By ETHAN THERRIEN
Photo credit: Leo Casalini
Construction and redevelopment of the Hyattsville Canvas Apartments, formerly known as the Armory Apartments, will soon be bringing new businesses to the city, courtesy of real estate developer Urban Investment Partners.
The project, located at 5300 Baltimore Avenue, will include 30,000 square feet of retail, 285 rental apartments and an outdoor dining plaza, according to the developer’s website. A 680-car garage with 152 public spaces is also part of the project.
According to the city website, plans for the development were first presented to the Hyattsville city council in July 2018 and the council voted to support the plan in November 2018. Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission staff certified the plan in April 2020, and construction began in June 2022.
After over two years of construction, a variety of businesses will soon be setting up shop in the new complex. Akira Ramen & Izakaya, a Japanese ramen chain with nine other restaurant locations throughout Maryland and Washington, D.C., will be bringing wagyu steaks and sushi rolls to the city.
The popular math tutoring service for K-12 students Mathnasium will also be establishing a storefront on the block. The company has more than 1,100 locations worldwide.
Other businesses are also in the preliminary stages of setting up shop in the new complex. This includes Menomale, a popular pizzeria with two locations in the District. Italian co-owners and couple Ettore and Mariya Rusciano are in talks to potentially open a storefront and are excited to potentially bring their oven-baked Neapolitan-style pizzas to the Arts District.
“[The Arts District] is a hidden gem that is yet to be discovered by many folks, especially those living in NW DC, Virginia and Montgomery County,” said Mariya, via Instagram direct message. “The planned development of Route 1 as a growing corridor of arts, entertainment and dining means that dynamic times are ahead, and we want to be part of the action.”
Mariya added, “If we sign the deal at the Canvas project, we plan to bring the best of what we offer in one place. That is Neapolitan pizza, Roman-style pizza, wood fired sandwiches, salads, pasta dishes and a brand new children’s menu.”
Attendees of Crossover Church, located next to the complex, will receive some added benefits, as well. The complex’s new parking garage will accommodate members, according to Hyattsville Public Information Officer Cindy Zork.
“Fifty-seven of the [152 public] spaces will be reserved for Crossover Church parking on Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings, and publicly available at other times,” said Zork.
According to Zork, the complex will be completed in the coming months: “UIP has shared the current estimated completion is by the first quarter of 2025, permit pending.”
She added, “Retail fit out for confirmed tenants can begin once the building is complete.”
Until construction is completed, Hyattsville residents can enjoy the murals set up by UIP, who have transformed the vacant lots and storefronts in the area into a walkable gallery while the redevelopment is underway.
Ethan Therrien is an undergraduate journalism student at the University of Maryland.
