City Council Seeks Community Input On Takoma Junction Redevelopment

TAKOMA PARK, MD — Takoma Park residents are encouraged to attend one of two meetings Thursday or Sunday regarding the Takoma Junction Redevelopment project. Officials want to hear the community's input on specific design elements for the project, which will significantly impact the community.

The Takoma Junction City-owned parking lot is slated for redevelopment to revitalize the commercial area. The City hopes to build new residential units, retail stores emphasizing local and regional operators and a public gathering space devoted to year-round public use in the building.

The two upcoming meetings will focus on issues of access, mobility on and through the site, as well as desires for public spaces and streetscaping, City Manager Suzanne Ludlow said.

The project started in 2014 and is currently slated for a 2020 competition date.

The developer plans to design and construct the project so that the new building satisfies the requirements for LEED Gold or higher certification from the U.S. Building Council or an equivalent certification of environmental sustainability from an established organization.

Officials are also looking into providing parking options for area businesses and customers, loading areas for deliveries and alternatives to automotive transportation such as a bicycle sharing station and bicycle racks.

The City Council selected the team of Neighborhood Development Company to help with the development. They negotiated a Development Agreement to: establish a framework for the overall project, identify the actions that will be required to proceed with the planned development and reaffirm Council's expectations regarding the nature of the development.

The City has a $80,000 budget for the project.

The two March meetings will be identical in content and residents are encouraged to choose the meeting that works best for their schedule:

• 7-9 p.m. Thursday, March 9 in the Azalea Room at the Takoma Park Community Center at 7500 Maple Ave.
• 3-5 p.m. Sunday, March 12 at the Fire Station meeting room at 7201 Carroll Ave.

If residents cannot make it to the meeting, they can submit their comments online.

Patch File Photo