Suitland 2. Consolidate frontage along Silver Hill Road (MD 458) as part of redevelopment. 3. Work with the General Services Administration, the National Park Service, and the Smithsonian to design and construct a multi-use off-street trail and greenway along federal property in the Suitland and Silver Hill communities. 4. Include placemaking urban park amenities in the redevelopment of the former Suitland Manor site.
Future Land Use Plan The future land use plan for the Suitland Metro Station area is consistent with the General Plan which designated the area as a Regional Center in 2002.
Flexible Use The Suitland Station Area Future Land Use Plan is, in general, in keeping with the spirit and policies of the existing regulatory framework covering the area, the 2006 Approved Suitland Mixed-Use Town Center Development Plan. The document states, on page 25, that “the M-U-TC Zone is intended to be flexible and allow the applicant alternatives...” and the future land use plan for the station area follows this approach, specifically with a land use plan that uses a ‘flexible’ land use category for the majority of frontage along Silver Hill Road (MD 458) and Suitland Road (MD 218). Within this ‘flexible’ use area, consolidation of commercial space to designated shopping center and node areas is recommended, allowing for a transition of some highway frontage between the nodes to other uses, such as high-density residential development along the southern frontage of Silver Hill Road (MD 458) at Swann Road. The location where the illustrative plan shows a new Suitland Civic Campus, between Hudson Avenue and Shadyside Avenue, is shown on the future land use plan in the flexible category, meaning that if this land is not selected for a civic use, the plan is flexible in terms of allowing its use for office, multifamily residential or retail development.
Commercial Shopping Center and Retail Nodes 108 | Suitland
Where this plan differs with the M-U-TC is in the concept for future use of the former Suitland Manor site northeast of the intersection of Silver Hill Road (MD 458) and Suitland Road (MD 218). The M-U-TC identifies a “Residential District” (2006 Approved Suitland Mixed-Use Town Center Development Plan, p. 33) on “neighborhood streets” located behind the commercial frontage. In addition to retail on the northeast corner of Suitland Road (MD 218) and Silver Hill Road (MD 458), the plan also requires that the ground level of buildings on the other two corners on the south side of Silver Hill Road (MD 458) and Suitland Road (MD 218) be devoted to the sale of retail goods and services. Given the large number of cars passing through this intersection, ground level retail should be included in any future development. The use of upper levels of new buildings at this location is flexible, meaning it could be a residential or office use. The other important retail node is at the consolidated Navy Day Drive intersection with Silver Hill Road (MD 458). A commercial use is required on the ground floor of new buildings at this intersection.
Residential Given the large supply of existing multifamily units and existing single-family development, the plan calls for residential uses in only a small number of locations, including: • The back side of the former Suitland Manor site as infill on land not needed for the new retail shopping center, and as a buffer between commercial or civic uses and the existing single-family dwellings. • On the east end of Silver Hill Road (MD 458) where a site plan has been approved for a large residential building with storefronts. A site on the west side of Suitland Parkway with access to Silver Hill Road (MD 458) is also planned for high-density residential development within the quarter-mile walk circle to the station entrance, where current residential zoning allows this TOD use.
does not see any market in the near term for private office space at Suitland. Future development of additional federal office space is accommodated along Suitland Road (MD 218) and Silver Hill Road (MD 458) on the Suitland Federal Center campus. Policy statements for future land use at Suitland are: 1. Maintain the basic recommendations of the Suitland M-U-TC Zone along Silver Hill Road (MD 458) and Suitland Road (MD 218), except as may be necessary to achieve even greater flexibility in future land use as intended by the proposed ‘flexible’ land use classification. 2. Construct an entertainment district, to include a new performing arts center in the vicinity of the Suitland Metro Station, Suitland High School, and Suitland Federal Center in order to ensure a vibrant mix of commercial, retail, hotel, restaurant, and/or civic uses recommended for the vicinity in the plan. 3. Require ground-level storefronts at the crossroads of Silver Hill Road (MD 458) and Suitland Road (MD 218) and at a consolidated Navy Day Drive intersection with Silver Hill Road (MD 458).
Proposed Zoning The general goals and policies of the existing Suitland M-U-TC are consistent with the approach recommended in the Southern Green Line sector plan, particularly in terms of providing flexibility regarding land use and the application of urban design standards. However, a number of issues have been identified regarding the Suitland M-U-TC that should be addressed in order to encourage and facilitate redevelopment and reinvestment in Suitland. The Suitland M-U-TC is ambiguous and unclear in regard to the allowed land uses, both in terms of the geographic extent of the commercial districts (boulevard and main streets) and residential district (neighborhood streets), and also whether or not a vertical mixing of uses is required, or whether or not residential uses can be developed without a vertical mix. The land use table seems to
Office The plan would allow for office development anywhere in the ‘flexible’ zone, however, the market study performed for the project Approved Southern Green Line Station Area Sector Plan and Sectional Map Amendment