Walmart Gets OK to Build Supercenter in Duvall Village

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A proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter can be built in the Duvall Village Shopping Center in Bowie, the Prince George’s County planning board unanimously decided Thursday, over the objections of some neighbors.

Some residents told the board they worry the planned 24-hour store could ruin the neighborhood near Annapolis Road and Glenn Dale Road. But business owners say the shopping center needs the vitality that a busy Walmart could bring to the area.

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Resident Jennifer Dwyer told the board she has concerns about everything from stormwater management issues and noise to crime and low-wage jobs.

“We just feel that this is not an appropriate location for a 24-hour super Walmart,” Dwyer told WJLA TV. “My house is just 150 feet from it and I can see the back of the building from my living room. A lot of us have been living there for quite some time and we like our peaceful quiet, residential neighborhood.”

Businesses in Duvall Village Shopping Center said they have waited too long for an anchor store to return and bring traffic to the entire area.

Walmart said in a statement that the store would bring $242 million dollars annually to the community in economic revenue.

DDR Corp., the owner of the Duvall Village shopping center, said in a statement that the establishment of a quality anchor tenant is critically important to the revitalization and long-term health of the shopping center.

“Across our portfolio, we’ve seen how shopping centers can serve as catalysts for economic stimulus through increased tax revenue and job creation, and we believe that the addition of Walmart at Duvall Village will provide enhanced retail amenities to the City of Bowie, Prince George’s County, and the surrounding trade area,” said Matt Schuler, senior director of communications for DDR.