louisville for the past several years, I felt compelled to respond to your comment. True, a transit project is not the deciding factor in the development of an area, but comparing what has happened in the downtown of a mid-sized city to a suburban area outside of a major city doesn’t make a lot of sense. There are many factors that make these two areas very different, and hence, they require a very different strategy for economic development. Downtown Louisville’s recent success was supported by the development of an internationally-recognized waterfront park and the opening of a new arena on Main Street. Louisville also has several interstate highways that flow into downtown. College Park and the surrounding areas have a much larger and more dispersed transit-dependent population than Louisville. The Purple Line will provide an important transportation option to the resident’s of this area and reduce the need for the horrid highways that divide our neighborhoods and create dangerous conditions for pedestrians and cyclists. For College Park, it will provide a safe and convenient option for people to come to College Park and provide the demand necessary to spawn further economic development.

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]]> By: Robert Catlin http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/2010/4181/comment-page-1/#comment-188979 Robert Catlin Sat, 06 Nov 2010 15:06:33 +0000 http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/2010/4181/#comment-188979 Actually large vacant lots are not the problem in College Park. You can't easily redevelopment small lots and few developers are interested in assembling small lots. The large vacant lots will be redeveloped long before many of the small run down properties. By the way the video incorrectly locates the old home of Terrapin Taco. That building was torn down many years ago. Terrapin Taco was on the site of the housing project being built immediately south of the Jiffy Lube. A video of this corridor in 2006 would show even worse conditions than exists there now and very little sign of improvement, so I don't believe it shows what you say it shows. Actually large vacant lots are not the problem in College Park. You can’t easily redevelopment small lots and few developers are interested in assembling small lots. The large vacant lots will be redeveloped long before many of the small run down properties.

By the way the video incorrectly locates the old home of Terrapin Taco. That building was torn down many years ago. Terrapin Taco was on the site of the housing project being built immediately south of the Jiffy Lube.

A video of this corridor in 2006 would show even worse conditions than exists there now and very little sign of improvement, so I don’t believe it shows what you say it shows.

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]]> By: Tommy Priestley http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/2010/4181/comment-page-1/#comment-188977 Tommy Priestley Sat, 06 Nov 2010 05:34:12 +0000 http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/2010/4181/#comment-188977 By the way if you are interested in seeing my take on the results of the election, which includes the problem of large vacant lots in College Park, please check out my newest youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHP8I7XvNrE By the way if you are interested in seeing my take on the results of the election, which includes the problem of large vacant lots in College Park, please check out my newest youtube video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHP8I7XvNrE

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]]> By: Robert Catlin http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/2010/4181/comment-page-1/#comment-188974 Robert Catlin Fri, 05 Nov 2010 13:57:44 +0000 http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/2010/4181/#comment-188974 Mr. Priestly is simply wrong when he says the City is anti-business. It is obvious his source for this information is the Diamondback, which likes to say such things about the City, though it can never support its position with any facts. The City was the catalyst to rezone Route to permit housing starting back in the late 1990's and has never opposed a single student housing project to date. The City Councilhas recommended approval for all seven student housing projects that have been submitted to the County Planning Board since the Route 1 sector plan was adopted in 2002. The City has recommended approval for the 20+ requests that have come before it for a new liquor license over the past decade, too, with one exception. That exception was for the license transfer to the Shopper's Food on Cherry Hill Road. Just this year the City has recommended approval of licenses for two restaurants (with bars) downtown, Ledo Restaurant and Vito's. The only example given by Mr. Priestly, No. 1 Liquors, is such a poor example. This liquor store had what was in effect a private traffic light that was needed to make the new University View student housing project functional, so it needed to be part of the redevelopment. For various reasons that did not happen, so now they are totally surounded by two major redevelopment projects, on a very small parcel of land (about 4500 square feet), which never can be redeveloped to the curent Route 1 Sector Plan requirements. Mr. Priestly is simply wrong when he says the City is anti-business. It is obvious his source for this information is the Diamondback, which likes to say such things about the City, though it can never support its position with any facts.

The City was the catalyst to rezone Route to permit housing starting back in the late 1990′s and has never opposed a single student housing project to date. The City Councilhas recommended approval for all seven student housing projects that have been submitted to the County Planning Board since the Route 1 sector plan was adopted in 2002.

The City has recommended approval for the 20+ requests that have come before it for a new liquor license over the past decade, too, with one exception. That exception was for the license transfer to the Shopper’s Food on Cherry Hill Road. Just this year the City has recommended approval of licenses for two restaurants (with bars) downtown, Ledo Restaurant and Vito’s.

The only example given by Mr. Priestly, No. 1 Liquors, is such a poor example. This liquor store had what was in effect a private traffic light that was needed to make the new University View student housing project functional, so it needed to be part of the redevelopment. For various reasons that did not happen, so now they are totally surounded by two major redevelopment projects, on a very small parcel of land (about 4500 square feet), which never can be redeveloped to the curent Route 1 Sector Plan requirements.

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]]> By: Tommy Priestley http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/2010/4181/comment-page-1/#comment-188971 Tommy Priestley Fri, 05 Nov 2010 07:19:22 +0000 http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/2010/4181/#comment-188971 David thanks for the thoughtful response. I think TOD is great and yes in Virginia and Montgomery there are some positive examples, as well as the Prince George's Plaza Metro in the past 5 years there is a pulse of development although only about half of what was expected by now (the remaining half of UTC as well as the hotel and other previously planned apartment/condo buildings). I just wanted to point out that a transit project is not the deciding factor of development in the community. It can assist it, but only under the right conditions, meanwhile dense infill development can also take place without mass transit. Look at Downtown Louisville, KY. They've done a lot in the way of pedestrian plazas and infill retail, entertainment, hotel and housing within office towers. There is no rail in Louisville. Likewise Baltimore also has light rail and many of the stops have no discernible development. Thus I support mass transit ONLY when there is money to build it, which Maryland will not have for years. I won't support federal funds either since we are in a huge hole right now, and it's not good to build this kind of stuff when the deficit is so high while people have such a high tax burden right now. I think where I really disagree David is the planning, zoning, permitting, licenses, etc. The layers between College Park, M-NCPPC and Prince George's County serve to stifle many people from trying to open a business in College Park. I think it should be easier to open a business. A fast food place provides jobs and money for the local economy better than a large vacant lot or storefront. People should be encouraged to open businesses, not discouraged. It seems like there's a faction in College Park that's out to choke out many of the businesses in the city that are employing people and putting money into the economy. I've seen quoted comments of people in the gazette over the years disparaging pizza places, sandwich shops, bars, liquor stores and counter-service restaurants, and sometimes these were from people on the city council. The type of opposition as well as the suffocating permitting, zoning, and licensing process leaves places like 7201 and 7207 Baltimore Avenue Vacant, along with places like the former Sizzler/Mexican Restaurant/Varsity Grill and Terrapin Taco House, the storefronts at University View Overlook, which is ironically next to a perfectly good business No. 1 Liquors that College Park tried to extort out of business. The fact that people are against someone with millions wanting to invest at the Maryland Book Exchange makes me wonder how someone who barely has enough money to open a business can somehow stay afloat for months or possibly years going through the red tape before they can even accept their first customer. I don't mind the zoning guidelines for new construction such as building up to the sidewalk. But that's about where my intrusion ends. But even when the developer follows through they City Council and District Council still add on more and more recommendations. Just let them build! Places start developing reputations as being unfriendly to business. I think College Park should make a U-turn and just try being ultra-business friendly for 5 years. If it doesn't work, we'll go back to the way it's been for the last 30 years which leaves all the empty storefronts on Route 1. Mark I have seen that goodspeed update and we have been eagerly anticipating development around West Hyattsville, College Park, and Greenbelt stations. I still think that the M-NCPPC and city councils cannot really bring development until they develop a reputation for being business friendly, thus bringing job and quality services to our community. David thanks for the thoughtful response. I think TOD is great and yes in Virginia and Montgomery there are some positive examples, as well as the Prince George’s Plaza Metro in the past 5 years there is a pulse of development although only about half of what was expected by now (the remaining half of UTC as well as the hotel and other previously planned apartment/condo buildings). I just wanted to point out that a transit project is not the deciding factor of development in the community. It can assist it, but only under the right conditions, meanwhile dense infill development can also take place without mass transit. Look at Downtown Louisville, KY. They’ve done a lot in the way of pedestrian plazas and infill retail, entertainment, hotel and housing within office towers. There is no rail in Louisville. Likewise Baltimore also has light rail and many of the stops have no discernible development. Thus I support mass transit ONLY when there is money to build it, which Maryland will not have for years. I won’t support federal funds either since we are in a huge hole right now, and it’s not good to build this kind of stuff when the deficit is so high while people have such a high tax burden right now.

I think where I really disagree David is the planning, zoning, permitting, licenses, etc. The layers between College Park, M-NCPPC and Prince George’s County serve to stifle many people from trying to open a business in College Park. I think it should be easier to open a business. A fast food place provides jobs and money for the local economy better than a large vacant lot or storefront. People should be encouraged to open businesses, not discouraged. It seems like there’s a faction in College Park that’s out to choke out many of the businesses in the city that are employing people and putting money into the economy. I’ve seen quoted comments of people in the gazette over the years disparaging pizza places, sandwich shops, bars, liquor stores and counter-service restaurants, and sometimes these were from people on the city council. The type of opposition as well as the suffocating permitting, zoning, and licensing process leaves places like 7201 and 7207 Baltimore Avenue Vacant, along with places like the former Sizzler/Mexican Restaurant/Varsity Grill and Terrapin Taco House, the storefronts at University View Overlook, which is ironically next to a perfectly good business No. 1 Liquors that College Park tried to extort out of business.

The fact that people are against someone with millions wanting to invest at the Maryland Book Exchange makes me wonder how someone who barely has enough money to open a business can somehow stay afloat for months or possibly years going through the red tape before they can even accept their first customer.

I don’t mind the zoning guidelines for new construction such as building up to the sidewalk. But that’s about where my intrusion ends. But even when the developer follows through they City Council and District Council still add on more and more recommendations. Just let them build! Places start developing reputations as being unfriendly to business. I think College Park should make a U-turn and just try being ultra-business friendly for 5 years. If it doesn’t work, we’ll go back to the way it’s been for the last 30 years which leaves all the empty storefronts on Route 1.

Mark I have seen that goodspeed update and we have been eagerly anticipating development around West Hyattsville, College Park, and Greenbelt stations. I still think that the M-NCPPC and city councils cannot really bring development until they develop a reputation for being business friendly, thus bringing job and quality services to our community.

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