Strong Places: Strengthening Places Across Prince George’s County and Improving the Core Business Environment

STRONG PLACES: STRENGTHENING PLACES ACROSS PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY AND IMPROVING THE CORE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT

Situational Analysis

Build on Strengths and Opportunities

• Capitalize on development momentum • Implement promising changes to County’s zoning and permitting • Encourage development in areas around transit-lines and in designated “downtowns”

Address Weaknesses and Gaps

• Change the perception of Prince George’s County • Create a stronger sense of place • Overcome hurdles with development processes

It is difficult to overstate the importance of quality, livable places in the 21st century’s knowledge-based economy. In an interesting paradox, the more globally integrated the world economy has become, the more that local resources matter and creating robust, dynamic, live-work-play physical environments is becoming a key resource for attracting the talent and investment needed to advance thriving industry clusters. As such, placemaking is an important part of the economic development toolkit.

Prince George’s County has placed a significant emphasis on placemaking to support economic development, taking advantage of the County’s access to major

roadways and its robust transit infrastructure. Plan 2035, the physical blueprint for guiding the County’s physical development, identifies eight Regional Transit Districts (RTDs) for focusing denser, mixed-use development over time (see Figure 6). Seven of the RTDs have existing connections to the Metro system, while the eighth (National Harbor) has the potential for future connectivity. As part of the RTDs, Plan 2035 places special emphasis on three of the RTDs that can create more substantial downtown areas in the County—Prince George’s Plaza in Hyattsville, New Carrollton Metro, and Largo Town Center. Plus, Plan 2035 identifies an Innovation Corridor for the County that offers economic synergies likely to promote future growth from research and advanced industry development (Figure 7). The Innovation Corridor consists of BARC, Berwyn Heights, College Park, Edmonston, Greenbelt, Hyattsville, Riverdale Park, University Park, the Route 1 Corridor, and around the University of Maryland (see Figure 7). Plan 2035 also identifies the goal to concentrate medium-to high-density housing