County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (at podium) leads Feb 28 press conference announcing new development coming to the Blue Line corridor. She is flanked by Lloyd Blackwell, Jacqueline Alexander, Brandon Bellamy, Anthony Wash and Omar Karim. PHOTO: RAOUL DENNIS // PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE & MEDIA

Minority Developers Make History In Prince George’s By Investing Three-Quarters Of A Billion Dollars Along The Blue Line Corridor

Photos By Raoul Dennis

Narrative Content Courtesy Office of the County Executive with Additional Reporting By Raoul Dennis

The clear story is that real transit oriented development – to the tune of a quarter billion dollars – is coming to the Blue Line corridor.

But the deeper story is that five developers with roots in Prince George’s came together to revitalize communities along the Blue Line Corridor by making a quarter billion dollar investment in it. They did so knowing that not only is the investment significant but that this is the first major development effort to come to this area in over 60 years. The deeper story reveals what Prince Georgians can do when working together.

Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks’ February 28 press conference highlighted and brought regional attention to local minority developers who are working on projects that will uplift communities along the Blue Line Corridor (BLC).

It’s being recognized as a rare and unique opportunity for any jurisdiction where local minority developers are leading this kind of investment along a five-mile stretch, with projects totaling $769 million in investments.

“The Blue Line Corridor Project represents our vision for smart growth, creating bikeable, walkable, amenity-rich communities centered around transit hubs with access to workforce housing for our residents,” said Alsobrooks. “We are proud that many of the developers working on this project are not only minority developers, but they are also Prince Georgians who understand the needs of our residents. As our economy grows, we will continue to make generational investments like this that will build generational wealth for our communities and local businesses, helping us close the wealth gap in Prince George’s.”

PHOTO: RAOUL DENNIS // PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE & MEDIA

Five major projects are already planned or underway along the Blue Line Corridor, all being led by Black developers, that will help transform communities along the corridor that have missed out on investments for far too long. These projects and associated developers include:

Pavilion at Lottsford: led by Omar Karim of Banneker Ventures, this mixed-use development will feature 800 residential units and 72,000 square feet of retail.

Park Place at Addison: also led by Omar Karim of Banneker Ventures, this mixed-use development will feature 193 residential units, 11,000 square feet of retail, and 10,000 square feet of community space. This project received funding from Amazon.

Hampton Park: led by Brandon Bellamy of The Velocity Companies, this mixed-use development will feature 400 residential units, a hotel, 100,000 square feet of retail, and over 100,000 square feet of office space.

210 on the Park: led by Anthony Wash of A Wash and Associates, this development will feature 173 total residential units. This project received funding from Amazon.

The Epiphany at 6500 Central: led by Jacqueline Alexander of The Community Builders and Lloyd Blackwell of Harambee Development Group, this mixed-use development will feature 112 residential units and 4,300 square feet of retail.

These five projects are in addition to the $400 million in bonding authority through the Maryland Stadium Authority the County has received, recently approved by the Board of Public Works. This funding will be used to create a sports and entertainment destination along the Blue Line Corridor, which will include an amphitheater, youth sports fieldhouse, market hall, library/cultural center, and civic plaza. With this bonding authority, infrastructure money received from the State of Maryland, and the above private investments from developers, well over $1 billion is being poured into projects along the Blue Line Corridor.

“I understand Prince George’s because I grew up here, and I’m a proud graduate of Central High School,” said Brandon Bellamy, CEO of The Velocity Companies. “For me, developing Hampton Park is about eliminating food deserts, bringing new retail and amenities, and creating jobs and opportunities for people who live in the communities we are investing in. By working together through public-private partnerships, we can continue to uplift communities along the Blue Line.”

“We are proud to be a part of this historic development along the Blue Line Corridor,” said Omar Karim, President of Banneker Ventures. “We are excited to bring Park Place at Addison Road, a mixed-use development that will offer 193 affordable housing units and 11,000 square feet of retail space, to this community. We want to thank Amazon for this $20 million investment to the Blue Line Corridor and County Executive Alsobrooks and the entire economic development team for their hard work and commitment to this project.

“We are bringing high-quality, sustainable projects to the communities that sustain us,” said Anthony Wash, President of A. Wash and Associates. “My grandfather lived in Prince George’s County, and I’m proud to work with such a historic group of minority developers to support the County Executive’s vision and uplift communities along the Blue Line Corridor.”

“The Community Builders is committed to building communities across the nation that are thriving and sustainable,” said Jacqueline Alexander, Vice President at The Community Builders, Inc. “Our project along the Blue Line is focused on affordable housing, helping keep working-class families housed and allowing them to be connected to jobs and amenities where they live.”

“I am extremely excited to be a part of this project,” said Lloyd Blackwell of Harambee Development. “I am a Prince Georgian and my desire is to use this project as a catalyst for inclusive real estate development with native residents having a seat at the table. It is no secret that the inner beltway has been underserved for decades. I am elated to work with other minority developers and transform these areas to reach their full potential. We are excited to be part of the County Executive’s Blue Line Corridor. She has been a champion for inclusive development and this transit-oriented development opportunity is a win-win for the County and for our residents.”