Mixed-Use Project Planned For 11-Acre Prince George's County Site
Prince George's County has shifted its entitlement process to virtual meetings amid the coronavirus pandemic, and next week it is slated to consider a new proposal for an 11-acre mixed-use development.
Property owner Haris Hanifi filed an application with the county to build up to 310 residential units and 94K SF of commercial space at the intersection of St. Barnabas and Cremen roads.
Operating under the entity 1323 E St. SE LLC, Hanifi acquired the site for $9.7M in 2017, property records show. The entity applied for the development last month, the planning department staff recommended approval last week, and the planning commission is scheduled to hear the project April 9.
Hanifi tells Bisnow he is working with NAI Michael to find a developer to buy the site once it is fully entitled for a mixed-use development.
"I myself am not a developer, but the value of the property is an exceptional location, and honestly it's ideal for any developer because a lot of the heavy lifting has been done," Hanifi said.
The application calls for a multifamily building reaching 110 feet tall with 180 to 250 units, a townhouse component with 40 to 60 units and a commercial piece with 75K SF to 94K SF of space. The project would be built in phases, with the multifamily building slated for Phase 1.
The 11-acre site is inside the Beltway, about 2 miles from the highway's nearest exit, and it sits about 2 miles from the Suitland Metro station. It is currently occupied by automotive shops and warehouses totaling about 20K SF that would be demolished when the development moves forward.
McNamee Hosea principal Matthew Tedesco, the land-use attorney representing Hanifi, said the project is still early in the entitlement stages and is still at least one year from breaking ground under an ideal scenario.
Because the planning commission began holding virtual hearings last week, Tedesco said the project's timeline has not yet been affected by the coronavirus and related cancellations. But the next step in the review process, the county's District Council, has canceled meetings for the next 60 days, Tedesco said, likely causing a delay for the project.
"We will be delayed a little bit from the District Council review perspective, but not from the planning board review perspective, which is good because we've got a planning board hearing scheduled, so they're continuing to keep economic development moving in the county," Tedesco said.
Tedesco said the site is appealing for development because of its proximity to the Beltway and National Harbor, with anchors such as MGM. He also said the zoning gives a developer the flexibility to use the commercial space as office or various types of retail.
"The nice thing about the zoning and the conceptual site plan having a broad range is we can quickly adapt to the market when we get further entitlements down the line to quickly adjust," Tedesco said. "Office could be a possibility, or other types of retail. Given where we are with COVID-19, I don't know what the landscape is going to be in six or 12 months. But that's the beauty is we have the ability to quickly adjust."
