Upscale retail expected to create 6,000 new jobs

Officials break ground on Woodmore Towne Centre

Elected officials including County Executive Jack B. Johnson (D) and County Councilwoman Andrea Harrison (D-Dist. 5) of Springdale attended a groundbreaking ceremony behind Largo’s St. Joseph Catholic Church near one of the center’s three planned entrances, St. Joseph’s Drive. The project is a combined effort of Greenberg Gibbons Commercial, Hovnanian Land Investment Group and Petrie-Ross, and is expected to be complete by spring 2010.

Johnson said he was excited that Annapolis-based Petrie-Ross, which also developed Largo Commons and the Centre at Forestville, chose Prince George’s County once again for its development. Petrie-Ross Chairman Walt Petrie said the retail operations at the center are expected to bring in $30 million a year in sales tax revenue.

The high-end retail is a highlight, Glenarden Mayor Gail Parker Carter said — particularly Wegmans.

‘‘It’s new to the area, first of all; secondly, it’s upscale,” Carter said. ‘‘I just think the citizens are happy that something of this level is coming to Glenarden.”

Richardson said Petrie-Ross will build 1 million square feet of office space and 800,000 square feet of retail space, while K. Hovnanian Homes will build 1,000 residential units, including single-family homes, townhomes and apartments. Richardson said there will be $10 million in road improvements, including widening Route 202 and St. Joseph’s Lane and adding turn lanes.

Business partners Kareem Abdus-Salaam and Bill Youngblood of Woodmore Hospitality Management will develop and manage two chain hotels, which Salaam declined to name because details are still being worked out. Salaam did say one will be a full-service hotel with a conference center and the second will be limited-service, meaning it will not have extra amenities like a conference center.

Salaam said the opportunity to ‘‘live, work and play at one place” drew him to the project.

‘‘It gives you a central place, a sense of identity in Prince George’s County,” Salaam said.

Another new addition is a Hospice of the Chesapeake. Richardson said the commitment was made two years ago and $1 million will be spent designing and building a hospice to turn over to the organization, which is based in Anne Arundel County. There are hospice locations in Harwood and Linthicum in Anne Arundel County, but none in Prince George’s County, except for a Landover satellite office.

County Council Chairman Samuel H. Dean (D-Dist. 6) of Mitchellville said this development will make Glenarden one of the county’s major municipalities.

‘‘When everything is said and done, Prince George’s County will be on everyone’s lips when people talk of how great communities are,” Dean said.

Glenarden resident Maxine Phiffer said she is looking forward to the project and she will be close to most of the action since she lives on Glenarden Parkway, one of the three entrances to the development.

‘‘It’s a good thing for us to have to not go outside the county to do shopping,” Phiffer said. ‘‘One of the best things about this project is that hospice. I’m just so glad that’s going to be here.”

The Rev. Levester Jones of St. Joseph Catholic Church said he began preaching at the church in July 2007 and previously was unfamiliar with Woodmore Towne Centre plans. Jones said he hopes contractors will be mindful of events such as funerals during construction but otherwise ‘‘it’s good to have a neighbor.”

E-mail Natalie McGill at nmcgill@gazette.net.