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Some of the proposed developments would be located on land where existing properties and businesses are located, including apartment complexes in the area, some of which could be torn down.

County Councilman David Harrington (D-Dist. 5) of Cheverly said the county could encourage the redevelopment by offering financial incentives to the current owners of the land. He said re-zoning the land to allow for homes and issuing bonds to finance part of the project are just two options.

‘‘I can’t speak to specifics right now, because there’s no proposal on the table,” he said.

He said the county also needs to convince the owners of the two apartment complexes in the project area to make way for condos, which he said developers would be eager to build.

But those who attended the workshop at the Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex said that the plans, particularly those that would remove the apartments, would be news to many of the area residents.

Glenarden City Councilwoman Antoinette Watson, a Glenarden Apartments resident for 11 years, said most of the residents at the complex do not know about plans for the Landover Gateway, even though Glenarden Apartments and Maple Ridge Apartments are in the plans for redevelopment.

‘‘My major concern is Glenarden Apartments would be emptied out or remodeled for someone else,” Watson said.

Watson said the project plan does not take her fellow residents — more than 2,000 children and 1,500 adults — into consideration. She said some of the apartment’s programs such as its day care, Even Start and health center could fall by the wayside.

‘‘That property is almost self-sufficient,” Watson said.

Harrington said there are no plans to displace any residents, but people need to face the ‘‘stark reality” that some residents will move because of ongoing development.

Harrington stressed how valuable public input is for the project and what future development means for the area.

‘‘Landover deserves the best,” Harrington said. ‘‘You deserve it. The Landover community is the historic center in many ways.”

Christine Osei, project leader with Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, said on Saturday the owners of Maple Ridge Apartments are aware of the project and want to be a part of the redevelopment but she had not yet reached Glenarden Apartments’ owners.

Glenarden Apartments Regional Director Mary Rush said Tuesday that there is no intention of the owners to shut the property down.

Rush, who oversees the property and handles communication between the ownership entity and onsite staff said the owners are not that hard to reach.

‘‘We’ve heard the concerns, but they’re unfounded,” Rush said. ‘‘The people doing redevelopment have no ownership interest in this property and as far as I’m aware haven’t presented options to owners for redevelopment to do anything different.”

Osei said she and her team are more responsible for concept planning, and concerns about displacement are policy issues that should be directed to Harrington and the County Council.

Some residents would welcome changes that would upgrade the area. Hammond Park resident Melanie Whitaker said plans for Landover Gateway would affect her decision on whether or not she will stay in the area.

Whitaker, who will have lived in Hammond Park for a year in August, said she has to get up 6 a.m. to take out her trash because loitering youth come through and kick down her trashcans at night.

‘‘The community is thinking of putting up a fence to gate us in to keep the element out,” Whitaker said. ‘‘We shouldn’t have to live like that.”

Others, like Morris Williams, were concerned about transportation. He viewed plans to add another stop on the Metro’s Blue Line between New Carrollton and Largo Town Center and three light-rail stops on Brightseat Road on a possible Purple Line.

A Landover resident for 43 years, Williams currently lives in Royal Gardens, a residential neighborhood he said is closest to the Landover Gateway project.

‘‘Given how rail is developed, I’m concerned our neighborhood is being boxed in,” Williams said. ‘‘I’ll have to take their word that additional residentials won’t cause a traffic nightmare.”

As far as expectations of paying more property tax once revitalization takes place, Williams said it will be painful for homeowners who are on a fixed income, but residents will see the value of their assets increase.

‘‘If you want it to be nice, you’re going to have to pay for it,” Williams said.

Osei said Saturday’s workshop was one of the last public forums scheduled where residents can voice concerns about the project until a public preliminary plan hearing scheduled for spring 2008. Osei said residents interested in staying informed can visit the Web site at www.mncppc.org⁄cpd⁄landover_gateway.htm, sign up to receive a newsletter with updates about the project or call Harrington with further questions at 301-952-3864.

Staff Writer Judson Berger contributed to this story.