FROM THE EDITOR
Editor asks, ‘Who’s in charge — you or your phone?’ P. 2
St. Jerome Academy announces major expansion By Lindsay Myers
In a move to cut lengthy waiting lists for admission, St. Jerome Academy (SJA) has announced an expansion plan that will begin this fall with the addition of a third Montessori pre-K class and a second kindergarten. An additional class will be added each successive year until enrollment — currently 333 students — caps at around 530 in the 20272028 school year. “When we began making admissions this winter,” said SJA Principal Danny Flynn, “there were four applicants for every opening in our two Montessori Primary [pre-
PROPERTY TAXES
City council voted on the 2019 property tax rate. Read more in the news briefs. P. 6
GOING TO MARKET Farmers market has a new home at Summer Jam. P. 9
Life&Times
Vol. 15 No. 5
Hyattsville’s Community Newspaper
May 2018
The former Washington Surburban Sanitary Commission building is the subject of a lively debate among residents — is the Werrlein plan progress or a problem?
ST. JEROME continued on page 3
Popular annual Historic House Tour returns on May 20 By Maria James
The 39th annual Historic House Tour, hosted by the Hyattsville Preservation Association (HPA), will be held on Sunday, May 20, from 1 to 5 p.m. The self-guided walking tour starts at the Hyattsville Municipal Building, located at 4310 Gallatin Street, where participants will receive an informative booklet that includes a map of the houses on the tour. All of the houses featured on the tour are within walking distance and may be seen in any order at the visitor’s own pace. The city TOUR continued on page 10
Community divided Hyattsville shouldn’t miss out on this opportunity to beautify, unify
Hyattsville can do better than the Werrlein proposal
By Will Seath
By Tim Davis
Werrlein Properties’ proposal for the long-neglected former WSSC property would restore the Historic District’s pattern of traditional residential development to a site where it previously existed, stitching the surrounding neighborhood back together with a sensible, attractive streetscape while removing a dangerous eyesore. Though I take its opponents in good faith, their arguments risk missing an opportunity to
Werrlein Properties’ proposal for the redevelopment of the former WSSC headquarters has engendered lively public debate. As a professional historian, preservationist and longtime Hyattsville resident, I believe the proposal’s purported benefits are significantly outweighed by the damage it would do the city’s historic character, community identity, and social and environmental sustainability. Neighbors
WERRLEIN-FOR continued on page 12
WERRLEIN-AGAINST continued on page 11
CENTER SECTION: MAY 8, 2018 ISSUE OF THE HYATTSVILLE REPORTER — IN ESPANOL TOO! HYATTSVILLE MD PERMIT NO. 1383
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