I applaud the city for this plan. I believe that prioritizing pedestrian and bicycle access within our city will have long term benefits and is in line with our goals for more sustainable development. My one objection to the plan is the extension of 39th Avenue to Nicholson street. I don't feel that extending this street offers much in the way of connectivity and it would greatly impact the quiet character of 39th and Madison. I would also add that putting in a sidewalk on Madison street between 40th and 41st (currently only one side of the street has a sidewalk on that block of Madison) would be very nice.

Toole Design is a great outfit and I love that we are working with them on improvements to our city's transportation plan. I would speak about two issues: a light at Nicholson and Queens Chapel, and a connecting road between 39th and Nicholson.

Re: The Light. After living at the top corner of Nicholson and Queens Chapel for 3 years, I can tell you a light is desperately needed. I witnessed countless accidents at that corner sitting on my front porch. Every single one was an issue of someone taking a shortcut through the neighborhood (hence all the speed bumps to deter people from doing so). A light there will save lives and save property -- just ask the people who have found cars in their yards from crossings gone bad.

Re: The Connector to 39th and Nicholson. I have a vested interest in this not happening since it would dramatically and negatively impact my street. But it also doesn't make a lot of sense to create traffic flow there anyway. Why? What destination is at the top of the hill that people need to get to with better flow or urgency? Just residential houses. Creating bikes and walking paths and even a pocket park at the top of that hill? Sure, that would achieve more active transportation and commerce goals by making connecting to the PG Plaza metro and shops a little easier. But a full blown street just seems silly and an unnecessary undertaking for no clear gain. Again, I have a lot of faith in Toole, so I'll be following this with interest. But I will oppose a street connector.

I am completely opposed to the idea of connecting 39th Avenue to Nicholson Street. While it is true that eliminating dead end roads can create more convenient ways to get around the neighborhood, and redistribute traffic, it also eliminates low-traffic spaces that residents make use of on a regular basis. In this particular case, the cul-de-sac where 39th Ave terminates near Madison Ave is used by neighborhood children for recreational purposes. The fact that this is low traffic area has also made it ideal for the annual block party and, this year, the Soap Box Derby race. I question the wisdom of spending money on a feasibility study in this location in the first place. There are houses dividing the 39th Ave termination point and Nicholson Ave. How could the city possibly connect these two roads given the current situation?

A major omission is the long-standing pedestrian-safety problem due to lack of sidewalk on 42nd Ave. between Crittenden and Decatur and on Decatur between 42nd and 42nd Pl. Given just the number of children who use that route to and from school in the morning, and the lack of alternate, safe routes to the civic center of Hyattsville from the southside of the Historic District, I would hope that the City would follow its Sidewalk Enhancement Policy in at least this one case. In fact, 10 years ago the Neighborhood Design Center formally requested the City to install sidewalks there as part of the trail-access project on Crittenden St. I've heard a number of neighbors complain about how uncomfortable it is to drive that block of 42nd Ave. due to the narrowness, lack of sight lines, and frequent presence of children and other pedestrians on the roadway. It's not great for drivers or pedestrians. But let's at least fix this for the children in our community, if nothing else.

There's a lot of great ideas in the priority list. I avidly support making Hyattsville a safe and comfortable place to walk and bicycle. The proposal to transform Hamilton seems particularly good. However I didn't see any documentation about the need to connect 39th Street and Madison to Nicholson Street. The traffic signal at Queen's Chapel and Nicholson will likely create back up traffic on Nicholson. Any increase in traffic on Nicholson would negatively impact the Bicycle Boulevard proposal. Connecting another road there doesn't seem like a great idea. If a road-size outlet is in demand from 39th and Madison, it would make more sense and be shorter to connect through the existing driveway at Independence Court across from Manorwood. There is room for pedestrian / bicycle trail access if that was the need. I don't like the idea of taking someone's home for a road. It's not that far from 39th and Madison to Longfellow which connects to Queen's Chapel. There is redevelopment planned for Sacred Heart at the end of 38th Street which could incorporate a new connection to Queen's Chapel as well.

I am writing to express my strong opposition to the Magruder Pointe Development proposal by Werrlein Properties. I am deeply dismayed by the proposed demolition of the existing WSSC building, as well as the loss of potential open space for our community. While I realize that it can be difficult for many people to get beyond the "run down" nature of a vacant building, I would like to provide my professional opinion as a preservation architect, that this building offers great potential for adaptive reuse. Unfortunately, Werrlein has dismissed this possibility outright.

It has been proven over and over again that people appreciate historic architecture as being essential to the identity and unique character of their communities. Hyattsville is a historic neighborhood - people are attracted to Hyattsville precisely because of its historic building stock and, even more so, as the recent wave of adaptive reuse projects have created lively community spaces like Pyramid Atlantic, Vigilante Coffee and Pizzeria Paradiso. I would argue that it is exactly these types of adaptive reuse projects that are the reason Hyattsville is now in demand as a desirable place to live. The preservation of buildings that are part and parcel of our community’s history is essential to cultural, social, economic and environmental sustainability.

I don’t want Hyattsville to succumb to the kind of increasingly fast-paced, anonymous and “placeless” form of urban development that has drastically changed similar neighborhoods in the metro area. The individual character of Hyattsville is a precious commodity that we should not just throw away to the highest bidder. It is the unique identity of Hyattsville as a product of incremental development over time, that helps create a sense of stability and community spirit.

More specifically the WSSC building offers many qualities that would be lost forever if it is demolished, including:

1. A richness of design that spans three distinct architectural styles and time periods.

2. Solid construction and a high degree of craftsmanship and quality materials.

3. A thoughtful and considerate site design that utilizes the change in grade to negotiate the building’s relationship to both the residential character of Hamilton Street and the existing open character of Gallatin Street.

4. A tangible connection to our city’s history as the headquarters of a major public utility.

It is very convenient for developers to say that it isn’t financially feasible to rehab an old building when they have no interest or intention of preservation. It is my professional opinion that the WSSC building is a viable candidate for adaptive reuse and is in considerably better shape than many buildings I have seen brought back from neglect and vacancy to a vibrant new use.

In terms of the parking lot on which Werrlein is proposing to build town homes, I would much prefer to see this portion of the property remain open space. Its location directly adjacent to the entrance of our largest city park is a golden opportunity that our city should simply NOT pass up. Once this parcel is developed, the opportunity to add additional public green space and recreational opportunities is lost. I would encourage our city leadership to find a creative solution that would add this parcel to our existing park.

Development pressures are one of the biggest challenges to adding and maintaining green space in cities - it takes the will of the governing bodies to see the value of access to public open space/parks and prioritize that over development. The required zoning change for this proposal provides the city with considerable leverage in negotiating the future use of this portion of the site - why give that away with no benefit to the larger community? Is it because we are worried about getting “a reputation as a community as being anti-development?” (As we know, this is a concern for Councilmember Warner, whom I am quoting). As a resident I am much more concerned about getting a reputation as a city that doesn’t fight for its community values. I can guarantee that the desire for more open space and maintaining historic neighborhood character are routinely listed among the top values that residents site in Hyattsville.

We can all lament the fact that the city didn’t take earlier opportunities to acquire this property or that previous plans for adaptive reuse fell through or that the building is listed as a contributing structure to the Hyattsville Historic District but which affords no legal protections for preservation, but the fact is we are where we are. I am asking our mayor and council to be the people that stand up for our community values despite development pressure. Why not be the city that sends developers packing when it is not in the best interest of our community?

I would be happy to elaborate more on my specific criticisms of the proposed site plan (especially the town homes located on the lower lot which are poorly sited and not in keeping with our neighborhood, or even regional, character. Why are we plunking down Savannah in the middle of Hyattsville again?) but my real hope is that the mayor and city council will reject this proposal and will stand up for our collective best interest.

I do not think this is the right development for the site, especially because of the impacts it would have on Magruder Park. The current lower parking lot should be part of an expanded Magruder park or school (provided the floodplain issue can be dealt with). Converting this lot to single family homes would alter the character of the park for the worse and the park is one of the gems of the city.

I wouldn't be against a smaller scope development for the WSSC building site only, though I would also like the city/county to seriously consider options for the site for a school or community center, or even limited mixed use and take into consideration the historical significance of parts of the building. On the whole, I would rather see the building reused as much as possible. It is better to wait and make the right decision.

• How will we have events like the cyclocross and carnival without the parking lot?
• This development encroaches on the playground at Magruder Park. That is not ok. Even if they redesign the playground it will still be looming in the shadow of these new houses.
• The amount of traffic this development will bring in is untenable - it will make it even more dangerous for kids, joggers, bikers, etc. to get from the neighborhood into Magruder park. That intersection (at the entrance to Magruder Park) is already at capacity.
• We need this space for our community. There would be little to gain for current residents by building this development, but the developers have a lot to gain ($$$).
• It is highly likely that PGCPS will choose to build a new school in this location once they get to that point in the CIP process. If the land is already gone, this will no longer be a possibility. There are really no other places central to the neighborhood for a rebuild of Hyattsville Elementary. HES is high on the county CIP list, just not at the point right now where the school district can act so it's really up to us to leave this space available.
• Impact on the environment - the developer says there will be no impact but what form of accountability will the developer have? For how long?

While I appreciate the financial windfall Werrlein Properties, LLC would make turning what was once and office building and parking lot into a couple of acres of high density housing I fail to see what benefit that has to the community. New housing will not match with the existing neighborhood, many of which are 100 year old homes. The minimal facilities that are the playground and pool would become overrun with hundreds of new residents and those residents already in the neighborhood would have little to gain from this development. The ideal would be reusing the existing structure for some sort of community center but that may not be a fiscally viable option. I understand that Werrlein is in the business of turning a profit but if the development had any sort of mixed use component to it (gym, shops, restaurants, anything for the community) with residential above or beside that would be more of a win/win for the company and the community. If the only option the city is pursuing is dumping a couple hundred families into the bottom of the neighborhood in new housing my preference would be to keep the empty office building and parking lot which while not ideal doesn't create any strain on the community.

Look at the list- Pyramid Atlantic, Franklins, Vigilante Coffee, Pizza Paradiso, The Firehouse Lofts. In my opinion, the soul and charm of Hyattsville lies in institutions like these and the old homes, not in new development. We are a historic district for a reason. Lets not kill the golden goose.

Magruder Park is a public space. It's where we end the annual parade to celebrate the city. It's where we hold the carnival, the cyclocross, and where folks are out and about every day. While the parking lot there is a bit of an eyesore, it's still provides sightlines into the park and helps keep the park open and inviting. Yeah, it's not actually public property but historically it was and the council(s) should look into options of restoring it to such.

Packing in a bunch of pricey new homes will permanently alter the character of the park and reduce our public space, something Hyattsville is already short of. We already have big developments up and down route 1 and 410 and near west hyattsville Metro - that's plenty.

If we're going to do something with the parking lot and old WSSC building sites, best to make them in the service of the public. Put the new elementary school in the lot and make the old WSSC building a community center or mow it down and make it more parkland. Keep Magruder our public meeting space. As we pack in more residents, we'll need it even more...

I agree with Loire and Taylor. This going to cause even worse traffic issues on 40th Place and the historic streets of Hamilton, Gallatin and Farragut. My family also does not like the high density in this tract and demolition of a very historic property.

Furthermore, individual homeowners in Hyattsville have to jump through hoops in order to get permission for additional lot coverage for home additions on 7500 square foot lots, but a developer can almost entirely cover these lots with townhomes and other homes that all look similar? It doesn't make sense and does not promote smart growth.

If such high density is what the community wants (though I don't), then infrastructure needs to be in place to support it, such as increased bus service to the metro station, making 40th Place a one way street and more police enforcing stop sign running and other traffic issues, a bigger elementary school, etc.

I do not support this density level of development in a flood plain. O-S zoning is in place for a reason. This does not seem like wise development that will benefit Hyattsville in the long run for a multitude of reasons, this includes traffic, impact to Magruder Park, impact to already overtaxed public schools and the inexperience of the developer on this scale of a project. I hope that the WSSC site can be developed with a little more thought on how it impacts the community.