Though Prince Georges County is currently recovering from three feet of snow, spring came early for the city of Greenbelt. On February 5, communications and information technology giant Harris Corporation had the ribbon-cutting for a new office to support its recently acquired GOES-R satellite contract with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The $736 million contract will allow Harris to process satellite weather information for over 10,000 direct users as well as for NOAA’s current weather satellites. Harris claims the new system will increase the accuracy of weather prediction and allow weathermen to notify the public more quickly of impending weather disasters.
The new office will add 100 workers to its current employee base of 300 in Maryland and the 1,500 in the Washington area. Located at 7375 Executive Plaza, the 24,000 square foot facility will house a team which, according to a Harris press release, will design, develop, deploy, and maintain the ground segment of the weather system and command operational satellites.
Ray Thorpe, vice president of the GOES-R program for Harris applauds the new location’s proximity to other federal agencies and other NOCC facilities. The new facility will provide high tech jobs in the city of Greenbelt, which had its origins in the depression as a federal experiment to create a walkable, attractive place for the working poor. Ironically, the current site of the high-tech facility was built entirely with shovels, without heavy equipment, to make more work for the men. Greenbelt is today a middle class community which retains its walkability and sense of community.
Looking for a new home in friendly Greenbelt? Contact Express Realty Services today for a great selection of pre-owned homes. Some are remodeled homes purchased by our sister company, Express Homebuyers.
Capitol Heights, home to the Washington Redskins, may not have had seen much football history being made since 1997 when the team settled there, but Prince Georges County has scored big with commercial, retail, and now residential development. This 106-year-old community is on the eve of becoming what DC Mud calls “the area’s newest commuter enclave.”
Ironically, the city was founded to become just that. In 1904, Baltimore land owner Otway B. Zantzinger resold 4,000 lots carved out of a 400 acre parcel just outside the district to eager homeowners for a dollar a month, with a promise of a good view of the capitol, clean drinking water, and an electric railway. The transportation link did not happen until 1980 when the Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority opened a station in Capitol Heights.
In 1997, the Washington Redskins relocated to a new stadium in Capitol Heights that was served by a new exit off Interstate 495, the Capital Beltway. The area is part of an Enterprise Zone to improve some of the area around the stadium. A local mall was refurbished and reopened as the Mall at Prince Georges and the parking lots serve as overflow parking for the stadium. Currently, a proposal is under consideration for DC Unlimited, a new 24,000 seat soccer stadium.
Glenwood Hills at Central Avenue and Addison Road will expand the initial phase which included 90 single-family homes, 117 townhouses and a “central recreational pod,” with Phase 2 which includes 63 new single-family homes and 134 duplexes. Phase 3 will feature 45 single-family homes, along with 144 “multifamily dwelling units.” Berman Enterprises is introducing the last two phases.
Brighton Place, developed by Beazer Homes Corporation will include 68 single-family homes and 60 townhouse units.
The Villages at Peppermill from Structures Unlimited and Foster Communitieswill add 96 new homes.
Prince Georges County, a destination for shoppers and sports fans, is a good place to live near DC and with easy rail connections to the District.
Imagine this ad:
3 bed, 1 bath | 1274 sq ft | 0.1 Acre Lot , Single Family Property has a spacious yard, separate dining room, traditional floor, and a 1-car garage. Near transportation and Redskins FedEx Field. Hurry, won’t last long at this price!!!
Prince Georges County is not only on the move – it’s flying high! Reorganizations and military base closings within the Air Force will bring an additional 3,000 people to Andrews Air Force Base, located in Prince Georges County near the town of Morningside. This influx of military and civilian residents is expected to generate a need for 5 million square feet of office space, 2 million square feet of retail, and over 15,000 residential units to accommodate the population increase, plus increased transportation access.
The base, now officially the Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility Washington, has benefited from the 2005 national BRAC (Base Closure and Realignment Commission) plan to consolidate bases for increased efficiency and readiness. Andrews will gain 800 new military positions for its 5,000-acre base. This will lead to the area development which will expand the current $1.5 billion the base brings to the county.
Although the changes at Andrews will not take place until early 2011, planning transportation and housing is already underway, according to James Estepp, Director of Operations, for the business roundtable. The County has applied for “BRAC zones” funds, which offers matching state funds for infrastructure work around military bases.
Many of the military persona and civilian workers will seek housing in Prince Georges County. Express Realty Services stands ready for duty to help people find a home in the county. Some personnel who have been on duty out of the country will qualify for new Home Buyer’s Tax Credit under special military provisions of the bill.
As the Washington, DC area rebounds from the housing recession, Prince Georges County is faced with some challenges that offer good opportunities for home buyers and sellers alike.
A short commute from the core city, suburbs within the county offer convenience along with lower prices. Average homes prices are $374,044, an 18.1% decline between 12/08- 12/09. This is about $100,000 less than homes in the District, but about $80,000 higher than homes in outer suburbs in Loudoun, Prince William and Frederick Counties.
Properties in Prince Georges County average 76 days on the market (DOM). This is longer than in DC (73 days) and the Outer suburbs (59 days) but down from 109 days in 12/08. The falling DOM give sellers a good shot at selling their existing home and buying a new one in time to realize the $6,500 repeat buyer’s tax credit.
Buying? Selling? Call Express Realty Services today for a home in College Park, Capitol Heights, District Heights, or any other city in Prince Georges County. Chat with an Agent or call 703-752-1380.
At a time where regional job losses often dominate the headlines, it is good news for Prince Georges County that Wegmans Market will hire 600 new employees by October 2010. The new store, still under construction in the Woodmere Towne Centre in Lanham, will fill at least 550 positions with local people.
Open positions include entry level management, cashiers, customer service, pharmacy, and food workers. Hiring is underway for full time staff, while part timers will be hired stating in July. Wegmans anticipates investing $1.5 million in training for the new employees. Though salary ranges were not disclosed on the company’s website, the company was fifth on Fortune Magazine’s list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For.
The new store will be the second one in Maryland and the sixth in the greater DC area. The new store, which promises to increase the area tax base, is making a timely entry into the area. Recent property assessments were down 20%, so the new property and employee tax revenues will help the county maintain services.
Jobs and a nice new store make Prince Georges County an even nicer place to live and raise your family. Contact Express Realty Services today to learn about fine housing opportunities right here in Prince Georges County. Contact Express Realty Services for information about area homeowner programs, as well as about the home buyer tax credit.
We're Express Realty Services, a real estate development company dedicated to improving the overall quality of homes in PG County. We buy distressed homes and refurbish them. We are the sales division of Express HomeBuyers, a Washington DC Metro company. This blog offers a collection of timely, useful information about buying a home in Prince Georges County, Maryland.
