Q&A With Southern Management CEO David Hillman
Bisnow: What local characteristics of Prince George's County are you leveraging to attract interest in your developments? What are the county's greatest strengths, and is there anything the county or developers can be doing to better take advantage of those?
David: Prince George’s County has good infrastructure for transportation already in place. The Purple Line will be a boon for employment, as it will enable people to get to and from work without having to drive. The county has or is in close proximity to large employment centers. In the past, the county and developers have failed to leverage establishments like the University of Maryland and the federal agencies located right in the university’s office park. The proximity to Fort Meade and the NSA, as well as Goddard, has never been fully exploited. The county has been comfortable as a bedroom community and failed to attract large employers like the Virginia jurisdictions have pursued. That is changing with the effort to procure the new FBI headquarters.
Bisnow: What policies of the Baker Administration, in your view, have been most impactful in bringing about the growth and prosperity we've seen in Prince George's County over the last five and a half years?
David: First, the administration is honest and has gotten rid of the bad players in government. It is also working to streamline the processes for development and permitting. They have brought in serious professionals who know the county and understand capitalism and economic development. The county has made its own rules workable and has been helpful in getting state and federal agencies to cooperate with locals.
Bisnow: Are there any businesses arriving in the future to Prince George's that you are particularly excited about?
David: Obviously I am excited about the Hotel at UMD and the Cambria College Park. We will have several upscale restaurants and the first Red Door Spa in the county—which I think is a big deal. The university, through Ken Ulman and its partnership with College Park, is bringing in a lot of so-called “tech” companies and startup businesses, which will spawn even more demand for services and housing. The Baltimore Avenue corridor—formerly known as Route 1—has been redeveloping on its own but the participation of the university both as a cheerleader and a developer is creating a real main street for the county.
Bisnow: Do you have any final observations, insights, predictions, etc., about Prince George's County that you think our readers would be interested to hear?
David: The county, is in my opinion, the sleeping giant waking up. The area has been passed by for a long time by the smart money, so that means that now, unlike the rest of the region, there are opportunities almost everywhere in the county. Retail isn't my thing, but the first upscale department store that figures out how much money from Prince George's County is traveling to Tysons or Pentagon City is going to hit the mother lode with a Prince George's store. The county government is the most pro-business in the region and is committed to helping businesses to establish themselves and get open and growing quickly. The culture is positive and fun, and for any developer or retailer who is prepared to do things the right way, this is the place to be.
