• Retail on Sargent Road has very large setbacks and underutilized surface parking. • Retail leases and property ownership inhibit near-term redevelopment opportunities. • Buildings are aging and lack landscaping. New Hampshire Avenue Commercial Corridor • A mix of office and low-density commercial strip retail. • Multiple owners. • Includes a grocery store and various ethnic restaurants. • Commercial properties are in need of improvements. • Little to no landscaping. • New Hampshire Avenue is the County line shared with Montgomery County and the City of Takoma Park and is the subject of the New Hampshire Avenue Corridor Concept Plan. • Redevelopment opportunities greatly improve with the redesign of New Hampshire Avenue into a more pedestrian-friendly boulevard.
Facilitate Commercial Property Improvements. As the community
gave feedback on the state of their neighborhood, they noted that the quality of the buildings in the study area had declined rapidly in recent years. Many community members expressed a desire for more stringent design standards for landscaping and signage. Poor property maintenance and visual quality of existing development impedes community revitalization and the improvement of property values for nearby homeowners. This is one step along the critical path toward more substantial redevelopment in the study area. Improving the visual quality of existing properties with relatively low-cost investments improves the perception of the study area for further investment. The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), in partnership with the Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation, the Redevelopment Authority, and the Revenue Authority, should consider implementing a greater Chillum façade improvement program. The goal of this recommendation is to improve the quality of the study area’s public realm without major construction. This method also does not change the built form of existing buildings, although it improves the visual experience. Examples include new signage and wayfinding, installation of landscape strips with trees and planting, wider sidewalks that allow outdoor dining, and fresh retail façades. Surface parking lots, multiple curb cuts, and other suburban development patterns will remain. This recommendation envisions that the County will work with property owners to make façade improvements that create a unique identity for each commercial center consistent with the marketing and outreach
Many community members expressed a desire for more stringent design standards for landscaping and signage.
Redevelopment and Revitalization Greater Chillum Community Study
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