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University Park residents are worried that a proposed housing and retail complex in West Hyattsville could bring pollution, noise and traffic to their town.
The new Belcrest Plaza would replace the existing 50-year-old low-rise apartment complex of the same name with 2,750 new housing units and more than 250,000 square feet of office and retail space. It would include a four-story townhouse complex, 17-story high-rise apartments and a 33-story mixed-use tower across from the Mall at Prince Georges.
"This gives us an opportunity to create something really special," said Jonathan Genn, executive vice president of Silver Spring-based Percontee Inc., which owns Belcrest Plaza. "We can do something that's really positioning West Hyattsville for the next 50 years and beyond."
Genn said developers are seizing an unprecedented opportunity to make the area a Metro-accessible upscale community similar to Bethesda or Silver Spring. University Park residents, however, fear they could change the area too drastically.
"If I wanted to live in Bethesda, I would live in Bethesda," said Town Councilwoman Anne O'Connor (Ward 6). "The idea of moving low-income families to make room for young urban professionals doesn't feel right to me."
Genn said he expects most current tenants to move out and for the existing complex to stop accepting new tenants in coming year. Any remaining tenants, he said, would be relocated at the developers' expense.
Developers hope to break ground on the project in about two years and finish the entire project in 10 to 12 years. They do not currently have a cost estimate.
University Park Mayor John Tabori drafted a letter to developers Wednesday expressing the town's concerns. Tabori said developers first notified him of the plan Aug. 13 and gave him until Wednesday to submit any feedback.
Developers discussed the plan with residents at Monday's Town Council meeting. Many residents drew parallels between Belcrest Plaza and the existing University Town Center, the 56-acre mixed-use complex in Hyattsville that has recently struggled with failing businesses and unused space.
"I'd recommend you guys save some money because University Town Center has not fulfilled its promises," said Michael Cron, a University Park resident who owns a restaurant at the town center.
About 25 residents attended the meeting. Many expressed concerns that construction from the project could contaminate the town's Wells Run stream, while others worried that the tall buildings and resulting traffic could impact their day-to-day lives.
"We have an iconic building already built — a 16-story building," said University Park resident Alexandria Lippincott, referring to the Towers at University Town Center, a pair of 16-story student housing complexes. "And you can see it [from] everywhere."
The proposed complex includes buildings that violate both the area's minimum and maximum allowable heights of six and 16 stories tall.
The District Council would have to waive these zoning requirements and the Prince George's County Planning Board would also have to approve the project. Genn said the approval process would likely take about six months.
