Two waves of development have produced the current development pattern within the Transit District area since the mid-1950s (See Figure 2. Prince George’s Plaza Transit District: Development Activity Timeline 1950–2015 for a detailed listing of projects, including the year each one was completed). The former Prince George’s Plaza Shopping Center was built in 1959. Much of the multifamily residential development along Toledo Terrace, Dean Drive, and Northwest Drive was constructed between 1960 and 1968. The three iconic federal office buildings (designed by Edward Durell Stone) at University Town Center were built between 1963 and 1971. Because no transit service was available and access to I-95 was promised, all three buildings were surrounded by large parking lots. No additional development occurred in the Transit District area between 1971 and 1999. The Prince George’s Plaza Metro Station opened for service in 1993. New commercial development was built between 1999 and 2004. The existing pedestrian bridge between the shopping mall and the Metro station was built between 2000 and 2005 to permit safer pedestrian access across East West Highway. In 2004, the Prince George’s Plaza was renovated and renamed The Mall at Prince Georges.
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Prince George’s Plaza TDDP/TDOZMA • September 2015
Development momentum has accelerated in recent years with the construction of three new apartment buildings—Post Park, Mosaic at Metro, and 3350 at Alterra—with additional development in the pipeline (see Tables 2 and 3). Investors have also recently purchased the retail space at UTC along with Metro 3, 4, and 5, which promises to inject new activity and vibrancy in the center. New multifamily residential development has received approval for construction west of the Giant Food supermarket and north of Plaza Towers. In 2015, construction began on a new Safeway supermarket at UTC. Today, retail, office, and residential land uses dominate the area. Institutional and public uses are clustered along the eastern and southern borders of the Transit District. Serving the Transit District, but located just outside its borders, are Northwestern High School, the Prince George’s Plaza Community Center, the Hyattsville Public Library, the Hyattsville Fire/EMS Station, Nicholas Orem Middle School, Edward Felegy Elementary School, and several churches [mostly fronting along Adelphi Road and MD 500 (Queens Chapel Road)].