College Park Business Closures
College Park shoppers are saddened to know that the Campus Village Shoppes, located at 8147 Baltimore Avenue, will have all retailers relocate as the shopping center is being converted to student housing.
Sixty-day vacate notices were given to each tenant on Aug. 1. While some merchants are planning to move to other retail locations in College Park, others want their leases to remain through the end of the year.
Taqueria Habanero Director of Operations Yicela Alvarado said their business will operate out of a food truck until they find a new location.
“We are actively working with the new project developer and City of College Park to operate under modified conditions, this includes obtaining a designated space for Taqueria Habaneros food truck and a possible future location so that we can continue building community through food,” she said.
Mr. Fries Man, one of only 13 locations in the country, opened in the shopping center last year. EB, the owner, said he would be given six months’ notice for redevelopment in a news interview.
While they do have a food truck to take their food on the move, he is considering a new location earlier than he had expected. He emphasized that prospective entrepreneurs should be attentive to their lease details.
Other tenants that will have to adjust their plans include Hanami Japanese restaurant, Pupuseria La Familiar Salvadoran restaurant, Box’d Kitchen, Jodeem African cuisine, Jidong Tea, Paris Beauty Bar, UM Nail Spa, Pandora’s Cube, Vape Exchange and College Park Liquors. College Park Liquors, in operation for over a decade in Campus Village Shoppes, has started a GoFundMe to pay for the cost of relocating.
“Desiring to be good partners, we had a personal conversation one year ago with every tenant at the Campus Village Shoppes and notified them of our intent to redevelop. Nearly all tenants have agreed to compensation and LV is actively negotiating with the remaining few,” said the shopping center’s owner LV Collective in a statement.
“We have partnered with some tenants to come back to the new development once completed,” the statement continued. “We have worked with each tenant individually and are committed to our partnership with the community. We look forward to continuing to support these businesses.”
According to LV Collective, they have made an agreement with 17 of the 19 businesses in Campus Village Shoppes. The company has not submitted its Detailed Site Plan (DSP) for the new design to Prince George’s County or to College Park, according to a development update from the city. The project is estimated to cost $150 million and construction is slated to begin in early 2024, but LV Collective is waiting on local approval to start demolition.
The Best Buy in the Market Place Shopping Center has also closed. Search for a new tenant is underway.
For further information on the Campus Village Shoppes closing, contact Michael Williams at economicdevelopment@collegeparkmd.gov.
PGCC Golf Tournament and Special Ceremony
Prince George’s Community College hosted the 34th Biennial PGCC Foundation Scholarship Golf Tournament with over 150 attendees, including Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy (D) and County Council Vice President Wala Blegay (D– District 6) during the event on Sept. 6 at Oak Creek Golf Course.
The Scholarship Golf Tournament provides resources for the College to remove barriers to enhance and expand its efforts to address need-based aid for students and promote equitable outcomes for all learners, including those from underrepresented groups. The fundraising goal was $155,000.
“Since the inception of our golf tournament in 1989, we have provided $5 million in scholarships,” said PGCC Foundation Board of Directors Chair Montez Anderson. “Education is one of the greatest equalizers for economic mobility, and we hope community members will participate in a day of fellowship, fun, and competition for a worthy cause!”
For a registration fee of $250 per golfer or $1,000 per foursome, attendees will enjoy breakfast, lunch, and door prizes for top golfers at one of Prince George’s County’s most exclusive golf courses. Non-golfers participated in a sip and swing for a fee of $165, which includes swing lessons from a golf pro, wine tasting and food pairings.
“We raised over $200,000 during the Prince George’s Community College Foundation Scholarship Golf Tournament,” said Executive Director of Office of Institutional Advancement and Foundation Dena Wilson in an email to the Informer. “These funds will be utilized to support the College’s efforts to remove barriers for students and enhance need-based aid programs as well as scholarships for workforce development. The goal is to promote equitable outcomes for all learners, especially those from underrepresented groups. CareFirst was the Presenting sponsor, Pepco was the Ace sponsor, and a host of other corporate and community partners.”
The next signature fundraising event for Prince George’s Community College Foundation is the “Partners for Success” gala, scheduled for October of next year.
The College also hosted a special ceremony for Catherine Ellog, who went into labor during the spring 2023 commencement ceremony at Showplace Arena.
She was rushed to the nearest hospital and was unable to walk across the stage. On Sept. 13, Prince George’s Community College President Dr. Falecia D. Williams and Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Tyson Beal presented her with her degree. Her family attended the ceremony, including her newborn child.
Opportunities for individual and group registrations, as well as sponsorships, are available. To learn more, register, and donate, click here. For more information, contact foundation@pgcc.edu.
World Transit Day
World Car Free Day is Sept. 22, and the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) is celebrating by offering fare-free transit. Free rides are offered on MTA-operated services, including the Local Bus, Baltimore Light Rail and Metro, MARC, Commuter Bus and Mobility service Friday, Sept. 22, through Sunday, Sept. 24.
“There’s never been a better time to experience the ease and convenience of public transportation,” said Maryland Transit Administrator Holly Arnold. “Public transit is an ideal way to experience all the region has to offer, and it’s an important tool in our efforts to decrease our carbon footprint.”
World Car Free Day is an initiative encouraging motorists to take a break from driving and explore alternatives like public transit. Whether using buses or trains to travel for work, school, health care or recreation, riders will have plenty of options to experience the many benefits of public transportation. Additionally, by choosing transit, riders will help to decrease roadway congestion and vehicle emissions throughout the region.
According to the American Public Transportation Association, households that give up the use of one car realize savings of about $10,000 annually. Taking transit also eliminates the expense and hassle of parking, and allows passengers to focus on activities that driving won’t allow, like working, reading or relaxing without the need to focus on safety.
If you’re a regular rider – enjoy free rides Sept. 22-24. If you’re trying transit for the first time, visit mta.maryland.gov or the Transit app to plan your trip. The Transit app, a free download for smartphones, will offer guidance, including which bus routes are diverted and which stops are closed due to road closures.
