Developers of the East Campus project are trying to reassure a skeptical community they are “sensitive and thoughtful about finding the character of College Park.”
Some businesses worry that developer Foulger-Pratt Argo’s plans will change the unique character of College Park. They cite the developers’ recent Silver Spring revitalization as an example of a town that lost its unique feel as a result of re-development.
“We have to turn to admit that this isn’t necessarily a very nice college town but turning it into Silver Spring isn’t necessarily the way to go,” Vertigo Books owner Todd Stewart said.
Developer Foulger-Pratt Argo Principal Richard Perlmutter said the local retail must balance nationwide chains in the mixed-use project.
“We see College Park as a great college town, and we have to build on that by offering additional opportunities for retail and living,” Perlmutter said, by bringing in businesses new to College Park.
Perlmutter explained his idea of College Park’s character as its “orientation to the university and young people that you won’t find in other places.”
“Silver Spring is not being superimposed on College Park,” he said. “That’s not the plan.” He said East Campus will probably differ from Silver Spring in offering housing over retail and more businesses designed to cater to younger audiences than in his company’s previous project.
But retailers say they are still worried the project will threaten unique shops in the town.
Stewart said he fears that the Barnes & Noble planned for East Campus could destroy his own smaller store, located two doors down from the former Wawa location.
“I’m afraid it might be harder for businesses to stay in business,” Stewart said. “It’s never been easy. Look at all the empty storefronts that are here. I’m looking at three right now across the street.”
Perlmutter said he had not heard that businesses local to College Park have shown concern for their own well-beings.
He also said he has heard only positive feedback to the project in his experience with the steering committee and on excursions through downtown.
“We’ve been thrilled with the response to East Campus,” he said. “Most people only want to know ‘how soon can you get started?'”
He also defended his company’s Silver Spring project, saying that city “is a combination of historically what it was and what it is today,” with a link between old and new downtown. He also said that the new Downtown Silver Spring sparked other area development, which he thinks could also apply to College Park.
Though Perlmutter said he is not “looking to take downtown and move it to East Campus,” there has been informal interest from some area businesses in moving there.
Two locally-based restaurants, Mandalay and Ledo Pizza, are considering an East Campus location. Both were once student favorites before Mandalay moved out of easy campus reach in search of lower rents and before the convenience of Ledo’s University Boulevard location was eclipsed by eateries closer to the campus.
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