1. Introduction

Existing Conditions

1. Introduction

Takoma/Langley Crossroads (TLC) is a low- to mid-density area made up of socioeconomically and ethnically diverse residential communities and multicultural retail establishments. The area has been designated as a Local Center in Plan Prince George’s 2035 Approved General Plan’s Growth Policy Map. Centered around the commercial node and transit hub at the intersection of New Hampshire Avenue and University Boulevard, TLC extends across three jurisdictions: Prince George’s County, the City of Takoma Park, and Montgomery County. The predominant development typology along the central corridor is single-story strip retail, with adjoining residential garden-style apartments to the north and single-family homes to the south. Across the various uses that exist in the area, TLC is defined by a majority-foreign-born population and a dense concentration of international and small businesses, hence its designation as Maryland’s International Corridor.

As part of the construction of the Purple Line, a new light rail line extending from Bethesda to New Carrollton, two stations are planned within TLC along University Boulevard—one at the New Hampshire Avenue intersection and one at the Riggs Road intersection. On October 23, 2018, the Prince George’s County Council adopted a new Zoning Ordinance that includes five Transit-Oriented/ Activity Center zones designed to realize high-intensity, mixed-use development at transit stations, including Purple Line stations. On July 23, 2019, a Countywide Map Amendment (CMA) was initiated to apply the zones of the new Zoning Ordinance to land in Prince George’s County so that the new Zoning Ordinance can take effect. Planning Department staff have prepared a proposed zoning map in accordance with the County Council’s initiation of the CMA and simultaneous adoption of rezoning guidance contained in the 2019 Approved Guide to New Zones. The proposed rezoning for the TLC area includes existing commercial retail centers along New Hampshire Avenue and University Boulevard, mid-density apartment buildings north of University Boulevard, and office buildings at the eastern end of TLC (see Figure 1A). Through this proposed rezoning, the County hopes to enable denser, mixed-use development; promote economic activity; and improve walkability, while preserving the mix of cultures and incomes that exist in the area.

This section of the report provides an overview of existing conditions within the boundaries of the proposed rezoning area (see Figure 1B). The following analysis leverages demographic and market data to provide insight into current and future development opportunities and challenges within the study area. This review of existing conditions informed the identification of actions the County can take to support TOD as well as the analysis of specific parcels that represent the strongest opportunities for TOD in the area.

In preparing this section, HR&A and Toole Design reviewed existing multifamily and commercial development, with a particular focus on retail; connectivity and circulation across sites; and precedent TOD projects in the region that illustrate the types of mixed-use development that may be feasible in TLC.

Figure 1A: Proposed Zoning as of January 2021, Pursuant to Countywide Map Amendment

Source: Prince George’s County GIS Data, HR&A Advisors, Inc.

Figure 1B: Study Area Boundaries

Source: M-NCPPC, Prince George’s County GIS Data, HR&A Advisors, Inc.