More News

Despite the lack of a specific timeline and uncertain funding in a recession, county officials are optimistic about redevelopment in Wheaton, setting an aggressive schedule for planning as the area's revitalized sector plan begins to take shape.

"Sometimes the best time to plan is in a recession because everybody's looking to prepare themselves in an economic upturn," said Sandra Tallant, the county planner heading up Wheaton's overhaul.

A new round of community meetings is set for February, county officials are gathering "some of the best minds in the county" to discuss Wheaton's redevelopment and a key commercial project in the northern business district is set to proceed, said Rob Klein, director of the redevelopment program for Montgomery County.

"It's time is coming closer," Klein said.

Community officials such as Natalie Cantor, director of the Mid-County Regional Services Center, have long believed that redevelopment is necessary to provide a solid customer base for local businesses. But with an uncertain economy that has already wracked budgets, county officials are hoping businesses can hold out a little bit longer.

"This is part of a larger economic downturn," Cantor said. "We're not exempt from it. We will get through it, and we'll come out on the other side."

The family-owned businesses in Wheaton's central business district —especially restaurants—have been struggling during the recession, Klein said.

Several have failed in recent months. Taverna Kefi, a Greek restaurant on Fern Street, closed in the fall after about four months. And the Montgomery Cinema ‘N Drafthouse, a film and live event theater that offered food and alcohol service, closed in late December after two and a half months.

One bright spot in the near future is an Avalon Bay project slated to begin by 2010.

Despite calling off some projects across the nation, the Virginia-based developer will go on with its proposed project for Wheaton—a 383,000-square-foot mixed-use complex on the corner of Georgia and Blueridge avenues that will add 320 housing units and a Safeway, said Jonathan Cox, the company's senior vice president for development in the mid-Atlantic region.

The update of Wheaton's sector plan is also in motion. Tallant said she's expecting to send a draft of the plan to the county Planning Board this summer—several months later than expected—and to the County Council by May of 2010.

The downtime of a recession will also give small businesses a chance to gear up for the redevelopment, said Pete McGinnity, the member of the Mid-County Regional Services Center staff who manages the redevelopment of Wheaton businesses. It will give them time to assess how construction and new developments will affect their businesses, he said.

They may need to think about saving for higher rent or creating a plan to cater to a newer demographic.

"Now is the time, before development actually occurs," McGinnity said.

He acknowledged redevelopment can be a challenging time for businesses, and said he plans to survey about 200 Wheaton businesses in the next few months to gauge their perceptiveness to redevelopment.

Janet Yu, the owner of Hollywood East Café in Wheaton, said preparing for redevelopment means renovating and saving money. But in a recession, that is nearly impossible, she said.

"You can't make your place better if you don't have the money to do it," she said. "You're kind of, like, stuck."

To help small businesses gain access to capital, county officials are pushing loans, tax incentives and business education programs. In December, County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) announced a local small business aid package, which includes deferring permitting payments and new legislation.

The county also works with organizations such as the Latino Economic Development Corp., a Washington, D.C.-based advocate and loan program for small businesses.

LEDC just gave a $10,000 micro-loan to the owner of a start up coffee shop in Wheaton, called DeJaBel Café. Manuel Hidalgo, the executive director for LEDC, said loans like those are what businesses in Wheaton need to weather the storm.

Cantor said the fate of Wheaton's small businesses is a concern for the county but that the main focus is bringing redevelopment to an area lacking patrons.

"The future involves redevelopment," she said. "It involves bringing people into the downtown during the day time."

When exactly Wheaton will become a bustling urban center is still uncertain, as county planners such as Klein hold out hope it will be sooner rather than later.

"I'm still as optimistic," Klein said. "What changed is there's now a feeling that we may have a little bit more of a pause."

A county planner says the recession affords an opportunity for Wheaton businesses to plan for redevelopment. But one business owner said planning takes money and that's difficult to do in the current economic climate. The Gazette wants to know how Wheaton business owners are handling the difficult times and planning for the future. Send your comments, along with your name, a daytime phone number and the name of the street you live on to talkaboutit@gazette.net and we will run the responses in a future

edition.