Suitland Manor, Maryland
Encyclopedia
Suitland Manor is a neighborhood in the unincorporated
community of Suitland in Prince George's County
. It is located on the northern side of the intersection of Md. Rt 218 (Suitland Road) and Md. Rt 458 (Silver Hill Road). Directly across Suitland Road is the Suitland Federal Center, which is home to the national headquarters of the United States Census Bureau
, as well as other government agencies. On June 29, 2006 the Redevelopment Authority of Prince George's County issued a Request for Proposals inviting developers to redevelop the property into a new residential-focused mixed-use, town center.
; the establishment of Andrews Air Force Base
on the eastern periphery of the neighborhood; the building of the Suitland Parkway
linking Washington D.C.; and the opening of the Census Bureau and the Naval Intelligence Support Center on the site now known as the Suitland Federal Center. Throughout the 1960s extensive apartment construction was introduced to Suitland. By 1970, multi-family units accounted for 80% of the total units.
Signs of neighborhood deterioration began to appear at this time. There were several areas that became plagued by numerous social problems: high crime rates, drugs, property-standard violations, absentee landlord
s, and ultimately disinvestment
in the community.
In the 1990s, extensive neighborhood revitalization efforts began in the Suitland focus area to identify and prioritize local needs and develop a plan to address those needs. The plan included a broad vision and specific community recommendations, including the creation of a town center at the crossroads of Silver Hill Road and Suitland Road to revitalize the business district and the deteriorated Suitland Manor apartment complex.
Station. The existing 33 acre (130,000 m²) project area consists of marginal commercial businesses and deteriorating multi-family structures of varying densities. The existing housing included 167 four-unit buildings and 19 townhouses. There are nine commercial properties with frontage
along Silver Hill Road, and three with frontage along Suitland Road. The adjacent residential neighborhood consists of established single-family homes, more recent townhouse developments, and apartments. A new elementary school
has been built adjacent to the project site. The Redevelopment Authority of Prince George’s County is in the process of acquiring all the residential units to facilitate land assemblage for redevelopment of the site.
For decades Suitland Manor has been plagued with debilitating illegal drug transactions and the ancillary crimes that result from drug dealing. Poor management controls created because of the high number of absentee landlords owning individual buildings has compromised the community environment. These ownership patterns that have evolved over the years have stymied comprehensive improvement efforts in this distressed multi-family community.
The development goal is to assemble the individual properties in Suitland Manor under one owner in order to start the revitalization process. The Redevelopment Authority (RA) is acquiring the entire residential portion of Suitland Manor for redevelopment. RA will be responsible for acquisition, tenant relocation, and demolition to prepare the property for development.
The new development will stress new homeownership opportunities with a diversity of housing types, layouts, building forms, and sizes. Housing opportunities will be available for a variety of lifestyles and income levels - from young professionals to seniors. Innovative architecture will create a distinctive development that will dramatically change the image of Suitland and bring a contemporary and competitive presence to the neighborhood.
The Redevelopment Authority works with Suitland community leaders and other county agencies to control trash and illegal dumping that are attracted to the area. An on-site property manager handles all issues associated with vacant properties and tenants waiting to be relocated.
To reduce crime in Suitland Manor, RA is working with the Prince George's County Police Department
and the Office of the State’s Attorney through their Asset Forfeiture Unit and the Nuisance Abatement Program to eliminate illegal drug activity in the Suitland Manor apartments. RA is also offering an additional $1,000 reward
to anyone providing information for the arrest and conviction of an individual committing an illegal act in Suitland Manor.
Two buildings with 8 apartments have been held back from demolition to accommodate the Alpha Kappa Alpha
Sorority, Delta Sigma Theta
Sorority, and the Omega Psi Phi
Fraternity - organizations offering mentoring and educational outreach programs to the youth in the community. In addition, the Youth 2002 entrepreneurial program is providing business skill training from one of these building to engage youth with entrepreneurial interests.
These services are intended ultimately to promote self-sufficiency, provide learning opportunities for children, and play a part in RA’s mission of community building. The community services provided will evolve as conditions and needs arise during the development process in Suitland and will be part of the new community that is built. Whether they are recreational programs, educational offerings, meeting spaces, or family support services, these opportunities are a catalyst to improve the individual, the family, the neighborhood, and the larger community, and are part of creating the new Suitland.
In late August 2005, Suitland Elementary School opened at the top of the block on Homer Avenue.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
community of Suitland in Prince George's County
Prince George's County, Maryland
Prince George's County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland, immediately north, east, and south of Washington, DC. As of 2010, it has a population of 863,420 and is the wealthiest African-American majority county in the nation....
. It is located on the northern side of the intersection of Md. Rt 218 (Suitland Road) and Md. Rt 458 (Silver Hill Road). Directly across Suitland Road is the Suitland Federal Center, which is home to the national headquarters of the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, as well as other government agencies. On June 29, 2006 the Redevelopment Authority of Prince George's County issued a Request for Proposals inviting developers to redevelop the property into a new residential-focused mixed-use, town center.
Suitland history
The name Suitland first appeared on the map in 1878, probably as the name of a mail distribution point at the crossroads of Silver Hill Road and Suitland Road. It later became the Village of Suitland but by the 1920s it was still rural. The 1940s brought a surge of development with the demand for housing after World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
; the establishment of Andrews Air Force Base
Andrews Air Force Base
Joint Base Andrews is a United States military facility located in Prince George's County, Maryland. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force 11th Wing, Air Force District of Washington ....
on the eastern periphery of the neighborhood; the building of the Suitland Parkway
Suitland Parkway
The Suitland Parkway is a parkway in Washington, D.C., and Prince George's County, Maryland, maintained by the U.S. National Park Service. Conceived in 1937, it was built during World War II to provide a road connection between military facilities in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, and...
linking Washington D.C.; and the opening of the Census Bureau and the Naval Intelligence Support Center on the site now known as the Suitland Federal Center. Throughout the 1960s extensive apartment construction was introduced to Suitland. By 1970, multi-family units accounted for 80% of the total units.
Signs of neighborhood deterioration began to appear at this time. There were several areas that became plagued by numerous social problems: high crime rates, drugs, property-standard violations, absentee landlord
Absentee landlord
Absentee landlord is an economic term for a person who owns and rents out a profit-earning property, but does not live within the property's local economic region. This practice is problematic for that region because absentee landlords drain local wealth into their home country, particularly that...
s, and ultimately disinvestment
Disinvestment
Disinvestment, sometimes referred to as divestment, refers to the use of a concerted economic boycott, with specific emphasis on liquidating stock, to pressure a government, industry, or company towards a change in policy, or in the case of governments, even regime change...
in the community.
In the 1990s, extensive neighborhood revitalization efforts began in the Suitland focus area to identify and prioritize local needs and develop a plan to address those needs. The plan included a broad vision and specific community recommendations, including the creation of a town center at the crossroads of Silver Hill Road and Suitland Road to revitalize the business district and the deteriorated Suitland Manor apartment complex.
Suitland Manor site
The Suitland Manor project site is located at the northwest quadrant of the intersection of Suitland Road and Silver Hill Road across from the Suitland Federal Center and within walking distance to the Suitland MetroSuitland (Washington Metro)
Suitland is an island platformed Washington Metro station in unincorporated Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The station was opened on January 13, 2001, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority...
Station. The existing 33 acre (130,000 m²) project area consists of marginal commercial businesses and deteriorating multi-family structures of varying densities. The existing housing included 167 four-unit buildings and 19 townhouses. There are nine commercial properties with frontage
Frontage
Frontage is the full length of a plot of land or a building measured alongside the road on to which the plot or building fronts. This is considered especially important for certain types of commercial and retail real estate, in applying zoning bylaws and property tax...
along Silver Hill Road, and three with frontage along Suitland Road. The adjacent residential neighborhood consists of established single-family homes, more recent townhouse developments, and apartments. A new elementary school
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
has been built adjacent to the project site. The Redevelopment Authority of Prince George’s County is in the process of acquiring all the residential units to facilitate land assemblage for redevelopment of the site.
For decades Suitland Manor has been plagued with debilitating illegal drug transactions and the ancillary crimes that result from drug dealing. Poor management controls created because of the high number of absentee landlords owning individual buildings has compromised the community environment. These ownership patterns that have evolved over the years have stymied comprehensive improvement efforts in this distressed multi-family community.
The development goal is to assemble the individual properties in Suitland Manor under one owner in order to start the revitalization process. The Redevelopment Authority (RA) is acquiring the entire residential portion of Suitland Manor for redevelopment. RA will be responsible for acquisition, tenant relocation, and demolition to prepare the property for development.
The new development will stress new homeownership opportunities with a diversity of housing types, layouts, building forms, and sizes. Housing opportunities will be available for a variety of lifestyles and income levels - from young professionals to seniors. Innovative architecture will create a distinctive development that will dramatically change the image of Suitland and bring a contemporary and competitive presence to the neighborhood.
Sustaining Suitland during redevelopment
The redevelopment process for Suitland includes acquisition, relocation, and demolition. The project is subject to the federal Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970 (URA). URA governs the rights of property owners and tenants throughout this process. To date, 159 families have been relocated from units owned by RA. Twenty of these families have purchased homes utilizing the URA benefits provided by RA.The Redevelopment Authority works with Suitland community leaders and other county agencies to control trash and illegal dumping that are attracted to the area. An on-site property manager handles all issues associated with vacant properties and tenants waiting to be relocated.
To reduce crime in Suitland Manor, RA is working with the Prince George's County Police Department
Prince George's County Police Department
The Prince George's County Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency in Prince George's County, Maryland in the United States, servicing a population of over 850,000 residents and visitors within 498 square miles of jurisdiction.-History:The Prince George's County Police Department...
and the Office of the State’s Attorney through their Asset Forfeiture Unit and the Nuisance Abatement Program to eliminate illegal drug activity in the Suitland Manor apartments. RA is also offering an additional $1,000 reward
Bounty (reward)
A bounty is a payment or reward often offered by a group as an incentive for the accomplishment of a task by someone usually not associated with the group. Bounties are most commonly issued for the capture or retrieval of a person or object. They are typically in the form of money...
to anyone providing information for the arrest and conviction of an individual committing an illegal act in Suitland Manor.
Two buildings with 8 apartments have been held back from demolition to accommodate the Alpha Kappa Alpha
Alpha Kappa Alpha
Alpha Kappa Alpha is the first Greek-lettered sorority established and incorporated by African American college women. The sorority was founded on January 15, 1908, at Howard University in Washington, D.C., by a group of nine students, led by Ethel Hedgeman Lyle...
Sorority, Delta Sigma Theta
Delta Sigma Theta
Delta Sigma Theta is a non-profit Greek-lettered sorority of college-educated women who perform public service and place emphasis on the African American community. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority was founded on January 13, 1913 by twenty-two collegiate women at Howard University...
Sorority, and the Omega Psi Phi
Omega Psi Phi
Omega Psi Phi is a fraternity and is the first African-American national fraternal organization to be founded at a historically black college. Omega Psi Phi was founded on November 17, 1911, at Howard University in Washington, D.C.. The founders were three Howard University juniors, Edgar Amos...
Fraternity - organizations offering mentoring and educational outreach programs to the youth in the community. In addition, the Youth 2002 entrepreneurial program is providing business skill training from one of these building to engage youth with entrepreneurial interests.
These services are intended ultimately to promote self-sufficiency, provide learning opportunities for children, and play a part in RA’s mission of community building. The community services provided will evolve as conditions and needs arise during the development process in Suitland and will be part of the new community that is built. Whether they are recreational programs, educational offerings, meeting spaces, or family support services, these opportunities are a catalyst to improve the individual, the family, the neighborhood, and the larger community, and are part of creating the new Suitland.
In late August 2005, Suitland Elementary School opened at the top of the block on Homer Avenue.