Real estate business B.F. Saul Company will redevelop Downtown Wheaton to create a more transit-oriented community in collaboration with the Wheaton Redevelopment Advisory Committee (WRAC). After three to four months of gathering community input, B.F. Saul submitted a concept plan to county stakeholders and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) in mid-March for negotiation and approval. So far, the county has had about two weeks to look over the plan. There is no estimated date for the plan's finalization.
The redevelopment of Wheaton is still in its beginning stages. "None of this is a done deal," WRAC chair Greg Baker said. "This is part of the county's effort to attract redevelopment. It doesn't mean it will happen." With a large planning and building process ahead of them, developers do not anticipate starting construction for a few years. "Optimistically, it will be 2015 before the shovel hits the ground," Manager of Business Development Pete McGinnity said.
Redevelopment in Downtown Wheaton will occur in phases, according to Baker. B.F. Saul will convert one third of what is currently Parking Lot 13 into a town square. Its size and functionality are yet to be determined, as the developers are working to satisfy community interests, according to Baker.
SOURCE: Silver Chips
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