Nonprofit cites uphill retail battle

Thursday, Nov. 17, 2005

Click here to enlarge this photo Barbara L. Salisbury⁄The Gazette Derrick Plummer, a founding members of nonprofit Upscale Prince George’s, is frustrated with the lack of retail development inside the Capital Beltway.

Four months later, and group members say they are frustrated with county officials and developers for not involving residents in the planning process for retail.

‘‘We’re up against a political machine, and we’re trying to work around that machine,” said Gregory Holmes, a county native and Upscale Prince George’s founder. ‘‘To us, that comes up as another barrier. We’re being told that development is coming, but we’re not being involved on the front end.”

County officials involved in development, on the other hand, including Economic Development Corp. President Kwasi G. Holman and Arthur Turner, chairman of the Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce’s economic development committee, have said they welcome the group’s input. Calls to developers for comment were not returned by Gazette’s press time.

The group — founded by Holmes, the Rev. Eugene A. Marriott and Derrick Plummer, also county residents — was formed to lobby developers to bring upscale retail to areas inside the Capital Beltway. They have provided their input on development issues on some occasions.

Plummer, speaking on behalf of Upscale Prince George’s, testified before the county planning board in favor of Greenbelt Station, a $1 billion mixed-use development scheduled to break ground next year.

Plans for the 240-acre project call for 2,200 residential units, over 2 million square feet of office and retail space and 300 hotel rooms. Developers say about 9,526 temporary construction jobs would come to Prince George’s because of the project.

Marriott also participated in a community forum in Largo last month, where residents aired grievances about the county’s lack of upscale retail.

‘‘You can’t be a county resident, and not notice what has gone on in Prince George’s County,” Plummer said. ‘‘People are fed up with mediocre services.”

While the group has at times praised county officials for their efforts to bring in upscale retail, they have vowed to incite, boycott and protest, if needed.

Holman met with the group two months ago to update them on the progress of several projects, including Karrington in Bowie, Konterra in Laurel and the massive National Harbor project in Fort Washington.

‘‘I think it’s a very positive development, where county residents are willing to participate in the quality of retail in the county,” Holman said of Upscale Prince George’s.

The EDC, Holman said, plans to attend the International Council of Shopping Centers’ convention, to be held Dec. 4-7 in New York City. The EDC plans to pitch the county to high-end retailers during the convention.

Turner said while he lauds Upscale’s intentions, they still have a way to go.

‘‘As an upstart, I don’t think they’ve gotten there yet. We need as many people on the battlefield as possible,” Turner said. ‘‘I don’t know enough about them. I don’t see them as I’m moving throughout the county. I look forward to them taking the next step to be visible.”

While the group has cited the lack of upscale retail development inside the Capital Beltway, Turner said he noticed ‘‘action inside the Beltway.” There are talks of a hospital at the old Landover Mall site and a big box retail development in Capitol Heights.